University graduate tees up vintage golf fashion business inspired by Tiger Woods

A University of Glasgow graduate has turned a student side hustle into a growing vintage golf fashion business inspired by the sport’s biggest icons.

Malcolm Weir, 22, launched Generation Mulligan while studying Geography at the University of Glasgow, initially to earn extra income alongside his degree.

Now, after graduating last summer, the Edinburgh entrepreneur is running the business full-time, specialising in sourcing and restoring vintage golf clothing from the 1980s through to the early 2000s.

The online resale platform stocks retro golf apparel from major brands including Nike, Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist and Adidas, tapping into growing demand among younger consumers for sustainable and nostalgic fashion.

Weir said the idea was inspired by both his lifelong love of golf and the booming market for vintage football shirts.

He said: “I needed to make a little bit of extra cash alongside my studies, because the cost of living is so much for students, and I didn’t want to work at a pub or a cafe.

“I always had a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit, and I had been into golf from a very young age. I really wanted to start something and initially began Generation Mulligan as a blog.

“But I was finding it hard to engage the audience I needed through long-form articles, so I turned to social media and set up the platform.

“I got really into my fashion and my vintage clothing at university, and I could see how big the vintage football shirt market was. I used to collect football shirts myself, and it started me thinking is there a vintage market for golf?

“I began picking up items for myself, polos that Tiger Woods used to wear and pieces from the ’90s. And I’d wear them on the course, and my friends would tell me they looked really good.”

Generation Mulligan now has more than 20,000 social media followers and works with suppliers across three continents. The company has also recently opened an operations unit in Edinburgh, with plans to recruit staff in the coming months.

The business takes its name from the golfing term “Mulligan”, which refers to an unofficial second chance shot.

Weir said: “The clothes come from a variety of countries, where I work with people on the ground who source items from vintage shops, where most of the stock is.

“Because of my marketing and brand presence, I can charge a much higher fee than if the suppliers were to sell in their countries for an equivalent price, and they still earn a profit.”

The entrepreneur credits support from the University of Glasgow with helping him develop the business, including funding through a Summer Company Programme sponsored by Santander.

Malcolm said: “I received two and a half thousand pounds of funding, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but at the time that was huge, and I received loads of knowledge as well.

“I learned how to incorporate a business; I learned more about the legal side of running a business; and the marketing side – and that was really the beginning of Generation Mulligan as a business. This was all going on while I was studying at university.”

His success was recently recognised after winning Champion Student Startup at the University of Glasgow’s People and Excellence: Celebrating Achievements in Knowledge Exchange and Innovation 2026 Awards.

Marion Anderson, student and graduate enterprise manager at the University of Glasgow, said: “Generation Mulligan’s success is a fantastic example of what our students can achieve with the right support, ambition and creativity.

“At the University of Glasgow, we’re proud to provide the mentoring, programmes and networks that help student entrepreneurs turn ideas into thriving ventures.”

Uzma Khan, vice principal for innovation and economic development at the University of Glasgow, said: “Generation Mulligan exemplifies the entrepreneurial talent we are proud to nurture at the University of Glasgow – turning creativity into a compelling, high-impact venture.

“This award recognises not only Malcolm’s achievement, but the growing culture of innovation and ambition across our student community.”