Shorts On the PGA Tour (Updated 2013, 2016)

[KrazyTrain18]

Not sure what side I'm on actually !

[Wineguy]

I have noissues with shorts being worn..even for reg. tourn. events. As long as they are long and hav tucked in shirts.

On the other hand, the White Sox wearing shorts isn't really an argument since we're only talking about professional sports here...LOL

[daSeth]

Yes.  Seriously... it's 2012 not 1912.

[ThominOH]

I have no issues with shorts worn ANY time..  It's suppose to be a sport, yet there is this written rule of silly work clothes.. PGA caddies wear shorts most of the year, but the Pro's can't?   IMO it's just silly good ole boys network crap.. This is the 21st century and golf needs to lighten up and be more youthful..  CHANGE the damn codes..  They still ban shirts that aren't collared. and I remember back in the day they prohibited facial hair, such as staches and beards..

Oh.. btw.. How hypocritical is it, that so many men are against the guys wearing shorts, but have no problem with what the ladies wear on the LPGA?  lol

[TMBridgestone]

Tour pros should definately be able to wear shorts!  I mean come on!  Golf is a sport like any other and it is also mainly played in hot weather,  just logical reasoning!

[David in FL]

Oh.. btw.. How hypocritical is it, that so many men are against the guys wearing shorts, but have no problem with what the ladies wear on the LPGA?  lol

Well, most guys watch the PGA tour for the golf. We only watch the LPGA to see the ladies in shorts and skirts! Don't hate me because I'm right......! ;-)

[rehmwa]

I like the look of a neat course, but it's less about shorts vs pants, than just clean clothes and nothing ratty.  I was invited to a friend's course a couple weeks ago - really nice place in St. Paul and I remembered to bring a collared shirt, but forgot to bring slacks.  I had on nice jeans, but that wasn't code.  I did find my climbing pants in the car and put those on over the jeans.  Though they were faded, a bit short, and had a knee torn out - those were "great, no problem".  A bit silly.

however - I respect the rules of any place I visit - I was fully prepared to purchase a nice pair of wind breaker pants for the round (it was cold) if I had to.  I even asked at the desk (I got there early to hit range balls when I had time to go to a local store) they didn't comment and I only found out right before the tee time.  Lucky I had the climbing pants, the wind breakers were only in Large (that means midwest large) - so it wouldn't have worked.

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But perspective is important - feeling nostalgic, I looked up the on line city info for the little course from near where I grew up - (played at 12-13 years old, it's still there, haven't played it since, but Junior memberships at $30/year was a great thing then).  here's the dress code

"12.  Men are required to wear shirts in and around the immediate clubhouse area"

So it's ok to be shirtless (men) out on the course.  But, darn it, slap that t-shirt on before you go inside - ok?  Apparently women can be shirtless anywhere on the property.

Now, knowing the general level of fitness and age in that part of the country - this is NOT a win for that course.

[colin007]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

I think we should make them wear kilts to honor the Scottish roots of this lovely game!

why do the scottish wear kilts?

because sheep can hear a zipper a mile away...

[Wisguy]

While I've heard a reasonable explanation for why a particular individual might want to wear pants even on a hot day (protection against the sun), I've never heard an intelligent, rational explanation for why everyone playing on a particular course, in a particular tournament or on a particular tour MUST wear pants, aside from the fact that it is what the rules require.  I guarantee that there is no such reasonable or logical explanation behind any such rules or preferences - it all boils down to "tradition," "aesthetics," and "respect for the game" which are all euphemisms for snobbishness and elitism.

Back in the mid-80's, a friend of mine attended U of Kentucky and she said that most of the frat boys attended their UK football games wearing a jacket and tie because of snobby tradition.  I thought that was hilarious that these tools were sweating in 90* weather, oh-so-proud of themselves for looking like Very Special Boys, arrogantly viewing themselves as elites.  I went to a much more prestigious college and the guys in my fraternity were a lot more concerned about sneaking a keg under the bleachers at our games and meeting hot women to invite back to our house for a party that night than we were about looking fancy.  There was a small, elitist rich-boys fraternity on campus where the douchebag members made all of their parties semi-formals and I think they had a rule forbidding their members from wearing jeans.  We used to refer to their organization as a sorority.

I guess part of what rubs me wrong about the so-called traditions of golf such as the dress code is that they arose in the "good old days" when another fine tradtion of golf was to exclude minorities from the sport unless they were "boys" carrying bags and shining shoes.  While that's no longer acceptable, there's really no more logical reason to ban shorts from the PGA Tour than there was to ban minorities from the sport.  Obviously discrimination against people is worse than clothing rules, but setting aside the differences in harmful impacts, there's little difference in justification behind each of those "traditions."

[Datsyuk]

Originally Posted by TMBridgestone

Tour pros should definately be able to wear shorts!  I mean come on!  Golf is a sport like any other and it is also mainly played in hot weather,  just logical reasoning!

It's not a sport like any other. One person hits the ball then casually strolls to it while another person carries all their equipment in a bag ill suited for 4+ hours of carrying. The player does maybe 20 minutes of actualy sporty activity during that period. The player is like a gentleman and the caddie is his non-person man servant. He even has to wear a bib with the player's name on it - he doesn't even have his own name on his back - now that's servitude.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by jamo

To be fair, you don't slide in golf. Nor do male golfers wear knee-high socks.

LOL!! You haven't seen some of the golfers I've seen.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by Datsyuk

It's not a sport like any other. One person hits the ball then casually strolls to it while another person carries all their equipment in a bag ill suited for 4+ hours of carrying. The player does maybe 20 minutes of actualy sporty activity during that period. The player is like a gentleman and the caddie is his non-person man servant. He even has to wear a bib with the player's name on it - he doesn't even have his own name on his back - now that's servitude.

Hardly.

Ser-vi-tude (noun)

1 : a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one's course of action or way of life

I think the caddies are very happy with the wages they garner for a service that they provide with a free will. And they get to wear shorts!

[hokiebound]

I think they should be able to wear shorts. But you know the moment they are allowed to, all of the old timers are going to make a scene about it.

[joekelly]

If you went to the doctor's office for a medical checkup. or to the lawyer's office to discuss a legal matter, or to the police commissioner's office to discuss your teenage son's behavior last night, would have any objection to any of those individuals wearing short trousers?  Would your notion of professional competence be aroused by seeing your cardiologist in cargo short pants? Might you not think 'here i am to discuss my multi million dollar last will and testament and the lawyer looks like a well dressed Florida panhandler'?

I draw your attention to the page on Wikipedia where is says that the function and purpose of the PGA is 'to maximize player's income'.  The players themselves have some voice in the selection of events  and the various rules enforced to 'maximize their income'.

John Daly has been fined many times by the PGA for numerous on course behaviours but the PGA does not advertise the penalty.  Quite possibly JD is happy to wear those LOUD AND COLORFUL long trousers as a 'poke in the eye' towards the PGA.

BTW, i read JD is playing this weekend in Singapore and the following weekend in Hong Kong, but i do not know if he is going to Dubai.  He believes that he has earned enough in 2012 to get his USPGA tour card for all 2013 USA events, so even more often we can watch the man in  those colorful pants 'knock the ball out of the park'.

And speaking of the Hong Kong Open, this will probably be the final year for this  event as we know it as the money has left town and gone to China and oddly, Turkey.  The sun continues to set on the British (golf ) Empire and the UK expat golfers in HK are few and far between compared to the Chinese.  Of course, compared to the Chinese all other folks are way, way behind in numbers.

[Paradox]

so, JoeKelly....you're saying you base the competence of a golfer on whether he wears shorts or pants?  I think its a stretch to compare a sport to a place of business.  Sports clothing has always been about optimal performance and I would bet 99.9% of the pro golfers would love to be wearing shorts when its 90+ degrees.

Again...if you don't take issue with what ladies wear on the LPGA tour, I can't see the reasoning for saying the men should have to wear pants.  Last I checked...I have never seen a doctor in short shorts and knee high socks.

[joekelly]

Me? I do not judge a golfer by his outer, or under, pants.  I am attempting to draw some reasoning towards the PGA decisions, which are in union with the players themselves, the desire to maximize the players income and the 'nice trousers' issue.  Look good, play well = more money.  Look childish, play well = less money.  Haha. You decide.   The appearance of the golfing ladies is a totally different issue.  If i recall the USGA has no need to tell the amateur players what pants to wear. The PGA's law on long trousers is only related to the income of the Tour players, not their ability.  The question of the US Open and a dress code might be an interesting one.

[iacas]

Time to bump this thread!

POLL ADDED NOW.

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Thoughts?

I voted "Yes, with stipulations." The stipulations would basically mandate a reasonable minimum temperature, perhaps make the rule available at the sponsor's discretion, perhaps mandate length of shorts (no Mac O'Grady shorts, folks, sorry), etc. Though to be honest, I'm putting etc. only because I can't think of anything else right now. :)

[Phil McGleno]

I dont care I just hope that we don't see too many OB sticks.