Dress Code

Saw a tweet from soneone who playedin Letchworth,Hertfordshire. He was told his black sports socks were not allowed as oy white ones were, but could pay £7.50 for long non sporys socks to play. He declined and didn't play. Its all pretty ridiculous, as are most golf dress codes, but has anyone fallen foul of a dress code?

beninho wrote:Saw a tweet from soneone who playedin Letchworth,Hertfordshire. He was told his black sports socks were not allowed as oy white ones were, but could pay £7.50 for long non sporys socks to play. He declined and didn't play. Its all pretty ridiculous, as are most golf dress codes, but has anyone fallen foul of a dress code?

I was kicked off at St.Neots for not wearing socks at all. Terrible course, and worse people.

I’m with you kwini, socks in sandals look terrible.

Not allowed in the clubhouse between rounds as none us had jackets/ties. It wasn’t the evening or a match. Had to sit outside and got waited service. Not a posh club at all, just one of their rules.

While playing as a guest of Davie, and alongside BlueCoverman, I got told off for having my shirt untucked.

At one of the clubs I used to belong to in Essex someone remarked on my no show socks. I suppose my ankles upset their sensibilities.

One of the guys I play with gets upset if someone, typically a visitor, is wearing jeans or cargo shorts. I’d much rather the club takes their money and let’s them play as it typically costs the club money when a member plays.

Tends to be your middle of the road old school clubs that get arsey. So much of the gear now is more sporty, shoes can basically be trainers, thank heavens. All of the more corporate “good” courses I’ve played like the Grove or Belfry don’t give a monkeys what you wear (or what your handicap is) as long as you pay them and keep up with the pace of play.

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:While playing as a guest of Davie, and alongside BlueCoverman, I got told off for having my shirt untucked.

That still p!sses me off to this day. Since then our rules have been relaxed and shirts can now be worn untucked. But what bothered me most was that the guy who told you off knew you were guests of mine and he's a friend of mine - a quiet word to me to tell you would have been much better. It was very out of character for him

Incredibly you can wear jeans on any St. Andrews course if you like. If that's good enough for TOC, it should be good enough for some dogtrack in England.

In regards to socks, and the colour/length of, I think if anyone challenged me on that I'd just tell them to F++k off or mind their own business. Same for changing shoes in the car park or having a shirt untucked.

When I was just starting out when I was a teenager I didn't have much money for equipment. My clubs were a ramshackle from about five different sources.

I couldn't afford proper golf shoes so ended up buying the cheapest pair I could from the classifieds at the back of Golf Monthly, I think they were £7.99.

They weren't great but they did the job until I went to a friend's course to play. When on the first tee a member came up to me and said my footwear wasn't allowed. When I told him I got them from Golf Monthly he said cheap rubbish wasn't allowed only expensive, proper golf shoes were.

I wasn't happy that day.

I spent the (very) hot summer of 95 in the US and played a couple of the local courses as a guest in shorts and tee-shirt and nobody ever said a word. The weren't the top courses but they were of a good standard, certainly better than one that knocked me back in Scotland.

I was listening to a bit of the Open on 5Live and they had someone from the R&A on who said they were trying to persuade clubs to drop their dress code as their feedback said it was the number one thing that put off young people getting into the sport.

Dropping the dress code would be great, dropping the cockwomble members who get a buzz out of enforcing the code would be better still!

For those on the board who are a bit older than the millennials can you remember a time when you were in favour of the more stuffy golf club practices. Or if you were never in favour can you remember what the logic was behind keeping things like dress codes, jackets in the bar, restricted female access to parts of the club etc?

Most clubs have a sock policy when wearing shorts: long socks or white short socks. I do not comprehend the requirement for a sock policy.

What's the point of knee high long socks? Might as well wear trousers, and anyone wearing knee high socks looks like a cockwobmble / kiddie fiddler (unless it's Angus Young).

Personally I've never fallen foul of the sock police. I don't have a problem wearing short white socks with shorts, in fact wearing black or coloured socks looks a bit odd to me. But one of my friends had this same issue and refused to buy a pair of long socks in the pro shop. Instead he borrowed my mates waterproofs and walked around with sweaty legs for 4 hours on a scorching hot day. Not pleasant.

Many years ago some clubs would ban collarless shirts - presumably to get rid of the t-shirt brigade.
Then NIKE started outfitting Woods in those ghastly collarless shirts of the early 2000's (and seem to have tastelessly revived) and before you knew it they were selling like hotcakes in the pro shop. And, of course, welcomed on the course. Bunch of hypocrites.

McLaren wrote:can you remember a time when you were in favour of the more stuffy golf club practices. Or if you were never in favour can you remember what the logic was behind keeping things like dress codes, jackets in the bar, restricted female access to parts of the club etc?

Those stuffy practices were from the 1950s and through the 1960s. I remember the 1960s and in to the 1970s well enough. Hardly anyone wore shorts for golf that I recall, the normal dress for men was a polo shirt with sweater (if necessary) and trousers. Ironically, in the winter, some members looked terrible with their regular weekend trousers all caked in mud. But they were complying with the rules.

The collar and tie thing was about trying to maintain the same standards as hotels and restaurants where people still dressed up to go out. It was also to keep people from going in the bar in sweaty golf kit right after they had played. In my experience most clubs had a bar where men could go in golf clothes in the evening, while those in the lounge had to dress up. I don't recall many courses having restricted female access - except places they wouldn't want to go anyway.

Different times - it's amusing to see clubs continually tweaking clothing rules to take account of the latest pro fashions. No trainers - oh all right then. Shirts must have collars - oh all right then. The latest trend seems to be collarless shirts with buttons down the neck - like a grandad vest. There'll be some clubs changing their rules right now.

Well there are talks to allow shorts on the ET (and PGAT as well). It’d be interesting to see the ‘ramifications’ at those types of clubs should that happen.

Diggers wrote:Dropping the dress code would be great, dropping the cockwomble members who get a buzz out of enforcing the code would be better still!

I tend to find that the cockwomble members who love to enforce the dress code are often the ones who look like a tramp.

pedro wrote:Well there are talks to allow shorts on the ET (and PGAT as well). It’d be interesting to see the ‘ramifications’ at those types of clubs should that happen.

The ET should have at least one tournament when shorts are permitted.

George1507 wrote:

McLaren wrote:can you remember a time when you were in favour of the more stuffy golf club practices. Or if you were never in favour can you remember what the logic was behind keeping things like dress codes, jackets in the bar, restricted female access to parts of the club etc?

Those stuffy practices were from the 1950s and through the 1960s. I remember the 1960s and in to the 1970s well enough. Hardly anyone wore shorts for golf that I recall, the normal dress for men was a polo shirt with sweater (if necessary) and trousers. Ironically, in the winter, some members looked terrible with their regular weekend trousers all caked in mud. But they were complying with the rules.

The collar and tie thing was about trying to maintain the same standards as hotels and restaurants where people still dressed up to go out. It was also to keep people from going in the bar in sweaty golf kit right after they had played. In my experience most clubs had a bar where men could go in golf clothes in the evening, while those in the lounge had to dress up. I don't recall many courses having restricted female access - except places they wouldn't want to go anyway.

Different times - it's amusing to see clubs continually tweaking clothing rules to take account of the latest pro fashions. No trainers - oh all right then. Shirts must have collars - oh all right then. The latest trend seems to be collarless shirts with buttons down the neck - like a grandad vest. There'll be some clubs changing their rules right now.

Who sweats playing golf in this country?

George

If the reasons for dress code were so trivial to begin with it is even harder to understand why people still cling to them so vehemently.

And if all they were supposed to do was match the style of restaurants and hotels why didn't the golf dress code move with the times like the clothing worn out to hotels and restaurants?

Mac,
I imagine there are a lot more restaurants or other dining establishments with some sort of dress code than you might think . . . . . . .
Old habits die hard; a bit like nuns in that respect.

super_realist wrote:
Who sweats playing golf in this country?

You have noticed we've just gone through a heatwave with sustained days in the 30 degree range?

I played 36 holes in 30c+ heat and I wasn't sweating.
It's only walking for goodness sake.
If you are in a state when your clothes are not suitable for going into a bar after walking for a few hours then you should probably see a doctor, followed by a fitness trainer.

If you played 36 holes in 30 plus heat and didn’t sweat then you are the person who needs to see a doctor.

That is a condition, its worse then sweating to much. Get yourself down the docs realist.

I've long thought it but this guy just can't be believed any more. 36 holes in 30C+ and didn't even break sweat? That's just abnormal in the extreme - I don't think it's a physical condition though - just seriously deluded #ThoughtsAndPrayersForSuper

What, you find the low handicap golfer who regularly plays and disparages one of the most highly regarded golf courses in the world, while traveling the world in a well paid job, driving a good car, with a great physique who looks after himself well to be slightly unbelievable?

Not having that.

I guess though, if you were to take a human and strip them of humour, compassion, emotion basically...you could have a sweat free machine. Super, are you a cyborg?

I'm not saying that 30c won't make you sweat, but not so much that your clothes are likely to be so unpresentable that a club would insist you change into a jacket and tie, which apparently is the point of clubhouse dress codes. Bear in mind that 95% of the time in the UK, weather conditions are not such that anyone is going to feel uncomfortably hot so to break out in a Bernard Manning sweat, so I don't buy that the "sweat" issue is a reason for insisting on dress codes for clubhouses as someone claimed.

I don't know about you, but I wear shorts and just a polo in such conditions and throughout the whole summer to mitigate against the heat. Yes, it's hot, but I'm not working up a sweat, at least in a noticeable way, I'm sure I am probably sweating, but not in a way I or anyone else would notice,  I'm walking and hitting perhaps 35 full shots a round, that's not a hardship, I don't sweat significantly unless I'm actually doing something which gets the heart rate up such as running,  and while I might have a bit of sweat on my brow playing golf at 34c, I'm not dripping in sweat and making my clothes unsuitable for a clubhouse, why are you?

Perhaps being in good shape, having no excess weight and being fairly fit helps me, but if you're dripping in sweat just walking around on a hot day to the degree you need to change your clothes after a round then you've got a bigger problem than me. You don't see professionals dripping in sweat following a round, why would I?

By the way, having a decent job or having a good car isn't something which is abnormal or an unrealistic claim. If you've been to university and have chosen a field in which you are likely to be in demand I'd say it was perfectly normal and expected to have a good job. Unfortunately I don't get to travel so much these days as I used to as I'm in a different job, but I'm no different  in earnings or what car I can afford to drive to probably at least 50% of this board. If anything I represent normality more than people like Mac who actually bring the figures down.
Also, getting to play TOC is also extremely normal here, as is joining Carnoustie/Roayal Aberdeen/Troon etc. Any of you could join the list and get your links ticket too for the same money I pay.

McLaren wrote:George

If the reasons for dress code were so trivial to begin with it is even harder to understand why people still cling to them so vehemently.

And if all they were supposed to do was match the style of restaurants and hotels why didn't the golf dress code move with the times like the clothing worn out to hotels and restaurants?

That's a good point. I think the management of hotels changed as times changed, but golf clubs didn't change. Golf clubs took the view that if it was right in 1955 then it would do for 1975.

Also, although nobody would ever admit it, there was a widespread belief that if you had to dress up a bit - either to play golf or go in the clubhouse - it would keep the undesirable riff raff out.

With respect to dress codes, where do you draw the line? Whatever dress codes a club has, there'll always be some bumholes who abuse it. Happy if I turn up for a Medal on a Summer's day dressed only in underwear to play? Surely OK if no dress code.

I'd happily see typical dress codes relaxed somewhat and, to be honest, golfers' behaviour is more of an issue for me.

Well underwear is unlikely, Navy. Let’s say someone played in deck shoes, cargo shorts and a football top. Now, I’d never wear a football top other than to play or maybe if I was going to watch a really big game. But would I care if someone else wore them and non tailored shorts? Not really, but I’m sure plenty of people (not on here particularly) would.

I wouldn't feel comfortable playing football and then going into a restaurant for lunch or dinner without having a shower first and getting changed.

On the other hand, most of the time I'd feel perfectly comfortable going from the golf course straight into a restaurant without showering or changing. I've done this many times, especially on golf breaks.

After 36 holes on a hot summer day I'd need a shower, and I'd feel a bit of a bell end sitting in a restaurant in waterproofs and winter gear, but otherwise no issues. Would be interesting going to a nightclub wearing golf spikes....

navyblueshorts wrote:With respect to dress codes, where do you draw the line?

Seriously, you need to have rules to tell you what to wear? Otherwise you'd go out in your underwear... I imagine you're a Y-fronts type of guy.

Public courses need to have a basic dress code that ensures people do not wear anything that damages the course or is offensive. That's about it.

I don't really understand why private clubs have dress codes. They are private... surely members should have discretion to wear what they want at their own club.

McLaren wrote:
And if all they were supposed to do was match the style of restaurants and hotels why didn't the golf dress code move with the times like the clothing worn out to hotels and restaurants?

As you well know, golf has a track record of not moving with the times! Why should dress code be any different?

raycastleunited wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:With respect to dress codes, where do you draw the line?

Seriously, you need to have rules to tell you what to wear? Otherwise you'd go out in your underwear... I imagine you're a Y-fronts type of guy.

Public courses need to have a basic dress code that ensures people do not wear anything that damages the course or is offensive. That's about it.

I don't really understand why private clubs have dress codes. They are private... surely members should have discretion to wear what they want at their own club.

You know exactly what I meant. Or maybe not? The point was, there'll be bellends who abuse any line that's drawn re. dress code. It was an illustration of making a point by using an absurd example.

Would've been fun to see one of the cockwomble members come running after Stenson when he took off his trousers and played in underwear a few years back.

Pedro, I reckon someone would complain to the committee at my place if a golfer removed his trousers to play a shot.

Who was the guy who dived into the lake to avoid the hornets? Larrazabal? He should have been asked to leave for breaching the dress code

raycastleunited wrote:
Who was the guy who dived into the lake to avoid the hornets?

Didn't he just play in front of Mickelson?

Ive been to some reasonably swanky restaurants, to be honest I’ve been a little bit disappointed how little effort people make to look smart. I mean, you pay through the nose for a special event meal so you’re going to dress up. Then you get there and people are in t shirts and shorts. Each to their own I guess. Can’t remember the last time any place I ate had a dress code.

I like to be comfortable when I eat and if I saw a restaurant you couldn't dine in without a jacket / tie I would choose somewhere else.

I also detest black tie events and unfortunately there are a few I have to attend each year

For sure didn’t mean that smart, Wire, more trousers and a shirt or even polo shirt smart, I would never wear a tie to eat out, hate the things.

What about wearing a Burka to play golf? Would that be allowed on the course or clubhouse?

classic bantz from realist.

I'd be interested to see what would happen.

Probably the only thing that would make Super start sweating on a golf course.

If I was wearing the world's least functional, most heat absorbing and most absurd garment , I'm sure I would sweat a bit in such a hideous thing.

Be a good way to stay anonymous from bad shots, and you wouldn't have to feel bad about not going in for a drink with Mac.

I’m not in about you wearing one, I’m talking about you seeing someone else in one.

Wouldn't make me sweat, just tragic that someone would consider wearing such an horrendous piece of clothing.

Not sure what is worse, a woman wearing a burka, or a grown adult wearing a football strip in public. I suppose the football shirt is worse as the woman is generally coerced into wearing a burka

Super

If you managed to get in a position to bang a chick in a Burka (Nicab) would you take it off or just hoick it up?

Yes, Im sure your deep integration into the Muslim community has allowed you to make that informed judgement.