Do Dress Codes Bother You?

WE have had this discussion before, but I don't mind them as long as they are uniformly enforced. Supermarkets have them (no shoes, no shirt, no service) schools have them, why not golf courses?
 
By the looks of things today, it's not exclusionary at all.

A dress code literally excludes people who don’t want to conform to it, for whatever reason, for absolutely no good purpose.

You can keep telling yourself that it doesn’t, while I, an actual golfer, tell you that dress codes and the attitudes around them make them feel unwelcome by a huge segment of the golf community. Go back and read this thread from the perspective of someone who doesn’t agree with you about a dress code, even your own words. You “cringe” at people dressed a certain way. I read and hear the prevailing opinions supporting dress codes in a thread like this, and immediately feel not wanted because I’m not willing to conform on something completely inconsequential to who I am as a person, how I conduct myself, or how I treat other people.

Shorts, polo, shoes. OMG!:ROFLMAO:

Joggers, t-shirt, hoodie. OMG! :ROFLMAO:
 
I have two opinions on this topic.

1) Dress codes are incredibly petty and mean-spirited. It says nothing good about a person if they refuse to play at the same course with people who dress differently than they do.

2) Complaining about dress codes is incredibly petty and mean-spirited. It says nothing good about a person if they refuse to play a course just because they don't want to dress a certain way.

I don't think either of the two is morally superior to the other. They're equally petty and mean-spirited. I don't think golf needs dress codes but I also don't care if they do.
 
We're a beach town so most public courses have a fairly loose dress code. The courses I play on (non-private) usually insist on a collared shirt or at the very least make people turn t-shirts inside out if they have printed pictures or sayings on them. There is no dress code on the Par 3s. Sometimes I think the golfers there have some straight from Walmart.
Personally I like the limited dress codes.
 
A dress code literally excludes people who don’t want to conform to it, for whatever reason, for absolutely no good purpose.

You can keep telling yourself that it doesn’t, while I, an actual golfer, tell you that dress codes and the attitudes around them make them feel unwelcome by a huge segment of the golf community. Go back and read this thread from the perspective of someone who doesn’t agree with you about a dress code, even your own words. You “cringe” at people dressed a certain way. I read and hear the prevailing opinions supporting dress codes in a thread like this, and immediately feel not wanted because I’m not willing to conform on something completely inconsequential to who I am as a person, how I conduct myself, or how I treat other people.



Joggers, t-shirt, hoodie. OMG! :ROFLMAO:

And the great thing about golf, I near promise you that there's a course near you that is fine with whatever you want to wear. There's a well known story in Dallas of an exclusive, private club that had no dress code whatsoever. Like none, they didn't even require clothes. The clubs I belong to, I choose because it was #1 a great course & #2 the membership was fairly like minded in terms of decorum/attitude/etc... They are out there, so if you're excluded, it's your own doing.
 
I have two opinions on this topic.

1) Dress codes are incredibly petty and mean-spirited. It says nothing good about a person if they refuse to play at the same course with people who dress differently than they do.
I don't think I could possibly disagree more. How is it mean or petty to hold something to a standard? Courses are not excluding anyone by posting a dress code. The public who chooses not to adhere to a courses policy are excluding themselves. If someone chooses to complain about that, they should take a long hard look at the problem.

Public courses are, by design, not exclusive, but they can certainly set a standard of atmosphere which they wish to maintain. Just like you can with any event you host.

I can't imagine you'd be too happy if someone showed to your family members funeral in flip flops and a straw hat. Dress codes may not harm anyone if broken, but they are there to maintain a standard.
 
I don't think I could possibly disagree more. How is it mean or petty to hold something to a standard? Courses are not excluding anyone by posting a dress code. The public who chooses not to adhere to a courses policy are excluding themselves. If someone chooses to complain about that, they should take a long hard look at the problem.

Public courses are, by design, not exclusive, but they can certainly set a standard of atmosphere which they wish to maintain. Just like you can with any event you host.

I can't imagine you'd be too happy if someone showed to your family members funeral in flip flops and a straw hat. Dress codes may not harm anyone if broken, but they are there to maintain a standard.

Like I said, I have no issues with dress codes. And if we are talking private club, finances are likely not an issue.

BUT dress codes are, by their very nature, exclusionary. And considering the history of this game, it is especially true with golf. Like @mikeg_74 said, public courses should have more relaxed standards. They are paid for by taxpayers, and not all of those people have the funds to buy golf attire on top of all other golf expenses. I recall kids from my youth who didn’t play sports because they couldn’t afford shoes—and for golf, that’s just a small chunk of the cost.
 
. Like @mikeg_74 said, public courses should have more relaxed standards. They are paid for by taxpayers, and not all of those people have the funds to buy golf attire on top of all other golf expenses.
I think you mean munis. Public courses are not necessarily paid for by taxpayers.
 
This is golf, not a rock concert...damn you people, go back to your shanties...
 
The majority of the public courses around here don’t have much of a dress code. Some of the nicer courses I occasionally play do and it is just collared shirts and no denim. It doesn’t bother me at all as I think you know what you are getting into going to a nicer course.

Now I rarely play in jeans but I did a couple weeks back with my brother in law when we were out to visit. It is a very rural town and that is what everyone else there was wearing. I still felt a little over dressed with a polo.
 
Like I said, I have no issues with dress codes. And if we are talking private club, finances are likely not an issue.

BUT dress codes are, by their very nature, exclusionary. And considering the history of this game, it is especially true with golf. Like @mikeg_74 said, public courses should have more relaxed standards. They are paid for by taxpayers, and not all of those people have the funds to buy golf attire on top of all other golf expenses. I recall kids from my youth who didn’t play sports because they couldn’t afford shoes—and for golf, that’s just a small chunk of the cost.
I agree, munis tend to have relaxed standards, but truth be told, if money is so tight that you can't afford the dollar or two more for a cheap collared shirt (vs a T shirt) there's a good chance you can't afford a set of clubs, or balls (as we know they are not inexpensive.)

I wouldn't expect a course to say "come on and play without your own clubs."

Sure you can borrow clubs from your friends when you play. What's stopping you from borrowing a shirt?
 
In Michigan, I think scoring starts April 1st. Outside of scoring season, it is usually a bit on the chilly side, so I think jeans should be acceptable on public courses. During scoring season, I like to look the part with golf pants or shorts. Although, sadly, these days, the rules are challenged by those who think there shouldn't be any rules, that they have a right to do as they please.
 
Tank top, jorts and flip flops. PBR & a Marlboro. 😏👍
 
BUT dress codes are, by their very nature, exclusionary. And considering the history of this game, it is especially true with golf.

It boggles my mind that people in this thread can’t see this. Golf’s dress code is a tradition that doesn’t deserve to be honored.

I can afford plenty of collared shirts , and I hate wearing shorts. I even do own golf pants and polos for the few times when I want to play somewhere that requires them. But, I still don’t like wearing “proper golf attire”, and I especially don’t like being told that I have to wear them to be welcome to play.

Obviously there are courses, and other golfers, that don’t care how I’m dressed. That is typically where I play and who I play with, but it doesn’t change the fact that those are the only places I’m welcome to play unless I conform to someone else’s idea that I should dress semi-formally (or business casual or whatever you want to call it) to play a sport.

Consider for a moment the extents that golf apparel manufacturers have gone to make a non-athletic style of clothing perform like athletic wear, instead of the community just accepting that athletic wear is appropriate dress for playing a sport.
 
That is typically where I play and who I play with, but it doesn’t change the fact that those are the only places I’m welcome to play unless I conform to someone else’s idea that I should dress semi-formally (or business casual or whatever you want to call it) to play a sport.
I don't think it's that difficult to conform to, it's just shorts and a golf shirt, something I don't think is 'semi-formal.
 
I don't think it's that difficult to conform to, it's just shorts and a golf shirt, something I don't think is 'semi-formal.

No it’s not, but it’s not that difficult for you to mind your own business and ignore what I’m wearing either is it?

I don’t care if you want to dress up. Why do you care what I wear?

And you clearly missed the part where I said I don’t like wearing shorts.
 
Outside of not having my shirt tucked in, I wear ”proper” golf attire that would be acceptable at 99% of golf venues. I do so because it feels comfortable and (IMO) looks decent.

That being said, I don’t like the idea of being required to dress like that nor do I want to associate with people who care about how people dress for what I view to be nothing more than a recreational activity.
 
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I'm never concerned about dress codes on the course. It's just never been an issue for me.
 
I absolutely support dress codes.......to an extent. Examples: no jeans, no cargo shorts, shirts must have a collar. Now on the other hand the fact the so many people get all bent out of shape about a "golf brand specific hoodie" blows my mind. I can understand a dress code for collegiate type or distasteful hoodies. But, a golf hoodie? Cmon
While i don't find it easy playing in a hoodie... our course allows them once per year, for a member organized charity tournament known as, you guessed it... "The Hoodie Tournament" . All hoodies have his company logo on the front/back. The event is played late in the fall and at a time, here in CT, when you kinda need a hoodie... (i've played in flannel lined khakis and have STILL been chilly.) All proceeds go to the local Boys n Girls club... it's a great time... beers and pizza afterward.
 
You guys in the states have no idea of the dress code BS we have to put up with here in the UK it’s a different world. Here’s a rule I had to adhere to when I was a junior member of a club many years ago...

(To walk through the Captain’s lounge after 7pm) junior members must be accompanied by a senior member who has been a member for at least 2 years and be wearing a tie.

That was to walk *through* a room to get access to the practice putting green.

Dressing reasonably respectably is nice, but to answer your question, here in the UK BS like the above is dissuading junior golfers and also making older players think twice. It’s absolutely damaging the game and club memberships here are through the floor. Interestingly, in the immediate past things have picked up because of Covid but things aren’t looking good longer term.

My old (private) club in the UK, I was playing with my regular partner, who was a senior. He had shorts on with blue coloured ankle socks. As we’re about to tee off, someone has come running out of the clubhouse screaming at him that he couldn’t tee off. The dress code said socks had to be white with shorts, unless knee length. Another time, I had a member tell me I couldn’t step foot into the clubhouse because I had trainers on with shorts. The rule stated shoes only in the clubhouse (who wears shoes with shorts????). Rather than knock the doddery old twat out, I sent one of my buddies in who did have shoes (with trousers) to get the drinks with my bar card. Most Americans that have played golf in the UK have probably received a bollocking for walking into the clubhouse with their hat on LOL.
 
No it’s not, but it’s not that difficult for you to mind your own business and ignore what I’m wearing either is it?

I don’t care if you want to dress up. Why do you care what I wear?

And you clearly missed the part where I said I don’t like wearing shorts.

I do not care what you wear, that's you & your choice, the same as the courses rule maker making a choice on the dress code. There are players/courses/clubs/etc.. that will cater to whatever you're of a mind to do but not all of them are & that's ok. Nothing can be everything to everybody.
Personally, I think riding in golf carts is stupid unless there's a good medical reason for it. But, if the course I want to play allows riding I can either respect their decision and ride or not and find somewhere else to play. I don't expect an entire sport to cater to me, nor should they.
 
If I owned a club I would not allow jeans, jorts, gym shorts, tank tops on guys and no graphically lewd t-shirts. I would hope that isn't too restrictive. If it is I will miss you.
 
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