Founder's Corner: Meet Emily of Turtlebacks, the Mom Redefining Junior Golf Style
- Feb 19
- 5 min read
Women's golf is growing, and it's bringing the next generation with it. Emily Sprague, founder of Turtlebacks, saw that connection before most people did. What started as a frustrated mom searching for pants her sons would actually wear has evolved into a thoughtful, performance-driven boys' apparel brand that's quietly reshaping how the next generation shows up to the course.
This isn't another story about disruption or reinvention. It's about a woman who spent 15 years as a government attorney, raised three kids, and decided the junior golf apparel market was missing something fundamental: clothing that boys would choose to wear on their own.
The Gap Nobody Was Talking About
Emily's problem was simple and universal. Her sports-clothes-loving sons refused to wear stiff, uncomfortable khakis on the golf course. Every pair she tried felt like a compromise, either traditional pants the boys hated, or athletic gear that didn't belong at the club.
"I had a problem with every pair," Emily recalls. The daily battle to get her sons into "real pants" wasn't just exhausting, it was revealing. When she started hearing the same frustration from other parents, the pattern became impossible to ignore.
The market offered two extremes with nothing in between. Boys needed pants that felt like their favorite sweatpants but looked polished enough for the course, school, and everywhere else. That specific combination didn't exist.
So Emily designed it herself.
From Patent Law to Performance Apparel
Emily wasn't coming from the fashion industry. She worked as an attorney at the Patent and Trade Office while raising Charlie, Tucker, and Eleanor. Golf was already woven into the family, her father, older brother, and husband all played. Her sons started young, drawn to the game naturally, and now compete in U.S. Kids Golf tournaments across the region.
The entrepreneurial shift happened when a half-joking comment, "I should just make my own", turned into an actual business plan. With her husband's encouragement, Emily connected with a fashion consulting company in New York and brought Turtlebacks to life.
The brand launched with a clear focus: premium performance apparel for boys ages 5 to 10, designed through what Emily calls the mom lens, thinking about comfort, fit, functionality, and durability all at once.
Traditional golf brands design top-down from the adult game. Emily designed bottom-up, starting with what kids actually like and need. The distinction matters.
The Play All Day Philosophy
Turtlebacks' signature product is the Play All Day Pants, and the name says everything. They're buttery soft, stretchy enough for full swings and running around, and polished enough to work everywhere, from the first tee to school to dinner afterward.
"They're the piece they reach for on their own, which says everything," Emily says.
That's the metric that matters most. When boys who typically resist "real pants" choose these willingly, the design is working. The pants became Turtlebacks' best-seller and fan-favorite because they solved a real problem parents and kids both recognized.
The line has since expanded beyond pants into a full performance collection, shorts, polos, sweatshirts, and half-zips, all built on the same principle: cool enough that boys want to wear it, polished enough that parents approve.
It's apparel made for the stage when boys have opinions and want to dress themselves, while parents still want them to look put-together.
Building Without a Blueprint
Navigating the golf industry as a women-owned, mom-founded brand focused on kids has required Emily to trust herself in ways that aren't always easy. There's no clear blueprint for what she's building, and the industry is competitive, fast-moving, and dominated by long-established players.
"There is a lot of self-doubt that comes with building a new brand in a tough industry," Emily admits. "But trusting my instincts has helped me find confidence in the process."
Behind the scenes, the work is constant, fit tweaks, fabric sourcing, inventory planning, operations, customer service, content creation. When you're bootstrapping a brand, you're doing all of it at once, often months before anyone sees the final product.
Emily stays focused on two things: the products and the customers. Every piece is tested and approved by her own sons. Every decision is made with real families in mind. That clarity has kept Turtlebacks grounded as it grows.
Three Words, One Brand
When asked to describe Turtlebacks in three words, Emily doesn't hesitate: Cool. Comfortable. Confident.
Those aren't just marketing terms, they're the filter every design decision runs through. Is it cool enough that boys will actually wear it? Is it comfortable enough for all-day wear? Does it give kids confidence when they put it on?
If the answer to any of those questions is no, it doesn't make the cut.
Her dream foursome reveals the same balance: Steph Curry, Travis Kelce, Justin Timberlake, and Tiger Woods. Athletes, performers, style icons: all known for showing up with confidence and making it look effortless.
After a round? A cocktail for Emily, Shirley Temples for the boys. The brand is family-first, always.
Advice for the Next Wave
Emily's advice for beginner golfers: especially kids: is refreshingly simple: keep it fun. Let them play shorter tees, pick up when they need to, and eat all the snacks in the golf cart. The goal at the beginning isn't perfect swings or scorecards. It's helping kids feel comfortable and confident on the course.
For women who want to work in or start a business within the golf industry, her guidance is equally grounded: "Trust the process and trust your gut. The golf industry can always benefit from new voices and different perspectives."
She encourages staying close to your customer, asking questions, and being open to learning. You don't need everything figured out to begin: just start somewhere, stay consistent, and give yourself the time it takes to build something meaningful.
What's Next
Turtlebacks is growing thoughtfully. Emily is expanding the core collection, introducing new pieces, and building stronger relationships within the junior golf and family sports communities. The brand is gaining momentum in spaces where families already are, and that organic growth feels authentic and lasting.
What excites Emily most isn't just the products: it's what they represent. Boys showing up to the course confident and comfortable. Parents finding pieces that actually work for their active kids. Families engaging with golf in a way that feels accessible and fun.
She's not just designing apparel. She's helping shape how the next generation experiences the game.
And that's exactly the kind of founder we love spotlighting. Emily saw a gap, trusted her instincts, and built something real. Turtlebacks is proof that the best brands start with a genuine problem and a refusal to settle for compromise.
Women's golf is growing: and bringing the next generation with it. Emily and Turtlebacks are leading that charge, one pair of pants at a time.
Want to see more from brands shaping the future of golf? Check out our Founder's Corner archive for more stories from the women building what's next.
