Trivia Question. Why Do Golf Hats Have a Metal Button on Top?

What is the purpose of that heat seeking metal button on top of your golf hat?  Originally in the 1800's the button (actually a rivet) was a way to connect the six panels of fabrics and hide rough edges of stitching on baseball caps.  It allowed the manufacturer to quickly finish the cap.  A long, long time ago when production methods improved and automated sewing equipment was introduced the need for the metal button was eliminated but the 100+ year-old design specs have never changed.  As a result golfers are still wearing heat magnets on top of their heads.  Kinda “old school” like wearing 100% cotton shirts don't ya think?

Some hat history.

Flat caps were almost universally worn in the 19th century by men throughout Britain and Ireland, and versions in finer cloth were also considered to be suitable casual countryside wear for upper-class English men (hence the contemporary alternative name golf cap).

It was not until the late 50s and and early 1960's baseball style caps became the norm for golfers here in the US.

My vote was for none of the above.......it's there for the exact same reason now as it was 100yrs ago.

Nope, purely for decoration.  And to attract some heat.

I'm betting your hats don't have buttons. I like your website by the way, but if you want to promote your products here, why not contact admin?

Actual Trivia Questions with "none of the above" as a choice.  God Bless Monty Brewster, and God Bless America

I wear a Tilley hat.  No button.  It does have brass grommets on the ventilation holes though.  Never noticed that they get hot though.

As lacking hair on top, I've never noticed the heat from the metal button. Interesting...

I don't care for runners hats. They don't suit me at all.

Lightning conductor!

I agree, I shave my head twice a week, the only time I have ever felt the button on my hat get that hot is when my hat is layed on the dash board of the truck and then I put it on, OUCH!

I never gave it much thought.  I wear big brimmed hat most of the time but do wear "ball caps" in heavy wind and "flat caps" for tournaments sometimes.   Are you sure the buttons are not plastic made in China these days?

Sean, interesting perspective.  We’ve been in business for just nine months and already a couple of thousand golfers are wearing this style hat.  We have received numerous, positive testimonials to date from all over the world.  I guess there are some of us who are looking for performance and comfort over a particular style.  Plus it helps to be bald which I believe you are not among the hair challenged (yet).  Bald guys and men with receding hairlines love the feel of the material and superior moisture wicking capability.

And to bring this back to the point of the original post – by eliminating the metal button the hat’s moisture wicking ability is increased and for some us added comfort by the elimination of a hard touch point on top of the scalp.

Good luck, but style is at least somewhat important to me and that style of hat (the shape - most notably the shallow dimensions) looks like garbage on me. I don't like the appearance and based on your profile photo it looks like the type of hat that would blow off in the slightest of breezes. I'm probably wrong and I'm sure they're great hats for some people (Davis Love III, Tom Lehman, James Taylor during celebrity fun runs) but not for me. Besides, Canadians never play golf in such hot weather that moisture wicking becomes an issue. If we did, we'd just wear a visor, since we all have hair.

Sean, it would seem not all Canadians agree or have hair.  Received this email a couple of days ago from one of your fellow countrymen.

Steve ...I have a brother and friends who are bald and crazy about golf as I am... Our summers in the Ottawa (Canada's capital) area are extremely humid - hence those awful white sweat marks on our golf hats after a round.

Merci beaucoup!

Regards,

M

Nice spin. Kudos.