Dress Codes: Good or Bad for the Game?

[colin007]

I'm of the opinion that golf course dress codes should ban shoes of this style. Jmho.

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by colin007
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[DrMJG]

Perhaps because I am a slightly older man who taught HS for many years, but dress codes do not bother me.  

One can be very comfortable on a golf course and still dress in a way that is not an embarrassment to yourself and others.  

I have mainly been playing a pirate course that is open to all. However, they do have a reasonable code with the following: no so called gym shorts, no tee shirts, no swimwear.

Nothing there too restrictive. My son, who is still young enough to wear cloth that would not be allowed on the course did not feel put upon. (Though my he fee l my optic orange socks should be banned as offensive to the public.)

Living in AZ where very hot temps are the rule, I have no problem wearing cool and comfortable items. Does my dress make me a better or worse golfer? Of course not! 

 

[Missouri Swede]

16 minutes ago, DrMJG said:

I have mainly been playing a pirate course that is open to all. However, they do have a reasonable code with the following: no so called gym shorts, no tee shirts, no swimwear.

Eye patch and parrot optional? 

[DrMJG]

17 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

Eye patch and parrot optional? 

^%$#@)*$^$ autocorrect! Instead of yelling fore you must scream AARGH!

Edited March 13, 2019 by DrMJG

[Sandy Divot]

I belong to a semi-private course that has a dress code that is not enforced. I dress according to code, but I play with guys that don't. They all behave well, and I don't care what they wear. 

[NM Golf]

On 3/12/2019 at 9:59 AM, ChetlovesMer said:

Speaking on behalf of the anti-white-belt society, 

The white belt should be reserved for people selling ice cream and sailors. I'll also allow painters to wear them, but even then its iffy. Otherwise white belts should be exclusively limited to female pop stars. 

If a male must wear one (and assuming he's not selling ice cream or in the navy) then by no circumstances should he be a male with a waist size bigger than 30 inches, and he'd better be under 30 years old. 

the fact that Rodney Dangerfield is wearing one while TRYING to dress like a doofus should be an indicator of what my generation thinks of white belts. 

I heard that in order to wear a white belt you must have the ability to break par, perhaps that's why you don't wear one?

[boogielicious]

6 hours ago, NM Golf said:

I heard that in order to wear a white belt you must have the ability to break par, perhaps that's why you don't wear one?

So kind of the opposite of karate or taekwondo where a while belt signifies you barely have the ability to put on the clothes?

[Carl3]

6 hours ago, NM Golf said:

I heard that in order to wear a white belt you must have the ability to break par

Speaking of white belts, my favorite is the 30 handicap showing up in loud mouth pants with a waistline similar to John Daly's. I was at a muni last year heading to the club house and a guy in his 60's was walking my way all decked out like Al Czervik and the greens keeper starts laughing and tells him "this ain't caddy shack". Because the greens keeper is about 6'-2" and 250 lbs, the guy said nothing.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 3/13/2019 at 2:15 PM, DrMJG said:

Perhaps because I am a slightly older man who taught HS for many years, but dress codes do not bother me.  

One can be very comfortable on a golf course and still dress in a way that is not an embarrassment to yourself and others.  

I have mainly been playing a pirate course that is open to all. However, they do have a reasonable code with the following: no so called gym shorts, no tee shirts, no swimwear.

Nothing there too restrictive. My son, who is still young enough to wear cloth that would not be allowed on the course did not feel put upon. (Though my he fee l my optic orange socks should be banned as offensive to the public.)

Living in AZ where very hot temps are the rule, I have no problem wearing cool and comfortable items. Does my dress make me a better or worse golfer? Of course not! 

 

Heck, you can be MORE comfortable dressing to code. You get all the latest moisture wicking fibers generally in conforming clothing. And you don't have to spend a bundle. I shop Kohl's regularly, and for the last 2 years have found "Ben Hogan" branded clothing at WalMart! Moisture wicking and quite stylish! And some of the high end stuff in the golf shops, even the long pants, are like wearing air! 

I'm guessing the reference to the fabric your Son can wear is denim. Yeah, I haven't been able to wear denim in years! Far too hot in the Summer, far too cold in the Winter! 

I think auto correct messed with your optic orange socks as well!

[RussUK]

10 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Heck, you can be MORE comfortable dressing to code. You get all the latest moisture wicking fibers generally in conforming clothing. And you don't have to spend a bundle. I shop Kohl's regularly, and for the last 2 years have found "Ben Hogan" branded clothing at WalMart! Moisture wicking and quite stylish! And some of the high end stuff in the golf shops, even the long pants, are like wearing air! 

I'm guessing the reference to the fabric your Son can wear is denim. Yeah, I haven't been able to wear denim in years! Far too hot in the Summer, far too cold in the Winter! 

I think auto correct messed with your optic orange socks as well!

Agree 100%. I can pop into my local Sports Direct (other retailers are available ) and get 2 pairs of golf trousers and 2 polo's for around £20. Are they crap? no, sure they are made by Slazenger rather than Nike or Addidas but they have the same materials that the bigger brands have.

I can even get golf stuff from Aldi (supermarket) during spring & summer. Yes they are cheap and unbranded but at the price they cost it doesn't matter if they only last one season.

[JxQx]

I care more about how people act on the golf course than how they dress. I think having options of places with strict and relaxed dress codes would be best. There are many courses in my area that have either.

[Fourputt]

15 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Heck, you can be MORE comfortable dressing to code. You get all the latest moisture wicking fibers generally in conforming clothing. And you don't have to spend a bundle. I shop Kohl's regularly, and for the last 2 years have found "Ben Hogan" branded clothing at WalMart! Moisture wicking and quite stylish! And some of the high end stuff in the golf shops, even the long pants, are like wearing air! 

I'm guessing the reference to the fabric your Son can wear is denim. Yeah, I haven't been able to wear denim in years! Far too hot in the Summer, far too cold in the Winter! 

I think auto correct messed with your optic orange socks as well!

And yet, somehow farmers and ranchers (and a myriad of other professions) have managed to make denim work well in all sorts of weather and all seasons for more than 100 years.  I would agree that it's not my choice for summer golf (although I wore them year round for 40+ years on the job), but if the temps drop below about 60°, I'll be playing golf in jeans - relaxed or loose fit, but jeans.

[Chasing_Bogeys]

57 pages of hot dress code talk! I LOVE IT!!!!
my 2 cents:

It depends on the course. Private clubs / country clubs can establish whatever they want, and probably should. My $25 muni should have almost no dress code.

For the Muni I would say:
Sleeveless on guys and cutoff shorts on anyone should be prohibited. I have no issue with basketball shorts. (thought, shorts of any kind should not allow the group to know what brand your skivvies are). I have tended to wear cargo shorts and I don't see how that is an issue (but picked up some decent golf shorts a month ago and won't be wearing my cargos again). I think denim shorts on guys are awful no matter what the situation, so I roll my eyes on those when I see them, but you do you. If you want to play shoeless, GO FOR IT!!!! It's a freaking game. It's outside. There's sunshine (usually). ENJOY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm MUCH more concerned about players behavior and I'll politely inform a playing partner not to talk when others in the group are addressing the ball, not to walk in others lines, to fix their ball marks, to rake the bunker - etc. Doesn't matter if you're wearing slacks and a tie to play or basketball shorts. Be nice to the people around you.

[Buckeyebowman]

12 hours ago, RussUK said:

Agree 100%. I can pop into my local Sports Direct (other retailers are available ) and get 2 pairs of golf trousers and 2 polo's for around £20. Are they crap? no, sure they are made by Slazenger rather than Nike or Addidas but they have the same materials that the bigger brands have.

I can even get golf stuff from Aldi (supermarket) during spring & summer. Yes they are cheap and unbranded but at the price they cost it doesn't matter if they only last one season.

I bought a "Crane" moisture wicking T-shirt at the local Aldi's last year for about 7 bucks, and I love it! They don't have golf stuff here, yet! 

11 hours ago, JxQx said:

I care more about how people act on the golf course than how they dress. I think having options of places with strict and relaxed dress codes would be best. There are many courses in my area that have either.

Same here, but I've noticed that people who take some care to dress well usually act the same way. 

[NM Golf]

2 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Same here, but I've noticed that people who take some care to dress well usually act the same way. 

I agree with this. It doesn't mean that if someone shows up in a tank top and swim trunks they they won't repair their divots and rake bunkers, but in all my years working at a golf course I have never had an issue with someone dressed "golf appropriate." Alternately, I have tossed more than a few guys off the course who looked like they were headed to the beach. Just sayin...

[CaddyCarl]

Yeah, I don't get it. Compared to a cotton t-shirt and blue jeans, even the least expensive modern golf attire is so lightweight and comfortable it's like wearing pajamas. And cheap too. My latest golf shirt was a brand new adidas, $2.00 at a local flea market, with some company logo stitched on the front. Who cares? 2 dollars! Maybe it's counterfeit. I have a couple of authentic adidas shirts and I can't tell the difference. Why wouldn't ya wear the stuff? It's half the fun! Maybe some people just feel like being contrarian. 

[Aguirre]

I'm far from formal, but I think I the bare minimums of generally recommended golf attire aren't exactly school uniforms. I wear sandal spikes, and have reverted to tucking my shirt in, but I don't care what others do. I mean, I laugh at guys wearing denim shorts and tanks if I see them at the mall, so I'm also going to laugh at them on the golf course. I don't see this often, though.

But I'd like to point out the hilarity of the initial question: Good for bad for the game? I mean, really? Really?

[iacas]

On 3/15/2019 at 1:06 PM, Fourputt said:

And yet, somehow farmers and ranchers (and a myriad of other professions) have managed to make denim work well in all sorts of weather and all seasons for more than 100 years.  I would agree that it's not my choice for summer golf (although I wore them year round for 40+ years on the job), but if the temps drop below about 60°, I'll be playing golf in jeans - relaxed or loose fit, but jeans.

Rick, it's laughable that you continue to defend denim for an athletic endeavor. There's virtually no fabric LESS suitable for an athletic thing than denim.

You can have the opinion that wearing jeans to play golf is "okay" for a dress code, but suggesting that it's a great material for athletic stuff is just wrong. It's way, way at the bottom of the list.

I'm glad you like wearing jeans to play golf, but no… you're basically arguing against a fact - jeans aren't good for playing golf over many, many, many other materials/fabrics.