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So, is shirtless golf now acceptable???

I say watch the pros and try to look accordingly. You don't have to spend a grip of money get the look. You can find suitable golf attire in any department store. Out here the rules are the same on the courses. Collard shirt. No denim and soft spike only. What I am starting to see at my local city course is what I call "gangster golf ". Guys obeying the rules but wearing 3 pounds of bling and their Oakland Raiders hats on backwards and there shorts down around their knees with butts and their BVD's sticking out. I hate it...but...they let them in. I switched from that course to a CC. I can play right at the break for twilight for the same money. About 2:15 to 2:30 and finish around 6:30 or 7. I like the long shadows in the evening and it's not crowded and the people dress for golf.
 
Well said BA. You can even get great apparel for free on THP with Sligo.
 
I whole heartedly agree with you, and not too many years ago it was strictly played that way. Unfortunately those days are gone for the most part. If those types of rules were enforced by the golf course management teams, there would not be enough paying customers to keep all the current golf courses open. Too many would close down due to lack of revenue, and the few that were staying open would most likely be over crowded, and slow play would be an issue. We have courses here that are in such deep financial trouble due to the economy, they are begging for anyone to come and play.

I remember a thread on another forum that dealt with collared shirt issue. It involved Tiger Woods not wearing shirts that had a collar in tournaments. The argument was if he does not have to wear a collared shirt in sanctioned play then why is it a rule for everyone else? Another issue (involving Tiger Woods again) was discussed about the pros' caddies required to wear long pants at a certain tournament. Steve Williams showed up in shorts. When confronted, Tiger's answer was his guy was going to wear shorts, or he would take his game to the European tour. Shorts were no longer an issue. ($$$$$$$$ Talks)

The game has changed, and the different types of people playing it have changed even more. :comp:


Bakemono said:
I guess in my case, I was always taught that golf is a gentleman's game and while on the course, you are expected to act accordingly. :confused2:
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Prov,
That second example you use has long been talked about on forums, but nobody can ever say where it happened. I think that one may be an urban legend. Tiger is very traditional and loves the game and the USGA and PGA. We have asked the PGA about that very "myth" and they have no idea where the story came from.
 
Bakemono said:
True, theres a fine line between what could be considered, "eliteist" and whats acceptable.
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I think you're confusing elitist with traditional. I grew up with traditional on the course so that's the way I dress today. Even at my age, I would not wear something to play golf that my mother would disapprove of. It has nothing to do with socioeconomic status although many people try to make it about that. It has to do with two things - what the course will allow and what you feel comfortable wearing. Personally - I think if you look good, you'll feel good and you'll play well.
 
You may be right. Then again.................

http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2002/07/16/story218460277.asp








JB said:
Prov,
That second example you use has long been talked about on forums, but nobody can ever say where it happened. I think that one may be an urban legend. Tiger is very traditional and loves the game and the USGA and PGA. We have asked the PGA about that very "myth" and they have no idea where the story came from.
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After you posted, I found that exact same article. I have been told that it is completely false by two reputable sources. However ya never know.
 
C-Tech said:
Fortunately, that has not been a problem here in Southern Arizona. As a matter of fact, the only place around here you can play without a collared shirt is the city courses and they require at least a decent T-shirt.
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Well that is debateable, I know for a fact that once you leave to pro shop at Silverbell one can remove your shirt, nasty old man I played with long time ago did and well he wouldn't put it back on either so I just walked in.....

However IMO, it's like any other sport, I mean I don't put on my paintball gear and mask when I decide I'm going to practice my strokes at the local pool so at least look presentable.......PLUS where else am I going to show off all my uber-sweet contrast stitched polo's I just blew a couple paychecks on? :confused2:
 
Diane said:
Personally - I think if you look good, you'll feel good and you'll play well.
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QFT! Why do you think us jarheads, and for that matter any military service's men/women, mandate professional dress attire in uniform and out? Not just for conformity/petty rules sake, BUH-lieve me, if you look like a Marine and take pride in your attire, you have confidence And confident Marine's are a force to be reckoned with.

BTW Diane I apologize for removing your color, I just didn't think Purple looked good on me!:rotfl:
 
Sorry Prov, I ain't buying it either. I went and looked up articles about the 99 showdown from espn to wiki and there's nothing in there about that and...something like that would have gotten a lot of spin had it happened and...why would his caddy let him risk being thrown off the tour and sent to Europe over his pants. Doesn't add up. I find it folklore at best. Had it happened we would hear about forever.imo
 
What I think is funny about this debate is that I generally wear jeans and steel toes boots on the job because the copper mines require it, but I will carry dress pants and a nice shirt in my truck in case I want to play golf after work. I wouldn't think of showing up in a pair of jeans. Not that I haven't done it in a pinch when I couldn't get home first and hadn't planned ahead on playing, but I just think you play like you look....sorta like the Marines fight like they look....
 
kidzwitgunz said:
BTW Diane I apologize for removing your color, I just didn't think Purple looked good on me!:rotfl:
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No worries - it's an old habit - I use a different colored pen every day at work. I started using different colors when I was a kid in school. I like bright colors. It's not for everyone.
 
C-Tech said:
but I just think you play like you look...
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This I gotta dispute. I've seen guys dressed to the 9's who had no business anywhere near a golf course. Anybody with the money can buy clothes to look any part they want. That doesn't make them the real deal.

I have a friend who just happens to like the casual (and sometimes weird :clown:) look. He will wear shorts, a pink t-shirt, pink golf shoes (size 16... at 6'-6" he's not remotely a sissy-guy), and he will shoot right around par to 2 or 3 over.

What you wear may affect you that way, but you can't translate that to others. :confused2:
 
Fourputt said:
This I gotta dispute. I've seen guys dressed to the 9's who had no business anywhere near a golf course. Anybody with the money can buy clothes to look any part they want. That doesn't make them the real deal.
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Im with you on this one. One of my buddies was the old head pro at a course and shows up in jeans and a t shirt at times.
 
Fourputt said:
This I gotta dispute. I've seen guys dressed to the 9's who had no business anywhere near a golf course. Anybody with the money can buy clothes to look any part they want. That doesn't make them the real deal.

I have a friend who just happens to like the casual (and sometimes weird :clown:) look. He will wear shorts, a pink t-shirt, pink golf shoes (size 16... at 6'-6" he's not remotely a sissy-guy), and he will shoot right around par to 2 or 3 over.

What you wear may affect you that way, but you can't translate that to others. :confused2:
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Yes you do have a point, all I'm saying is that golf is largely a mental game and if you do things that prepare your mind the rest can be muscle memory........LOL!

I won't lie and say I don't go to the range wearing shorts and a tee but when I go out to play I want all the edge against my opponents I can get and I think in some small ways how one dresses and/or carries himself/herself goes a looong way to building confidence, which will help you make that crucial first tee etc! It's okay to be comfortable, I mean I have a ton of heatgear type shirts that some of the more "uppity" clubs might sneer at but whatever.....its collared, looks pretty freakin sweet and it keeps me cool! :cool:
 
Fourputt said:
This I gotta dispute. I've seen guys dressed to the 9's who had no business anywhere near a golf course. Anybody with the money can buy clothes to look any part they want. That doesn't make them the real deal.

I have a friend who just happens to like the casual (and sometimes weird :clown:) look. He will wear shorts, a pink t-shirt, pink golf shoes (size 16... at 6'-6" he's not remotely a sissy-guy), and he will shoot right around par to 2 or 3 over.

What you wear may affect you that way, but you can't translate that to others. :confused2:
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I think it offers the same confidence that people always talk about with the look of their clubs. They must have blades because of the way they look and it brings confidence. This is no different

You hear people all the time spend thousands on equipment because they like the look and it gives them confidence. In the end, the actual play matters quite a bit and there is no way around it.

As for pink, REAL MEN WEAR PINK...
 
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JB said:
I think it offers the same confidence that people always talk about with the look of their clubs. They must have blades because of the way they look and it brings confidence. This is no different
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I agree JB. I always try to dress nicely because I think it gives me confidence and therefore I play better. What that doesn’t mean is that a person dressed nicely will play better than a person dressed sloppily. A great example is I am pretty sure this guy could outplay me even though I wouldn’t say he’s looking sharp.

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Uh oh, I'm gonna get slammed here...OF course on any course shirtless is wrong, but I do think a non-profane T-shirt is fine. And who would want to wear jeans golfing anyways? None of it bothers me.

There is a goat track 9-hole course next to a campground. I love playing the course. Shorter, fun, and anything goes! 9/10 times when I go I see guys w/o shirts on, girls in bikini tops, and dogs riding in carts. On occasion, when super hot...I tee it up shirtless and barefoot like good old JD! It feels so different and FREE FREE FREE! Carefree that is, out there for a good time and the actual game is not at the top of my list. I've had some of my most memorable rounds out there and imagine will have many more.

Call me what you will, but depending on rules and certain environments, go with the flow man.
 
I have always said the rules dictate what someone should or should not be allowed to do. To me, playing at a course like that is not fun, so I would not choose to do it, however for others, they love it and that is what this forum and this game are all about.

However Scooter, you talk about confidence so much with your equipment and certain looks, and I feel that would translate so much more into how you present yourself on the course. To me, putting on a tee shirt (or not wearing one) I would not expect much out of my game. However when I dress the part, I expect more.
 
But I'm free!
 
JB said:
I have always said the rules dictate what someone should or should not be allowed to do. To me, playing at a course like that is not fun, so I would not choose to do it, however for others, they love it and that is what this forum and this game are all about.

However Scooter, you talk about confidence so much with your equipment and certain looks, and I feel that would translate so much more into how you present yourself on the course. To me, putting on a tee shirt (or not wearing one) I would not expect much out of my game. However when I dress the part, I expect more.
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I think a lot of it has to do the the locale and the type of course where you usually play. Some parts of the country are simply more casual than others. Since I've played 99% of my golf in Colorado, my standards lean toward what is considered to be proper and acceptable here. Even most higher end courses don't go much farther than to specify collared shirts and no denim. Most municipal courses here have no actual dress code at all, except that you must wear a shirt and some sort of footwear.

In cold weather I often play in jeans... I have done so my entire golfing life and I will continue to do so when playing a course where it is allowed. Jeans are just warmer than most of the golf slacks I own. Contrary to some comments I've seen, they are also quite comfortable. I still wear collared shirts, but I have no issue with a t-shirt as long as it's not offensive or ragged. I sometimes wear a Hawaiian shirt untucked...they are simply cooler on a 100° day than a tucked in polo. I feel that a player should look neat and presentable, but that goal can be accomplished in a very casual manner.
 
I would never tee it up shirtless but I do not see the requirement for collared shirts even though I always wear one. honestly I have no issues at all with what anyone cares to wear on the course. I have seen plenty of people with outfits that probably cost more than all their clubs who were absolutely horrible on the course. Just as I have seen people in cut-off shorts and dirty t-shirts and old sneakers that shot 1-2 over par.

Its a game. Have fun.
 
i do at the local muni occasionally if its not too busy..and im playing bymyself or with one of my close friends. Its more of to get rid of the farmers tan than anything
 
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