Club House Rags Clothing Brand Reinvents Golf-Course Attire

Santa Barbara Brothers Launch Clothing Brand Using Late Father’s Brilliant Sketch Art

Some of the merchandise available at Club House Rags by Leo "Rags" Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy

A simple glance around a golf course reveals a palette of predictable hues: coral pinks and neon blues, tacky scenes on embroidered belts, and traditional stripe wear — all attire careful not to deviate. But Lee and Cary Lathouwers have challenged this status quo, reinventing garb on the links with Club House Rags.

Miraculously not golfers themselves, the Lathouwers brothers found their way to the business in a unique fashion. Leo Lathouwers, their father and beloved Santa Barbara School District graphic artist, spent his life as an artist working for commission, between the Chicago Times and the Goleta Adviser. He simultaneously worked on personal projects, including a set of fictional golf characters whom he had envisioned while spending a few short months on the golf course. It was not until after he passed in 2007 that his art was finally put up for sale.

The decision to sell this art began with the reading of Leo’s will. He advised the brothers: “If you’d like, donate it to a school; the kids will be inspired by it. Give it to a museum; maybe they’ll hang it on the wall for a few to see, but probably not many. Last but not least, you may want to try to sell it, and if nobody’s interested in it, throw it away.”

For Lee and Cary, this decision was a no-brainer. Club House Rags was born soon after, reflecting their desire to honor their father’s legacy by sharing his brilliant designs with the world.

“We took Dad’s art and we took golf apparel and we used it as a living canvas for his images. That’s really all we did. Now it’s just a matter of getting the word out,” Lee says.

Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy

Leo Lathouwers did not receive a traditional art education. His high school education was interrupted when he registered for the military and was deployed to the Pacific Ocean during World War II as a combat sketch artist.

This not only jump-started his career in sketch art, but was also responsible for the origin of his pseudonym. After exploring an abandoned town in the Southern Pacific Ocean seeking intact clothing, he emerged from a hut in tattered shorts, to which his fellow soldiers dubbed him “Rags.” This term of endearment endured for the rest of Leo’s life and endeavors.

The brothers underscored one of Leo’s most notable projects: “The Grass People,” which he designed as a weekly art feature for the Goleta Adviser. This comic series originated from a bedtime story that he would tell Lee about characters of about five inches in height that coexisted with humans by helping to manicure their grass but could only be seen by children.

The comic series consisted of clever characters that resembling humans, other than their trademark spiky hair. The cartoon was unfortunately discontinued by the newspaper due to controversy over the name, which was wrongly insinuated to be related to marijuana, as the cartoon was produced around 1968, the peak of the counterculture movement.

Logo for Club House Rags by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy
Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy
Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy
Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy

Lathouwers’s timeless eye is also encompassed through the Goleta Union School District Emblem, which he designed and is still displayed on buses around the county today. This design withstood the test of the time, attesting to Lathouwers’s “keen eye for the passing scene.”

Leo Lathouwers’s legacy extends far beyond his art. He is remembered for “his great ability to laugh at himself” because of the insight and gratitude he gained from his years on the front lines. His upbeat attitude and knack for the pen and ink have earned him recognition to this day and beloved status across the Santa Barbara schools community.

Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy
Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy
Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy
Illustration by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy

“The only reason that we did this was to honor his legacy. If we made a nickel on what we do, that’s completely a bonus round for us,” Cary emphasizes. The brothers described the profound experience of sharing their father’s work insofar as beyond rewarding, citing stories of being stopped in public with compliments on their designs or feedback from professional artists reaffirming their father’s aptitude.

On their first outing to sell the brand at the recent Goleta Lemon Festival, the brothers received a large influx of support and interest, especially from a younger demographic. “That was really cool, that it was almost like Dad was sitting there talking to these people,” Lee shares.

The two brothers are not stopping here. They plan to expand the brand by continuously modifying the website and pitching their line to pro shops, as well as attending trade shows and tournaments. Beyond this, Lee plans to pass the brand down to his children and carry on Rags’s legacy for generations to come.

[Click to expand] Sales sheet for Club House Rags featuring illustrations by Leo “Rags” Lathouwers | Photo: Courtesy

The brothers’ ultimate goal is to become a nonprofit organization. They anticipate having a percentage of proceeds go to veterans, in honor of their father who served time in the military.

“It’s more than just selling a shirt or a hat, but it’s really honoring dad and his legacy and then honoring veterans. For if it wasn’t for veterans, we wouldn’t be here,” Lee shares.

With clever trademark characters and ethical business practices, Lee and Cary Lathouwers undoubtedly “rock the art.”

Visit clubhouserags.com for more on the Lathouwers family story and to shop their unique line.