I draw the line at Speedos on the course. Luckily I have not seen that line crossed.
Should Golf Have a Dress Code?
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Oh trust me Im not stuffy at all. Dont come from money, dont come from any sort of high end anything but rather in fact lived on hand me downs and kmart. And i still shop at kohls nowadays and I have no room in my personality for stuffy snobby folks. I treat all folks trhe same regardless the clean the trash cans at my job or are the president at my job. All i want and ask for by this small dress code is a way to preserve some of what is lacking in behavior and etiquette nowadays.
Thats really imo all the dress code does. It simply tells folks...."we expect a given level of etiquette" . I din t feel that at all one bit stuffy. I think its a good thing and not harmful.
Why does a dress code have to imply etiquette? That is such an old way of thinking about things. Many business are moving away from dress codes, are they losing etiquette? Do all of these people suddenly forget how to behave and treat people?
The argument makes no sense
charley48
Well-known member
There are 3 courses with 30 minutes of where I live. The closest is the one I frequent the most. They don't have a dress code. But probably over 90 percent of the golfers I see wear a collared shirt. Mostly the polo kind.
I always wear a polo shirt. I also wear shorts that more like golf shorts. I don't tuck my shirt in though. I wear suspenders under my shirt because when I tighten the belt my hip hurts too much. At some point I know I will need surgery. But the suspenders with a loose fitting belt keeps me from hurting. I'd rather not wear the suspenders on the outside. Fortunately none of the courses I play require shirts to be tucked in.
One of the other courses does require a collared shirt. The 3rd does not. But again, almost everyone wears one there. So for most, requiring a collared shirt would be no big deal.
I always wear a polo shirt. I also wear shorts that more like golf shorts. I don't tuck my shirt in though. I wear suspenders under my shirt because when I tighten the belt my hip hurts too much. At some point I know I will need surgery. But the suspenders with a loose fitting belt keeps me from hurting. I'd rather not wear the suspenders on the outside. Fortunately none of the courses I play require shirts to be tucked in.
One of the other courses does require a collared shirt. The 3rd does not. But again, almost everyone wears one there. So for most, requiring a collared shirt would be no big deal.
tommyhaka
Well-known member
Usually those who don't like a dress code are the same ones who play music on the course too loud, maybe drink too much, and don't replace there divots.
The couple of times I've been assaulted by outrageously loud, obnoxious music on a beautiful, peaceful golf course, has been with tank topped, cutoff shorts, drunk, effing young punks being idiots. They were oblivious, uncouth, ignorant, narcissistic... arseholes.
The rage I felt to do them harm... was unbelievable.
What I did do, is report them to the Director of Golf at those courses and let them deal with it.Once they learn proper golf dress code, the rules of golf, course acceptable behavior and etiquette, they are welcome back.
The couple of times I've been assaulted by outrageously loud, obnoxious music on a beautiful, peaceful golf course, has been with tank topped, cutoff shorts, drunk, effing young punks being idiots. They were oblivious, uncouth, ignorant, narcissistic... arseholes.
The rage I felt to do them harm... was unbelievable.
Once they learn proper golf dress code, the rules of golf, course acceptable behavior and etiquette, they are welcome back.
Mark_UK
Legal Alien
The speedo line should be drawn in every walk of life, not just golf LOL.
When I first took up golf, I was taught that appropriate attire was a collared shirt and no denim. Simple enough, and that's what I've always worn, even on courses that don't require it. That way when I go to a new course, I don't have to worry about their dress code because 99% of courses will let you play in a collared shirt and non-denim shorts or pants. I couldn't care less about whether somebody tucks their shirt in or not, nor whether their shorts are cargo shorts or Bermudas. In fact, there are some guys who would probably look better if they left their shirt untucked.
I'm all for golf being "accessible" and "inclusive" and "growing the game" and all that - but that doesn't mean being forced to bend to the lowest common denominator. If you can't stand to wear anything but saggy basketball shorts and a tank top with a backwards ball cap, there's a hoop court in the public park down the street - or maybe you'd be better suited for a dice game in the alley behind the liquor store. It's not a big ask to put on a collared shirt and suitable golf shorts, and they probably cost a hell of a lot less than that Kobe replica basketball jersey, Nike b-ball shorts and whatever the latest trendy b-ball kicks are.
And this is all coming from a guy who wears shorts/board shorts, a tank top or t-shirt and flip-flops 99% of the time when I'm not on the golf course. I hate dressing up, and if I'm not golfing I feel overdressed even in a collared shirt. During cold weather that necessitates long pants, I wear jeans or sweats 100% of the time unless I'm on a golf course, you'll never see me in slacks/dress pants unless I absolutely have to be for some special occasion. So I'm not some snobby stuffed shirt who walks around in a bespoke coat and tie, thumbing my nose at people who aren't wearing Armani.
If I go down to the park to play b-ball, I'll wear basketball shorts and a tank top. If I go to the pool to swim, I'll wear swim trunks. If I go to the gym, I wear gym shorts/sweats and a tank top or t-shirt. If I go dirt bike riding, I wear riding pants/boots and a riding jersey. I don't wear golf shorts, a polo and golf shoes to play basketball, so why would I show up at a golf course wearing b-ball shorts, a tank top and Jordans?
I'm all for golf being "accessible" and "inclusive" and "growing the game" and all that - but that doesn't mean being forced to bend to the lowest common denominator. If you can't stand to wear anything but saggy basketball shorts and a tank top with a backwards ball cap, there's a hoop court in the public park down the street - or maybe you'd be better suited for a dice game in the alley behind the liquor store. It's not a big ask to put on a collared shirt and suitable golf shorts, and they probably cost a hell of a lot less than that Kobe replica basketball jersey, Nike b-ball shorts and whatever the latest trendy b-ball kicks are.
And this is all coming from a guy who wears shorts/board shorts, a tank top or t-shirt and flip-flops 99% of the time when I'm not on the golf course. I hate dressing up, and if I'm not golfing I feel overdressed even in a collared shirt. During cold weather that necessitates long pants, I wear jeans or sweats 100% of the time unless I'm on a golf course, you'll never see me in slacks/dress pants unless I absolutely have to be for some special occasion. So I'm not some snobby stuffed shirt who walks around in a bespoke coat and tie, thumbing my nose at people who aren't wearing Armani.
If I go down to the park to play b-ball, I'll wear basketball shorts and a tank top. If I go to the pool to swim, I'll wear swim trunks. If I go to the gym, I wear gym shorts/sweats and a tank top or t-shirt. If I go dirt bike riding, I wear riding pants/boots and a riding jersey. I don't wear golf shorts, a polo and golf shoes to play basketball, so why would I show up at a golf course wearing b-ball shorts, a tank top and Jordans?
Or they are former mini tour players, D1 golfers, USGA quarter finalist, State Am qualifiers, multiple city champs, college golf coaches, and a few course record holders like the group I have played with for the past 20 years. Dress code has nothing to do with how one plays or respects the game.
See, I don't directly correlate dress with behavior. I belong to a semi-private club with a dress code (collared shirt, no denim, shirt tucked in, no backwards ball caps), and there are a number of members who live on the course who will come out in a t-shirt to play a few holes, with a cocktail and the music on in their cart. Other than that, their golf etiquette is impeccable. They fix more divots and ball marks than their own, and often will even bring out tools and trim up trees, pull weeds and remove garbage that the greenskeepers missed as they're playing.
My contention is that there has to be a line drawn somewhere - some kind of concrete standards - or you'll have to deal with the people who will take a mile if you give them an inch. Throwing something loose and weak out there like "dress comfortably and acceptably" doesn't give you a leg to stand on when somebody shows up looking like they just crawled out of a trash dumpster. Good behavior or not, I don't think a golf course should look like a homeless encampment or a gangsta hangout.
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At the work place if one behaves inappropriately it is highly likely to be immediately seen and also dealt with and may even be fired if already warned or displined in some way. None of that is really the case on the course. Just dont have the same ramifications except perhaps not to be welcomed back. So there is far less motivation or risk involved.
We can certainly disagree but I firmly believe that dress code does correlate to behavior to some measurable degree. Sory for being repetitive but even well behaved folks (perhaps like us I hope..lol) will still vary our level of behavior based on our dress. We let our etiquette guard down a or raise it up accordingly. We may stil manage good etiquette even at our lowered laxed state but thats not everyone and even we (assumed well behaved folks) might be easier to lose some our etiquette awareness or get a tad too comfy for the purpose and our own good or good of others while in that lax dressed state of mind. .
Its simply just imo tied together to "some" real degree. I feel that does exist to some degree. We just have to agree to disagree
I came back to edit (add this) because you can find many articles and scientific studies on line that state how what we wear does have its real affects on how we feel and act and think. These are not just some opinion like that I happen to have but psychologists/psychiatrists science experiments. Some of which may be driven by society history but none the less real.
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A good example of why dress codes matter - Six Flags Magic Mountain (an amusement park in the Los Angeles area) started having big problems with all the gangbangers in their park. They were coming in wearing their gang colors, and fights/shootings were happening between the warring sets, with innocent/uninvolved people being harmed in the crossfire. LA Sheriffs had to start sending their gang task force into the park to clean it up, and Magic Mountain changed their dress code:
DRESS CODE
In keeping with our family-friendly environment, and for safety reasons, Six Flags enforces a dress code. Proper attire must be worn in the park at all times, including shirts and appropriate footwear. Clothing or tattoos with offensive language or graphics are not permitted at any time.
Examples of clothing not permitted are those displaying:
DRESS CODE
In keeping with our family-friendly environment, and for safety reasons, Six Flags enforces a dress code. Proper attire must be worn in the park at all times, including shirts and appropriate footwear. Clothing or tattoos with offensive language or graphics are not permitted at any time.
Examples of clothing not permitted are those displaying:
- Profanity
- Pornography
- Graphic violence
- Support of drugs and drug use
- Gang symbols
- Promotion of discrimination against any group
I like you James
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I play at a course that is very relaxed. On league night, I will see people wearing TShirts and basketball shorts. It doesn’t bother me.
I think t-shirts are fine, as long as they're decent looking. It doesn't feel right to me since I've always worn collared shirts on the course, but it doesn't bother me if others do it.
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I must say i am quite surprised. I am glad they implanted the dress code for the reasons they did. But I am surprised they were allowed to do it given how society nowadays would somehow blame the whole darn things on some systemic discrimination and do everything to see to it that no one be held responsible nor be subject to and rules as for entering. And the park itself sued for doing so. But hey this is a whole other topic. Though ....not really cause it does reflect how dress can correlate with behavior.
Being well dressed doesn’t mean those people are immune to being a**holes, idiots or whatever else. Some of the biggest douchebags I’ve encountered were “dressed” like they should know to act better but didn’t and treated others with disrespect.
Conversely I’ve encountered people Who may not have “dressed the part” but were salt of the earth people.
it’s easy to judge people by their appearance but often times the wrong assumptions are made.
Conversely I’ve encountered people Who may not have “dressed the part” but were salt of the earth people.
it’s easy to judge people by their appearance but often times the wrong assumptions are made.
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If the course defines a dress code, it should be followed. Beyond that, I don't care what others do.
Whether it's requested or not, I prefer to wear clothes I feel are appropriate for golf. As long as it's in good condition, a shirt doesn't have to be collared - though it usually is. I prefer to tuck in my shirt and wear a belt.
To be honest, after walking 18 on a hot summer day, I look like $#%^ regardless of how well I dressed when I got there.