As many golfers will tell you, spending time outdoors is one of the great joys of the sport. Golf courses are often considered antagonistic to nature, when in reality, especially when done thoughtfully, they can actually offer the kind of sanctuary and biodiversity that wildlife need, now more than ever. Inspired by one writer’s family of birders and golfers, we’ve created three outfits each for men and women inspired by three birds commonly seen on golf courses across the country. They remind us to take time to appreciate the complex living world around us between swings.

Bald Eagle

I didn’t learn to golf in the States, but I did learn to bird here. Perhaps this makes me appreciate the bald eagle, whenever I see the national bird’s silhouette soaring above me, even more. One of the first hoodwinks I mastered as a young birder was that nine times out of 10, that majestic feathered figure gliding overhead, catching the sunlight, is actually just a turkey vulture—an important lesson in patience and vigilance as true in birding as it is in golf. But man, when that starry white head and bright yellow beak really do belong to a bald eagle, I am filled with a childlike sense of wonder and excitement. Raptors always remind me to keep perspective, to step back, to think about the larger picture, no matter the score, and to remember to take time to appreciate and care for the natural wonders that predicate the sport.

Vermilion Flycatcher

Though usually based in the East Coast, my family often makes a springtime journey out West. My parents—golfers and naturalists themselves—love the towering, lifelike Saguaro cacti and the clay-toned sunsets that decorate the landscape of golf courses in Tucson, Ariz., and beyond. If we’re lucky, we might stop the cart to give way to a roadrunner or admire a hummingbird zipping ahead. (Apologies to all the poor souls who have patiently trailed behind my family’s foursome!) But it’s the vermilion flycatchers that always make my heart stop. The adaptable birds have been known to nest in courses across the Southwest, a testament to the species’ resiliency; in fact, they belong to the genus Pyrocephalus, which aptly translates to “fire-headed.” The looks that follow are just as spicy, bold, and eye-catching; the species reminds us it’s okay to stand out.

Belted Kingfisher

I learned to golf by taking lessons with my mom and sister, but most of my memories of that time are with my dad, when he would take us out on the course before work. Sometimes his friends would join, and, to the chagrin of my rule-abiding father, we’d have golf cart races. You could catch us (if you were fast enough!) speeding, dipping, and diving along our hilly, boulder-laced home course, mimicking the sweeping dance of a kingfisher darting below the water’s surface to catch its prey. Kingfishers are one of my dad’s favorite birds, the belted variety being the most common in the States, known for their iridescent bursts of blue that smile encouragingly (or knowingly!) at you from the water hazards. Whenever we’re near a pond or lake, I always keep an eye out, hoping to catch a glimpse of that transcendent cerulean—what some might see as a terrible distraction, I see as a loving reminder to look beyond the pin.

Learn more about how your golf course can protect and promote wildlife here.