Golf Digest comes out for cargo shorts!

[dizzle247]

I'm still amazed that in America you have people

it's not the course's responsibility to regulate the amount of liquor/beer/wine that you consume in the 3-5 hour period it takes you to play a round. At that age, people should be responsible enough to know what there limit is. If they don't, it just shows how irresponsible and how much of a fool they are to get that intoxicated amongst people who take the game (and there liver) seriously.

[wubskis]

it's not the course's responsibility to regulate the amount of liquor/beer/wine that you consume in the 3-5 hour period it takes you to play a round. At that age, people should be responsible enough to know what there limit is. If they don't, it just shows how irresponsible and how much of a fool they are to get that intoxicated amongst people who take the game (and there liver) seriously.

Well sure, in the same way all a bar does is sell you the alcohol and give you a place to drink it, my point is more that whilst I like nothing more than sitting down in the sun after a round and having a beer whilst I scrutinise my scorecard, I couldn't possibly imagine wanting one mid-game. Not only because keeping my score down is hard enough already, without having a little buzz on top of everything else~

[mdbuschsr]

This is a topic that transcends golf. It is also a topic that is sure to cause controversy (perhaps why it was written).

I have a friend whose father used to garden in a three piece suit. His mother wore a skirt, blouse and string of pearls at all times.
My father & mother wear nicer clothes to work in the yard, than most of my friends wear to work.
I have to force my child into a nice pair of shorts and collared shirt for anything let alone golf.

I don't know of a parent that, at least one time, did not accuse their child of listening to NOISE not music. Myself included on both sides! My point is times, people, and society change. Maybe not always for the better, but the unavoidable change still happens.

I work as a maintenance man. I wear a uniform sometimes 7 days a week. When I go golfing I like to look nice. I don't make a lot of money, but I make sure that I have some nice (off brand) clothes to wear golfing. I have another friend that is a bank manager. He either wears a suit, or what most would consider to be respectable golf attire to work every day. And I know for a fact that he makes a pretty good living! When he goes golfing (with me at my goat track), he wears nasty, often ripped, paint stained shorts and a t shirt of some sort with the sleeves cut off. That's apparently comfortable to him. If a course I play has a dress code, I make sure to know about it ahead of time, and ensure that anyone going with me does as well.

As for cell phones... If you are using one (for any reason) keep it brief! If you have an emergency, by all means take all the time you need but get out of the way and wave other groups though... COMMON COURTESY!

Any course that restrict times that I can play with my wife and child will not get my business.

[melchior]

I seem to fall against the grain of most of the people here, and almost completely along the lines of the article.

I've walked 18 holes in jeans, I've turned my hat around when the sun was casting a strange shadow over my eyes or I wanted it to fit tighter in windy conditions. Cargo shorts are typically what I play in and anything restricted screams "pompous" to me.

Golf is a gentleman's game, but what defines a gentleman? To me, it's somebody full of respect. I respect the course by fixing my ball marks +1 and divots; never hitting into other players and trying to keep pace of play; by being an ambassador for the game to bring people in. I've seen a local muni go under, and it was a course that I loved playing on. Making anybody feel unwelcome for any reason other than they're not following golf etiquette just shows me that you're an elitist bum that doesn't care about other people in the first place. Bring everyone into the game, the greens fees will allow for better maintenance for the courses and make my experience more enjoyable.

I guess the overarching point of my post is "why are you restricting these things?" For most of them, it's because they "look bad", essentially. You look how you want to look, and I'll look how I want to look. If that makes you uncomfortable, maybe you should pull the cactus out of your rear end.

[TourSpoon]

This is a topic that transcends golf. It is also a topic that is sure to cause controversy (perhaps why it was written).

“The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone knew everything and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for girls, they are forward, immodest and unwomanly in speech, behaviour and dress.” This point by some old philosopher transcends time. Socrates is credited for this beauty: "Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers."

I have don't like cargo shorts for golf, but really don't have a problem with the walking shorts with pockets versus the true cargo short that more resembles MC Hammer pants with pockets. With those things you could load up your pockets and eliminate the need for a golf bag. I could see it now..."I just bought a pair of really cool denim Titleist Staff Cargo Pants". I hope I don't ever have to see that day.

[ohiolefty]

I play a ton of golf in the summer because I'm off work for 10+ weeks.

I LOVE to dress nicely and play golf. LOVE IT. If I had Ben Hogan money, I'd dress like Ben Hogan did because he was the coolest cat that ever lived and played (even though he was kind of a d**k, hehe, and isn't that what made him cool?).

But - in the summer especially, I play in a v-neck t-shirt a lot which some people define as underwear. Hell, on super hot days, I played a few times in an exercise-ish shirt (even more hardcore than a moisture-wicking golf shirt...haha) and basketball shorts with compression shorts underneath to deal with sweat and chafing. You know what? I still fixed my divots, repaired my ball marks, didn't make noise or weird movements to distract other players, didn't scream obscenities after bad shots, etc.

I guess the point is, if you're a country club full of people who'd be unsettled by a guy in his 20's in a t-shirt, or in gym-ish clothes, then that's you. I can tell you that, even when I don't 'dress the part' (usually due to excessive heat), I still play more courteously and more quickly than most people that find cargo shorts and backwards hats to be a disgrace to the game.

Clothes are SUCH A MINOR ISSUE. Pace of play, respecting the physical environment of the course (divots, ball marks, raking traps, litter etc.), and etiquette are much larger problems for Joe Golfer IMO.

[Fourputt]

I play a ton of golf in the summer because I'm off work for 10+ weeks.

This is pretty much my view too. I do feel that some restrictions should apply, but more tailored toward neatness and cleanliness.... you can look presentable in most any kind of clothing if you make a little bit of effort at it.

Hip-hop style cargo shorts look slovenly.... 6 pocket walking shorts do not, yet they provide the same level of comfort and storage convenience. Blue jeans which are clean and in good repair look just fine for golf when worn with a polo shirt. Jeans with grease stains and ripped out knees worn with a dirty white t-shirt are not appropriate. Caps worn backwards look stupid and lose their reason for being worn in the first place (shading the eyes), but aside from that it's a silly thing to ban. Flip-flops are a pretty stupid thing to wear for golf in the first place, and they pretty much scream "Hacker!". I would still ban tank tops. Also no shirtless or shoeless players. There still has to be a line which you can't cross. Restricting tee times by gender or age, while I can see the reasoning behind it, is still reprehensible in it's application of blanket discrimination. It's profiling at its worst. If you must restrict, then restrict prime time play on certain days by handicap or playing ability. That way the privileged but undertalented males get to taste the restrictions too, while the talented women and juniors who have worked for the right get equal access to prime time. I don't have a problem with apparel restrictions as long as they make some sense. For a truly private club, then do what you want... I don't have to play there anyway.... thankfully, as you aren't my kind of people, and I'd prefer not to have to associate with you. If a club chooses or is forced to allow a certain amount of public play then bring that code up a few decades, open your eyes and look at the world as it is today. Demand that a player be presentable, but that shouldn't mean that he has to dress like it's still the 1950's. Here is what I want to see. I want a club or course to draft a finite code of conduct. I want them to post or publicize that code vigorously. Then I want that code rigorously enforced. That code should include elements of care for the course, respect for the players around you, and maintaining pace of play. And violation would result in anything from a warning to expulsion. If you want your customers to act like golfers, then tell them what you expect and they will do so or suffer the consequences. And it won't matter what they are wearing.

[soloredd]

I play in cargo shorts a lot. I do not see the issue with them, especially if I'm playing a public course. I always wear a collared golf shirt though.

I've played with a few old timers who wear t-shirts, it's never bothered me and I never thought they were changing the face of the game.

Cell phones can be an issue but they don't have to be if you are responsible (turn it on silent, use it only when walking to your ball, etc.) I use mine for scorecards.

[Game]

I personally just like to wear a collared shirt and golf pants when the weather permits it just because I feel like I look best in them and they are the most comfortable. But I've worn t shirt and cargo pants to a public course before just because it was bloody hot out and I had to decide between stopping at home or getting 18 in with a decent warmup.

[Shripe]

I'm not one to wear pants during the summer, as I'd be quite uncomfortable. To date I haven't yet played any golf with them, as I mainly stick to cargo shorts already. Since I have no plans to hit any course beyond the inexpensive munis, it doesn't matter to me. And about the cell phone, I don't really use it for calling all that often, and on the course it's only for GPS purposes.

[popeyegolfer]

I think when the course is to a certain standard than people should dress accordingly. There is a cheap course I play and people come out in tank tops and jean shorts, but it is a course that usually people who only play a few times a year play there. The nicer courses should keep a nice dress policy. Cargo shorts tucked in with a nice short still looks nice in my opinion. Cell phones are a huge annoyance. I have played the last 3-4 times behind someone who kept talking on the cell phone during the round and it slowed the play. I agree with the person who said he put his on vibrate and checks every so often for emergencies.

[ghalfaire]

I support dress codes in general. I don't have a problem with cargo shorts or pants, don't care how you wear you cap, don't mind collarless "golf shirts" (like Tiger wears). I don't want to see T-Shirts as some of them are objectionable and I don't see how you could say one T-shirt is OK and the other isn't without ending up in court so better to just disallow them. Same with Blue jeans. Some are OK but others are not and don't think you could regulate which is which at a publicly funded golf course.

[bogeyhitter25]

When I have my cell phone wedged in between my right ear and my right shoulder it increases my distance by 30 yards. Plus it doesn't get in the way of my plaid trucker hat which I wear backwards.

I feel it's a lot easier to keep my phone there instead of it fitting in snug in my bullhead slim jeans I bought at PacSun.

After birdies I love making out with my playing partners (all males) who all have their matching cargo shorts they bought at American Eagle.

Golfs a ••••ing great game.

[ghalfaire]

I support dress codes in general. I don't have a problem with cargo shorts or pants, don't care how you wear you cap, don't mind collarless "golf shirts" (like Tiger wears). I don't want to see T-Shirts as some of them are objectionable and I don't see how you could say one T-shirt is OK and the other isn't without ending up in court so better to just disallow them. Same with Blue jeans. Some are OK but others are not and don't think you could regulate which is which at a publicly funded golf course.

I should have added I don't have a problem with cell phones on the course either although 99% of the time mine if turned off if I'm on the course. Nor am I bothered by the occasional call from wives, kids, etc. But I do have a problem with people that are constantly talking to customers/clients/bosses/subordinates while on the course. If you want to do business stay in the office and let the rest of us play golf in peace.

[michaeljames92]

Its funny I actually like dressing in golf clothing. I'm a member at a country club so the dress standards are pretty high. I prefer wearing pants and a polo shirt as long as its not too hot then the shorts come out. Come to think of it actually, Pretty much all of my clothes are adidas. :\ I feel really comfortable in these clothes anyway, feels kind of weird not to wear pants an a polo shirt.

[Shripe]

Also, I wanted to add that I almost always wear a polo shirt when golfing, though there have been times where I wear a normal tee if I'm only going to be at the range. I happened to pick up a couple good Izod polos at Boston Store a month or two ago at $15 each (half off plus coupon), nice deal. :)

[zeg]

Good to see a rational look at these customs from GD. If private clubs want to maintain their traditional rules, they are free to do so, but I believe the tight dress codes and conduct rules that go beyond golf (and general) etiquette are harmful to "the game." As was said upthread, it creates an environment that is designed to exclude, not welcome, new players.

For me, golf is an athletic activitiy, not something I'm interested in as a social event or lifestyle. To that end, I want (and I want others) to be able to put comfort and performance first and not worry about whether their pants are made of an acceptable material, whether their socks are an acceptable length, etc. We live in a society with many different demographics, with many different subcultures, etc. I don't see any reasonable argument that the "old white guy" style should be the one that's allowed on the golf course. The sooner this custom dies out, the better for the game.

[colin007]

if you:

1) finish your round in 4 hours

2) respect the course and fix your divots/ball marks

then as far as im concerned, wear whatever the hell you want.