Dress Codes: Good or Bad for the Game?

[Double Mocha Man]

15 minutes ago, IowaGreg said:

Dress code has come a long way...……

That golf bag in front looks pretty darn good! But where are the stand legs?

[IowaGreg]

1 minute ago, Double Mocha Man said:

But where are the stand legs?

Not invented yet?  LOL

[Double Mocha Man]

On 9/8/2019 at 3:16 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

Tomorrow I plan to ask a dozen 20 year-olds if a collared shirt and pants other than jeans would lower the appeal of playing or taking up golf.

I was only out for a short time today but I did ask 3 twenty-somethings about the golf course dress code.  2 of the 3 have played golf before.  Amanda never has.  Both Amanda and Ellis said they like the concept of dressing the part.  Doug plays and has no problem with collars and non-denim.  Though he did say he went to a Rickie Fowler website to try and buy some slacks that have a denim look.  All 3, when I interviewed them, were wearing tee shirts!

[DrMJG]

My wife knows I am a golf nut. And she knows I do dress well when I play, even at the range.

She recently was at a Goodwill and picked up, for a surprise gift: 4 PGA shirts, 2 Greg Norman Shirts and 2 Ping branded shirts.  All were $1.50 each. None had stains, all were my correct size.

Owner at local range said I looked like I take my golf seriously by the way I dressed.  I only wear Bermuda shorts in hot weather as no one needs to needlessly look at my ugly legs!

[jmanbooyaa]

I see nothing wrong with wearing a collared shirt to the course. I never understood why people complain about it. A polo shirt is by no means constricting or dressy. 

[rehmwa]

On 9/5/2019 at 9:14 PM, Bonvivant said:

I just went back and read the first two pages of this thread, and it only confirms my mindset on this matter. There are some nasty comments in there that show exactly why people turn away from golf when they are turned away from a course for dress. If your goal is to keep certain people out, I strongly suggest you look into why you don't want those people there. You might find something ugly when you dig. If you genuinely love and respect the game, you would want everyone to enjoy it.

Respect is simply doing (insert - wearing) what you find to be respectful.

Pretention is thinking you get to choose for everyone else what qualifies.

It's pretty clear who's pretentious.

[amished]

I haven't kept up on this thread at all, but I would pose the question in two different ways:

What does dressing nice bring to the game, or what does wearing any old shoes and shirt detract from the game?

I don't see how adding another requirement to golf benefits it.  What are the opinions out there that makes a dress code a net positive?

[Double Mocha Man]

52 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

Respect is simply doing (insert - wearing) what you find to be respectful.

Pretention is thinking you get to choose for everyone else what qualifies.

It's pretty clear who's pretentious.

I'l be asking a few more tee-shirt wearing, jeans wearing 20-somethings today if a golf course dress code that requires collared shirts and non-jeans would keep them from the course.  Yesterday the verdict was 3 for 3 being okay with the dress codes, with two of them saying they rather like the idea of wearing proper golf attire.  No, my 20-something friends are not fashionistas.

Just now, amished said:

I haven't kept up on this thread at all, but I would pose the question in two different ways:

What does dressing nice bring to the game, or what does wearing any old shoes and shirt detract from the game?

I don't see how adding another requirement to golf benefits it.  What are the opinions out there that makes a dress code a net positive?

Okay, a finely manicured course, with a stylish clubhouse.  Wood paneled grill room, lockers, golf memorabilia on the walls, a bartender in sharp/crisp white shirt, carpeting throughout.  Is a guy in a tee shirt, jeans and cap on backwards going to fit in?  Or is he going to shoehorn himself in because he can damn well do what he wants to?  I suggest that it's fun to dress the part and save your (fake) rebel personality for the honkytonk bar downtown.  Don't be the Antonio Brown of golf...

[amished]

12 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I'l be asking a few more tee-shirt wearing, jeans wearing 20-somethings today if a golf course dress code that requires collared shirts and non-jeans would keep them from the course.  Yesterday the verdict was 3 for 3 being okay with the dress codes, with two of them saying they rather like the idea of wearing proper golf attire.  No, my 20-something friends are not fashionistas.

Okay, a finely manicured course, with a stylish clubhouse.  Wood paneled grill room, lockers, golf memorabilia on the walls, a bartender in sharp/crisp white shirt, carpeting throughout.  Is a guy in a tee shirt, jeans and cap on backwards going to fit in?  Or is he going to shoehorn himself in because he can damn well do what he wants to?  I suggest that it's fun to dress the part and save your (fake) rebel personality for the honkytonk bar downtown.  Don't be the Antonio Brown of golf...

I didn't ask if people would be "fine" dressing up for golf, I asked what it would add to golf.  I routinely dress up for courses because I can't golf on them if I don't.  Doesn't mean it adds to the game for myself.

A great course and fancy clubhouse, that I can feel comfortable at and enjoy myself in, in any attire sounds amazing.  If the only argument that you present is that I need to dress up to fit in doesn't hold a lot of water with me as if the dress code went away, then I'd still fit in.  Should I not fit in to a place if I don't dress like you?  That seems silly.  It might be fun to dress up if I choose (and I agree, it is nice to dress nice when I want to) but when I want to and being forced to are two different things.

[Double Mocha Man]

2 minutes ago, amished said:

I didn't ask if people would be "fine" dressing up for golf, I asked what it would add to golf.  I routinely dress up for courses because I can't golf on them if I don't.  Doesn't mean it adds to the game for myself.

A great course and fancy clubhouse, that I can feel comfortable at and enjoy myself in, in any attire sounds amazing.  If the only argument that you present is that I need to dress up to fit in doesn't hold a lot of water with me as if the dress code went away, then I'd still fit in.  Should I not fit in to a place if I don't dress like you?  That seems silly.  It might be fun to dress up if I choose (and I agree, it is nice to dress nice when I want to) but when I want to and being forced to are two different things.

Yep, it still comes down to your constitutional right to dress like you want to.  As someone asked earlier in this thread, what do you wear to a funeral or wedding?  And don't bring up the wedding on the beach in Puerto Vallarta.

[amished]

5 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Yep, it still comes down to your constitutional right to dress like you want to.  As someone asked earlier in this thread, what do you wear to a funeral or wedding?  And don't bring up the wedding on the beach in Puerto Vallarta.

Still not an answer, but if there isn't a good one then I guess that will help me settle my mind.

Places have always been well within their rights to restrict people based on apparel.  No shirt, no shoes, no service is a common motto for a reason.  I still don't hear a reasonable explanation for what a dress code adds to golf.  I've heard that it can make you feel better to dress up, and an informal three person survey that apparently it wouldn't bother those three people.

[Double Mocha Man]

53 minutes ago, amished said:

Still not an answer, but if there isn't a good one then I guess that will help me settle my mind.

Places have always been well within their rights to restrict people based on apparel.  No shirt, no shoes, no service is a common motto for a reason.  I still don't hear a reasonable explanation for what a dress code adds to golf.  I've heard that it can make you feel better to dress up, and an informal three person survey that apparently it wouldn't bother those three people.

Ah, but the survey continues...

And you didn't answer the funeral/wedding question.

And regarding No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service... there is no mention of "No Pants" in there!

[Carl3]

11 hours ago, jmanbooyaa said:

I see nothing wrong with wearing a collared shirt to the course. I never understood why people complain about it. A polo shirt is by no means constricting or dressy. 

I almost never wear a top that does not have a collar. Once I went to a friends bar that has a rough crowd I guess. I was with some others from the office and I found out later that we were dubbed the " polo shirt mafia" by the regulars. I think that they might have wanted to rumble if we had stayed longer. LOL

[Double Mocha Man]

23 minutes ago, Carl3 said:

I almost never wear a top that does not have a collar. Once I went to a friends bar that has a rough crowd I guess. I was with some others from the office and I found out later that we were dubbed the " polo shirt mafia" by the regulars. I think that they might have wanted to rumble if we had stayed longer. LOL

Always remember, a collared shirt can take a punch to the neck better than a tee shirt.

[billchao]

4 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Yep, it still comes down to your constitutional right to dress like you want to.

What? You're getting ridiculous.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, billchao said:

What? You're getting ridiculous.

Equal Rights Amendment.  You can dress however you darn well please.  You absolutely have the right to look ridiculous in the setting of your choice.

[billchao]

2 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Equal Rights Amendment.  You can dress however you darn well please.  You absolutely have the right to look ridiculous in the setting of your choice.

I'm pretty sure you're just trolling at this point.

[Double Mocha Man]

I surveyed two more 20-somethings today, both wearing tee-shirts.  And both Ben and Tracy, who play golf on occasion, have no problem with the dress codes.  Ben, like some of the others yesterday, said he likes the idea of dressing up a bit to play golf.  Dress codes are not chasing them away from the game of golf.

3 minutes ago, billchao said:

I'm pretty sure you're just trolling at this point.

Nah.  Though I have been under a bridge on the golf course and had to take an unplayable lie.