Shaking Hands With Your Foursome / Removing Your Hat on 18th Green?

[sjduffers]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

I pretty much leave my hat on, because this has nothing to do with "respect," and is just some weird recent invention.

Perhaps here in the US. But in Europe (which has a longer tradition, even outside of golf), removing a hat when shaking hands or entering a building, again golf-related or not, is certainly something that is done routinely, to be polite.

I think that old tradition stems from the knights showing their appreciation and their lack of ill intent after a fight: with no helmet on, they'd be a much bigger target and so they'd be willing to show they were vulnerable, with no ill will..

The removal of sunglasses is to allow the handshake to be done while looking at the other person in the eye, so that the handshake is meaningful, not like some you see where the other person looks down or to the side, which is a sign of insecurity but can also be interpreted as a slight...

A favorite quip of mine is to say that you can bet that a driver with a hat on (inside his vehicle) is a bad driver. It works 99% of time in Europe. In the US, you have to amend the proposition to say, excluding ball caps, as so many people wear them while driving. Why? I dunno, but they do. Makes no sense to me... 🙂

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, sjduffers said:

A favorite quip of mine is to say that you can bet that a driver with a hat on (inside his vehicle) is a bad driver. It works 99% of time in Europe. In the US, you have to amend the proposition to say, excluding ball caps, as so many people wear them while driving. Why? I dunno, but they do. Makes no sense to me... 🙂

What about a "driving cap"?

I wear a hat almost all the time. I'm in my living room right now wearing a hat. I teach indoors and wear a hat 99% of the time there.

Times change.

[sjduffers]

20 minutes ago, iacas said:

What about a "driving cap"?

I wear a hat almost all the time. I'm in my living room right now wearing a hat. I teach indoors and wear a hat 99% of the time there.

Times change.

That's what I meant: a driver with a ball cap (or golf cap if you want, or trucker hat) while driving, so a "driving cap", but why, or what does it have anything to do with modern times? Look, I am not saying you're a bad person for wearing a hat indoors 99% of the time while teaching. Not at all.

I just don't get it: why protect your head from the elements while inside? Unless you use your hat to hide a bald spot, unruly hair (hat hair I suppose!), to look cool, to make a statement for example with the message on the hat, or you hat is made of tinfoil, etc... 

Anyway, don't pay attention to me and my bald head not wearing a hat inside, ever. That said, I'll also shake your hands (or anyone's who is willing to) before or after a round, without fail.

[iacas]

7 minutes ago, sjduffers said:

That's what I meant: a driver with a ball cap (or golf cap if you want, or trucker hat) while driving, so a "driving cap", but why, or what does it have anything to do with modern times?

I was being facetious, as a "driving cap" is different than a "ball cap":

driving+cap - Google Search

8 minutes ago, sjduffers said:

I just don't get it: why protect your head from the elements while inside?

Who says that's why I do it outdoors?

Maybe it's a fashion choice, and my hat has the Golf Evolution logo on it, and as I wear a hat 99.999% of the time when I'm playing golf, it makes sense to practice in it, too. It's part of my "uniform."

Too much fuss is made over hats. I'm comfortable wearing a hat and almost always have one on.

[Hacker James]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

I just looked at a few.  Azinger-Ballesteros, Zinger kept his visor on.  Watson-Couples, both kept their hats on.  Nelson-Littler, hats on.  Norman-Faldo, Norman's hat stayed on (no hat on Faldo)  That was the norm for a long time.

That being the case, then my recollection is faulty. This does not take away from my statement as I stated "from what I recall". I guess the rounds I remembered mostly were from the "hatless" gents at the time. OTOH, as you mention, a number seemed to always wear hats, Chi-Chi, Norman, Watson e.t.c. Personally, I always have some sort of head cover, depending on my mood at the time, it might be a Hogan like cap (turned around) or a Fedora, or even Western wear, regardless of what people may say. No "doo rags" though. Those were reserved for my "biker" days.  But, this thread has more to do with hand shaking, which I really don't pay much attention to other than following suit from what others in the group are doing.  If I am the one to initiate, then it is with cap.

Edited December 17, 2018 by Hacker James

[jamo]

1 hour ago, sjduffers said:

The removal of sunglasses is to allow the handshake to be done while looking at the other person in the eye, so that the handshake is meaningful, not like some you see where the other person looks down or to the side, which is a sign of insecurity but can also be interpreted as a slight...

Easy solution: Don't take it as one. 

[sjduffers]

1 minute ago, jamo said:

Easy solution: Don't take it as one. 

I don’t. I percieve the guy that doesn’t look me in the eye as an insecure bloke, and I most likely just beat him so he feels sheepish...

And yes, you can look me in the eye with your sunglasses on: I don’t need to see the white of your eye; I need to see that you are not turning away from me. Big difference! 😎

[sjduffers]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

I was being facetious, as a "driving cap" is different than a "ball cap":

Ah! I learned something: I had no idea what a driving cap is/was. Now I know... and most drivers with a hat in their vehicle don't wear one of those... Hmmm. 👍 

[Papa Steve 55]

I love those guys that take their hat off, run their hand through their sweaty scalp, then hold out the hand for me to shake.

[Patch]

16 minutes ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

I love those guys that take their hat off, run their hand through their sweaty scalp, then hold out the hand for me to shake.

Yeah, but what about shaking hands with those guys who spent a copious amount time in the course's outhouses, or behind the bushes?

[Herkimer]

12 hours ago, iacas said:

I pretty much leave my hat on, because this has nothing to do with "respect," and is just some weird recent invention.

I didn't want to put it that way, but I totally agree.  I just decided that I'm not taking my hat off simply to shake hands with guys I've been playing with all day. 

[boogielicious]

My sunglasses are prescription. So now I have to take them off and their faces will be all fuzzy and stuff. 

I sweat too, a lot in the summer months. So my head will be all wet and my hair matted down. But hey, if they don't mind, I'll take them both off and fumble around like a blind homeless-looking guy just so Euros know I respect them. 

Traditions can be weird. Getting offended by not doing them is even weirder. But next time I wear a Knight's siege helmet golfing, I will be sure to take it off.

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

Traditions can be weird. Getting offended by not doing them is even weirder. But next time I wear a Knight's siege helmet golfing, I will be sure to take it off.

At least raise the visor up ;)

 

[boogielicious]

10 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

At least raise the visor up 😉

 

[webh]

On ‎12‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 11:21 PM, MacDutch said:

Played all over Europe, allmost everyone takes their hats of and shake hands after the round.

What is the origin of this custom?

[MacDutch]

Why do you take your hat off when they play the national anthem? What does the saying ‘hats off’ mean?

I don’t know the origin, but it is easy to understand why it is done.

[iacas]

13 minutes ago, MacDutch said:

I don’t know the origin, but it is easy to understand why it is done.

It wasn't done until recently.

[dennyjones]

I play it by ear.   If I'm with my regular group, hats stay on and a fist bump will suffice.  If I'm with strangers, I'll follow their lead.