Dress Codes: Good or Bad for the Game?

[Fourputt]

I think this sums up pretty much everything I would say on this, honestly would you want to play with someone who throws clubs, swears and breaks things? I sure don't, and I've noticed that people dressed nice do better than people that aren't.

Now this I can argue with. I see far more "properly" dressed golfers throwing tantrums on the course than I ever have the jeans and t-shirt crowd. The reason? Because the so called properly dressed players tend to take the game more seriously... often to the point of obsession, and that leads to overreacting when things aren't going well.

The average Joe Hacker is just out having fun, and is far more likely to just laugh off a topped drive, or a shanked iron. Donald Serious is going to take a rough day much harder. I've played a lot of golf with both types and the lower handicap golfer is both more likely to dress in a fashion acceptable to this DB, and he is more likely to helicopter a club downrange chasing his ball after a bad shot. One guy I played with regularly was a 4 handicap... I tried to never stand in flinging range of him.... he was just plain dangerous, but always impeccably dressed. Then I've watched Aaron Baddely in person (I used to marshal at the International) go ballistic after a bad shot and hack up a tee box with his driver... 3 holes later he broke his 4I over his knee. He was well dressed too. Tiger's also been known to get a bit hot under the collar too... oh that's right, he doesn't wear shirts with collars... I rest my case.

[Spackler-esque]

Now this I can argue with. I see far more "properly" dressed golfers throwing tantrums on the course than I ever have the jeans and t-shirt crowd.

Though I have seen more individuals who aren't impeccably dressed who have guts hanging out, who haven't showered (and smell awful), and who aren't considerate with their disgusting habits like smoking, chewing, farting, or belching. Stereotypes, I know, but damned if the things don't go and prove themselves!

I'd rather play with Spazzy McGee than one of the yokels I've described above. At least with Mr. McGee I get a laugh instead of TB or something.

I rest my case.

Thank you, because you haven't made a convincing argument yet!

Just meditate on the words iacas said, and that I whole heartedly agree with:

Now, "what other people think of you" should never be a reason to dress up, but how you think of yourself should be, and whether you're aware of it or not, you feel better when you dress better.

If you don't respect

yourself enough to dress up, then that's a personal problem and I feel sorry for you. And that lack of self-respect is the message all you "non-conformists" are sending beyond anything else.

[Par Fore]

I liken it to going out....

Hitting a $15 muni at 5pm on a weekday to walk 9.....jeans, a clean shirt, who cares......it's like hitting the little Mexican food place down the street on a Wednesday night....casual...

Playing golf on the weekend is like taking the little lady out for dinner on the weekend....be a gentlemen, wear some nice shorts/slacks, a decent shirt, and look a little presentable....

my two cents....

[Guest]

I liken it to going out....

Fair point. I guess it does depend on the situation of your golf round and what course you play at. I play at a private course and theres a fairly strict dress standard out on the course and in the clubhouse. However, whenever i go play at a public course, just having a quick nine, i get a little slack with my dress standard. I still look neat and presentable but i may occasionally wear a T-Shirt without a collor or something.

I still think it is important to be neat and presentable however. Golf is still suppose to be a gentlemens game (not trying to be sexist) so a reasonable high standard of dress should occur. www.GolfReviewInfo.com

[Fourputt]

Though I have seen more individuals who aren't impeccably dressed who have guts hanging out, who haven't showered (and smell awful), and who aren't considerate with their disgusting habits like smoking, chewing, farting, or belching. Stereotypes, I know, but damned if the things don't go and prove themselves!

And that's just plain insulting. If that's the best argument you have then your opinion just went right out the window. Or maybe we're just short of hillbillies here out west.

Thank you, because you haven't made a convincing argument yet!

Nor have you to me!

Just meditate on the words iacas said, and that I whole heartedly agree with: If you don't respect yourself enough to dress up, then that's a personal problem and I feel sorry for you. And that lack of self-respect is the message all you "non-conformists" are sending beyond anything else.

If you can find any place in this thread where I said that I wouldn't dress as required for a given venue, I'll buy YOU dinner. And here in Colorado I'm NOT a nonconformist.... but you might be.

Face it, it's a big country and what flies for some may not fly elsewhere, at least not to the same extent.

[Bump-n-MI]

Plain and simple, "is dressing up good for the game"? Sure, how can it not be? How would one construe wearing decent clothes negative for the game? Nothing wrong in taking pride in the way you present yourself.

Honestly, how can dressing like a slob be good for anything? Sure there are those that dress to the hilt that have poor course etiquette, but their clothes have nothing to do with that….

[Spackler-esque]

And that's just plain insulting. If that's the best argument you have then your opinion just went right out the window. Or maybe we're just short of hillbillies here out west.

If you'd read anything else I'd written in this thread you would know it's not my best argument. It's just coming down to your level and countering your generalizations with others that I've just so happened to witness, much like you and yours. Hooray, outliers!

My general argument has been that it is the right thing to do to dress up because golf is an event and as an event it deserves respect. As someone attending an event, a golfer should respect him/herself enough to look nice. Hence why I brought up "Sunday best" earlier and have been railing on the lack of decorum and common decency in our society. It all spills over onto the golf course.

Nor have you to me!

Of course not. I just wish you'd use a real argument instead of talking about inclusiveness and how the mean old dressed-up man broke his club, took himself too seriously, and otherwise made you laugh (whether in pity, awe, or disgust) while the hobo/thug/whatever fixed his divot and ball mark on Number 13.

If you can find any place in this thread where I said that I wouldn't dress as required for a given venue, I'll buy YOU dinner.

Honestly, I don't care if you said you'd wear a thong, a gimp mask, and assless chaps to a round (which would violate any dress code and all rules of decorum, by the way). The point is that too many people don't share that common sense, therefore dress codes are a net positive.

And here in Colorado I'm NOT a nonconformist.... but you might be.

Well good for you. As for me, I've been told by friends who live there that I would probably like Colorado. I don't doubt it. Doesn't mean I'd start liking people in general all of a sudden. So if not believing in the good heart, mind, and judgment of man-kind makes me non-conformist, than so be it.

Unfortunately, in this day in time, rules have to be catered to the lowest common denominator. Sometimes cattle need to be herded.

Face it, it's a big country and what flies for some may not fly elsewhere, at least not to the same extent.

No!!! Really?!? Never woulda thunk that!

But that still doesn't make the outliers right. I've seen people asked to leave courses because of their behavior. I've seen others denied entry because they were dressed horribly. This is the way it should be, especially on upscale public courses. I could not care less (as opposed to a lot of people on here who could care less) about what private establishments do. That's there prerogative through and through. For the rest of us, eliminating the outliers by regulating them benefits everyone.

[I <3 Titleist]

I personally think a player should show up to a private or club course dressed appropriately. However, at a public muni or city course, I don't think that's as necessary.

It's amazing how soon a lot of people forget that everyone starts this game at some point in their life, and unfortunately you don't get a free pair of Docker's golf slacks and a Cutter and Buck collared shirt when you do.

Have a little faith in people. Eventually, when they decide they love it as much as we do, they'll go out and blow a couple hundred on some nice shirts and golf shorts. Maybe even a pair of shoes.

[Spackler-esque]

Have a little faith in people. Eventually, when they decide they love it as much as we do, they'll go out and blow a couple hundred on some nice shirts and golf shorts. Maybe even a pair of shoes.

18 holes at the muni about 1-2 miles away is something like $21 to walk during the week. The other publics? $36-ish on up, if you're walking. For one public round or one to two muni rounds I could buy a polo shirt and khakis. Stop making this sound like an individual HAS TO go out and drop mad money just to fit a dress code. It sure doesn't have to be Docker's golf slacks and a Cutter and Buck collared shirt.

Don't believe me? Go to Target.com. $20 Khakis (clearance items at $10) and polo shirts $10-20. And that's not even putting effort into doing it on the cheap. When people make this argument about money it doesn't help my faith in them.

[Fat Slice]

$8 shirt, delivered: http://tinyurl.com/9rpp99
$12 pants, delivered: http://tinyurl.com/9g3273

$20 and there's your dress code investment.

[iacas]

Now this I can argue with. I see far more "properly" dressed golfers throwing tantrums on the course than I ever have the jeans and t-shirt crowd. The reason? Because the so called properly dressed players tend to take the game more seriously... often to the point of obsession, and that leads to overreacting when things aren't going well.

And one person's observations really have no standing in a discussion like this. They're not provable. They're tainted by your opinion. They're easily countered by someone else saying "I've seen the opposite."

Lest you think I'm singling you out because I disagree, I'm not. You were just the last one to post this kind of argument. This post applies to everyone posting here, and the same is true of people who say the opposite. Let me illustrate...

The average Joe Hacker is just out having fun, and is far more likely to just laugh off a topped drive, or a shanked iron.

(In my experience...) He's also more likely to be drunk. He's also more likely to be loud and obnoxious. He's more likely to drive the cart too close to the greens or take too long at the halfway house. He's more likely to fail to properly rake the bunkers or care if he puts the flagstick in crooked. I don't believe all of that, and am merely illustrating my point. That's all in my experience just as all of what you said is in your experience. Neither of us can prove or disprove the other. Our memories of those experiences is tainted by our pre-conceived opinions. They're pretty much worthless as far as this argument goes. All we learn from "in my experience..." type statements is that you're likely to judge the next guy based on those. I personally prefer to try to blank out my "experiences" so that it doesn't lead to judging other people.

And that's just plain insulting. If that's the best argument you have then your opinion just went right out the window.

His argument was just as worthless as yours - for the same reasons as above.

"In my experience" arguments are almost always incredibly soft when talking about other people. The only time "in my experience" matters is when you're talking about how a shaft performs or something like that. When it involves judgment of other people - future, past, or present - it gets soft in a hurry. So please, guys, continue the discussion. Just try to shoot for better statements. Passing off your experiences as fact doesn't cut it.

[Par Fore]

$8 shirt, delivered:

Now you are talking my speed....cheap....the wife always supports that

I forget the brand, but we got out and buy a few pairs of slacks for $15 a shot a couple of times a year....great for business casual type stuff....they are wrikle free and stain resistant, which makes life easy for me, while also being golf course friendly.....also, I usually can get nice Ping and Adidas shirts for about $20 a pop when I find them on sale....shoes for about $50....and my USGA membership nets me a free golf hat every year As stated previously, dress for the occasion......if I'm going to drop $150 to play the King and the Bear, I'm gonna dress the part....and hopefully play well doing it....granted, I'd rather be paired with someone that is friendly, respects pace of play, has good golf etiquette, that is dressed in rags....than someone who is dressed like a champ, but could care less about respecting others, causes a 6 hour round, and hits on the 14 year old cart girl

[I <3 Titleist]

18 holes at the muni about 1-2 miles away is something like $21 to walk during the week. The other publics? $36-ish on up, if you're walking. For one public round or one to two muni rounds I could buy a polo shirt and khakis. Stop making this sound like an individual HAS TO go out and drop mad money just to fit a dress code. It sure doesn't have to be Docker's golf slacks and a Cutter and Buck collared shirt.

I'm not saying they couldn't go get golf attire at Walmart. What I am saying is that at a muni course, as long as they don't have rules posted you shouldn't worry about it. If it's a private course, that is completely different. When you're so damn interested in other people's behavior that you can't stand it, join a club somewhere and I can assure you the jeans and tank tops will disappear.

And yes, modern golf poly blend shirts are expensive. I can't just go buy a pure cotton polo shirt and play in 100 degree heat, unfortunately. I need something that breathes and wicks sweat, and it's a lot more expensive than a run of the mill polo. I've actually started to buy mine on clearance during the winter time simply because they go down into the 30 - 40 dollar range.

[Spackler-esque]

His argument was just as worthless as yours - for the same reasons as above.

The difference is that I know mine was. The point was hyperbole in order to emphasize the ridiculousness of such statements/arguments. Though, in hindsight, just calling him out on it as you have done probably would've been much more to the point. I tried to sum this up in my follow-up reply.

On to other points.

And yes, modern golf poly blend shirts are expensive. I can't just go buy a pure cotton polo shirt and play in 100 degree heat, unfortunately. I need something that breathes and wicks sweat, and it's a lot more expensive than a run of the mill polo.

And that's what we call personal preference (referred to from here on out as a personal problem). Are you unable to play in a cotton polo? Until this summer I had never played in anything but cotton polos and had never worn anything resembling micro-fiber slacks while golfing. Do I prefer the slacks and "modern golf poly blend shirts?" Yes and no. But that has ZERO bearing on the discussion.

The reality of the situation is that you can just go buy pure cotton polo shirts and play in 100 degree heat (it isn't that bad), you, I <3 Titleist, just prefer not to. Big difference.

[Fat Slice]

$13 moisture wicking golf polo, delivered: http://tinyurl.com/9umq4d

[I <3 Titleist]

So what about the guy who decides one day he wants to play golf, and so he throws on a sports team t shirt, cargo shorts and a pair of tennis shoes? The guy who never played golf with his dad or grandpa? How is he supposed to know about some draconian standard of golf attire he's supposed to adhere to his first time out a 20 dollar a round muni?

Well, he goes out there and looks around at everyone. Maybe he shows up up in a collared shirt and khaki shorts next time. He might even tuck in his shirt.

That guy was me in March of last year.

Maybe my previous statement was taking this thread in the wrong direction. I guess what I meant to say is unless there is a sign on the club house door that says All players: Make sure you're dressed properly before you walk in this door , then NOONE should be concerned with anyones clothing. Don't like it? Go play somewhere with a dress code and then that'll give you one less thing to complain about.

[Fourputt]

So what about the guy who decides one day he wants to play golf, and so he throws on a sports team t shirt, cargo shorts and a pair of tennis shoes? The guy who never played golf with his dad or grandpa? How is he supposed to know about some draconian standard of golf attire he's supposed to adhere to his first time out a 20 dollar a round muni?

And that's really what this whole thing comes down to.... adherence to to policies and regulations of the course you are playing. I still don't see a clear or defined correlation between dress and behavior. Proper behavior on the course comes from experience and education, and "proper" dress can either precede or follow those factors. Much is dependent on the individual and the venue he plays most often. Stereotyping a player by his clothing is just as deplorable as stereotyping (or profiling, the "in" term these days) by any other attribute.

I sit in the starter booth for 20 hours a week during the season, and I see all types. I see all kinds of dress, from the perfect microfiber and polo to plus fours and sweater vest to jeans to sloppy basketball shorts. Yet I can't honestly find any common theme for behavior. I meet nice, responsible golfers in all forms of dress, and I meet jerks in all forms of dress. The one possible theme that I can point to is the consistently worst dressers tend to be younger players (mid twenties and younger). They are the ones who seem to wear the slovenly cargo shorts, the pants hanging down around their crotch, the baggy, dirty t-shirts, hat on any way but straight. But I don't put any blame on them for that either. I blame their parents for not teaching them what is presentable or acceptable on the golf course (if not in public in general). I can assure you that no kid of MINE would show up at the course (or anyplace else) looking like he just left a rap concert. I just feel that person can be neat and clean and presentable without having to wear a uniform to do so.

[Fat Slice]

"I can assure you that no kid of MINE would show up at the course (or anyplace else) looking like he just left a rap concert."

So you have your standards for dress at the course as well, they just aren't the same as what some other people have supported.