Dress Codes - give us your views!

[MikeH]

Hi all
we are about to compile a big feature on dress codes for a forthcoming issue. Essentially it'll be a big 'GM asks...' feature with the question being something like "are dress codes holding back the game'

I know it's a topic everyone has an opnion on and we would really like to hear your views. The sort of thing we'd be keen to hear about and see discusssed on this thread are...

• are dress codes still relevant in this day and age
• what's the policy at your club
• have there been any recent changes to relax dress code at your club
• have you or any of your fiends/playing partners ever fallen foul of a dress code
• do you think dress codes put newcommers off the game
• should jeans be allowed in the bar
• if you could write a dress code what would it include
• would you go down to your club more often for a drink/meal if you could wear more causal clothing
• should juniors be subject to the same dress codes as adults

We may add some poll questions as the thread develops
Let the debate begin!

 

[Rooter]

I think anyone on the course (player, caddy, mate walking with you) should be in "golf attire" and by that for a gent i would say:

Trousers or tailored shorts
Polo shirt (ie with a collar)
Golf shoes (ones that look like trainers are fine)

Its not much of an effort is it? i really wouldn't like to see jogging bottoms or jeans etc on the course.. None of that is going to break the bank and should not put off any new members or alienate the younger generation.

i have always been a believer in look smart/feel smart whether that's work, the golf course, Saturday night in town...


Will add more to the topic when its progressed.. i have a few things to mention about Jeans Vs Smart Jeans.. The can of worms is opening!!!

 

[ScienceBoy]

I wouldn't go play rugby in top hat and tails so why would I want to go play golf in a football shirt and jeans? Right attire for the right job.

Golf clothes generally are designed for the things we experience or need while playing golf and look good while doing it. Yes there needs to be a standard out on the course but its not that relevant off the course as we don't need specialist clothing to knock back post round drinks.

I personally love wearing golf clothes, I want it to be separate from my normal clothes for general organisation purposes and I want to wear things that are also functional.

 

[bladeplayer]

Hiya Mike ,throw up an easy one why dont ya ha ha ? anyhow heres my twopence worth ..

That didnt work all the replys were to be in red ... DOH

• are dress codes still relevant in this day and age...
  
  Answer... Yes they are relevent & should be IMO , but they also need to be practical & current , they need to be respectful but also relevant to your members of all ages & sex
  
  
  
• what's the policy at your club
  
  Answer...... Trousers or taoilerd shorts , No blue jeans on course (CAN YOU HEAR THAT EX CAPTAIN FROM A FEW YEARS AGO ) suitable shirts must be worn, no sleeveless shirts , (but women can wear sleeveless??) , no tracksuits on the course or in the club house
  
• have there been any recent changes to relax dress code at your club
  
  
  Answer...... No & as its not realy tolaterian [sp] i dont think there needs to be IMO
  
  
• have you or any of your fiends/playing partners ever fallen foul of a dress code
  
  
  Answer...no , we had a guy in traksuit bottoms one day but we sorted him ourselves before we started
  
  
• do you think dress codes put newcommers off the game
  
  
  Answer...... Cant see why unless its , old fashioned out of date ones
  
  
• should jeans be allowed in the bar
  
  
  Answer............... Yes
  
  
• if you could write a dress code what would it include
  
  
  Answer................ Happy with ours so cant comment
  
  
• would you go down to your club more often for a drink/meal if you could wear more causal clothing
  
  
  Answer............... It is & i do
  
  
• should juniors be subject to the same dress codes as adults
  
  
  Answer ....... Yes it builds a knowledge & respect for the club & all its other members , same club , same rules

 

[Imurg]

I agree with Rooter and SB...
No jeans on the course just normal golf clothes.
A polo and trousers from Sports Direct for less than 20 quid isn't too much to ask.
In the clubhouse - I say relax it. Almost anything goes at my place as long as you wear something.
If the club wants to have a separate room for "posh" functions then no problem.
All should work to the same code. Why can the girls wear sleeveless when the guys can't - that makes no sense.
Never been pulled for dress code violation as I always check and abide by club rukes - daft or not.

 

[AmandaJR]

I think there should be a dress code and the only clothes I like buying are golf ones! I'd only go so far as the standard collared t-shirts, no football shorts, tailored shorts etc style. Not overly keen on the length of shorts being stipulated especially as the tour players where them right up their um....buttocks!! (Is that word allowed)?! No strappy tops but sleeveless are ok for women. It does seem wrong that men can't wear sleeveless tops but I hate seeing a man in a sleeveless top so I'm keeping that one!

Anywhere that requires men to wear knee length white socks with shorts would be somewhere we wouldn't play!

Oh and Juniors a definite yes they should have to abide by the same rules. I think if more youngsters played golf the world would be a better place. Dress code, etiquette and self regulating...

The clubhouse should be more relaxed and I think jeans should be ok but no football shirts and no caps!

Guess I'm a bit more old fashioned than I thought...

 

[fundy]

are dress codes still relevant in this day and age - yes within reason i.e no jeans trainers football tops etc. its not hard to wear trousers and a shirt with a collar

what's the policy at your club - pretty much as above, albeit I expect that the staff would turn a blind eye rather than pull someone up on it

have there been any recent changes to relax dress code at your club - no

have you or any of your fiends/playing partners ever fallen foul of a dress code - yes, have been questioned when wearing a pair of winter walking trousers, the extra pockets made them not golf trousers yet someone wearing waterproofs with what looked like 5 years of mud all over them was perfectly fine (common sense needs to be used and sometimes isnt)

do you think dress codes put newcommers off the game - no not at all, never seen it cause problems in other sports where kits are required

should jeans be allowed in the bar - yes but no rips

if you could write a dress code what would it include - a 2 tier approach, on course would require golf shoes, trousers or shorts and a shirt should have a collar, no trainers, jeans, other sport team shirts (footie, rugby, cricket etc), off the course requirement would just be to be smart (still no footie tops etc but jeans and trainers fine as long as smart)


would you go down to your club more often for a drink/meal if you could wear more causal clothing - no location dictates I really only go there to play, that said our rules arent onerous

should juniors be subject to the same dress codes as adults yes, they should be required to be proper;ly dressed if going on the course and smart off the course, same as everyone else

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Royal Ascot has announced a lifting on restrictions on jeans in the clubhouse. Seems to be a popular move. Personally I prefer the standard on the course to be firmer than that in the 19th. Jeans on the course is wrong in my opinion and lets be honest you can buy suitable golfing attire for £15-20 these days.

 

[JustOne]

On the course: I think anything apart from jeans is fine. No collar is fine by me too. As is no sleeves. Frankly I couldn't care less, if the person wants to look like a scumbag then that's up to them.

In the clubhouse: Depends if you have one bar or two. If two then one should have 'restrictions' so to speak, if only the one bar then that's were you're going to get a split opinion.

 

[bigslice]

Hi all
we are about to compile a big feature on dress codes for a forthcoming issue. Essentially it'll be a big 'GM asks...' feature with the question being something like "are dress codes holding back the game'

I know it's a topic everyone has an opnion on and we would really like to hear your views. The sort of thing we'd be keen to hear about and see discusssed on this thread are...

• are dress codes still relevant in this day and age
• what's the policy at your club
• have there been any recent changes to relax dress code at your club
• have you or any of your fiends/playing partners ever fallen foul of a dress code
• do you think dress codes put newcommers off the game
• should jeans be allowed in the bar
• if you could write a dress code what would it include
• would you go down to your club more often for a drink/meal if you could wear more causal clothing
• should juniors be subject to the same dress codes as adults

We may add some poll questions as the thread develops
Let the debate begin!

tut tut i dont know any fiendsoo:

 

[Crow]

With regard to putting newcomers off, I think this can be an issue for a first timer who isn't sure if the game is for them and doesn't want to splash out a load of cash on a game that might not be for them.
But having said that, many people's first experience of playing (mine certainly was) is at a municiapl or similar course where the dress codes are very relaxed and first timers are welcomed. Here they can try the sport out and then decide if they want to go further. If they do but they don't want to wear golf gear then they can carry on at the Municipal.

I'd say it's very unusual for a first time player to turn up at a memebrs type club, unless they're part of a society in which case they will be aware of what's required. Anybody going to a members type club has already taken their first steps into the game and decided they like it and are prepared to make the investment in equipment, clothing included.

I believe that once you're taking the game seriously then you will want to buy the correct clothing, it's then just the finer points of what defines "correct" clothing..

 

[Birchy]

The dress code on the course should be pretty much as standard apart from the stupid white socks thing with shorts. Its good that everybody looks reasonably smart etc.

In the clubhouse it should be more relaxed. If im out and about and i fancy nipping into the club for a pint i cant unless ive got pants, collared shirt on etc! Maybe if they had a more family friendly area in the bar as well clubs could make a lot more money on food and drinks etc and its likely that member numbers would increase i reckon.

 

[bigslice]

i attended my first AGM at my new club last night and dress code was brought up. im in the camp for not relaxing the dress codes too much. i dont believe jeans, tracksuit bottoms and hoodies have any place on a course or in the clubhouse. im a normal jeans and collared tee shirt kind of guy, but for last nights AGM had to rock n roll in a suit (which i hate wearing).

trainers are defo a no no in my eyes. but with the current trend in trainer like golf shoes i can see these being allowed in the future

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I used to manage busy municipal courses.
The only dress rule we had was that 'golfers should wear clothing appropriate to the sport'.
This was very lightly 'policed' by our course marshalls.
Jeans were allowed as we felt that it was a barrier to youngsters and new players. Very few adults wore jeans and the golf club had a 'no jeans in club competition rule'.
Generally speaking 'dress code' very low on the agenda.
As a junior David Howell once turned up in a Hawiain Shirt and shorts combo to push the rules. He was a wee titch then and was a bit dissapointed to be congratulated on his 'smart attire'.

I usually find that the more pretentious clubs tend to be where the quality of the golf course is poor.

Worst case ever was a member of a local PRIVATE club playing the municipal course in football boots [he had forgotten his golf shoes]


PS are some people just stoopid.............tell me how they can spot the difference between trainers and modern golf shoes and how would wearing trainers damage the club or course.
Craws recent example of his club captain ticking off junior for wearing trainers in the clubhouse when he was wearing sandals is a classic example of idiotic thinking.

 

[Blue in Munich]

are dress codes still relevant in this day and age
Yes they are, they set a standard and let everyone know know what is expected of them.
what's the policy at your club
Golf attire throughout the clubhouse, collar & tie in the dining room for Sunday lunch & other functions
have there been any recent changes to relax dress code at your club
Not in my 18 months of membership
have you or any of your fiends/playing partners ever fallen foul of a dress code
No
do you think dress codes put newcommers off the game
I think the attitude of some older members put them off more than a dress code; certainly helped shift me from my last club.
should jeans be allowed in the bar
Of the Dog & Duck, yes, of my club, no.
if you could write a dress code what would it include
If it's good on the course, it's good in the bar, except for hats and waterproofs
would you go down to your club more often for a drink/meal if you could wear more causal clothing
I do because I don't think a golf shirt & trousers or similar is a hardship. If you must wear jeans & a football shirt, I can give you directions to the Dog & Duck
should juniors be subject to the same dress codes as adults
Preferably yes, but if it is really going to stop them getting into the game let's get them playing first and work on their dress code later. However I don't really see that being the case that often.

For certain special events I could happily live with the dress code being changed e.g. England rugby shirts for a rugby world cup final if it got a crowd in and going, but day to day no way.

 

[lyden]

When I was 12 I could only afford to go to my local municipal once or twice a summer, part of the magic was getting dressed up. That municipal has now dropped the dress code and people wear track suit bottoms etc and the course is in a sorry state. I would be surprised if there was no correlation between care for the course and attire.

 

[User20205]

I agree with it all at my place where the dress code is fairly typical. The only change I would make is jeans in the club house. Perhaps it then becomes too subjective to enforce but smart jeans and shoes are ok in my book.

Practically it would stop me getting changed twice, once after the round and once when I get home, also would mean I could drop in for a beer if the urge took me.

Can't see it happening this decade though!

 

[6inchcup]

what is the sudden urgency to turn golf clubs into the local working mens club,what is wrong with wearing the PROPER attire on the course,non-denim trousers a polo shirt and golf shoes doesn't matter what the cost or make,and in the club house again non-demin but smart casual in the day time and more formal dress (shirt/tie and jacket) in the members lounge on an evening,i have always said if you don't want to, don't join a private members club with dress code rules,as for juniors all the ones i know take pride in their attire and dress like the new superstar of the moment,last year it looked like a TANGO convention when the junior captain had his drive in.

 

[garyinderry]

trainers in the bar? if i drive to the course i will be wearing comfortable trainers. if i want to have a drink ill have to change into shoes.


3 pairs of shoes to go golfing.

 

[User20205]

what is the sudden urgency to turn golf clubs into the local working mens club,what is wrong with wearing the PROPER attire on the course,non-denim trousers a polo shirt and golf shoes doesn't matter what the cost or make,and in the club house again non-demin but smart casual in the day time and more formal dress (shirt/tie and jacket) in the members lounge on an evening,i have always said if you don't want to, don't join a private members club with dress code rules,as for juniors all the ones i know take pride in their attire and dress like the new superstar of the moment,last year it looked like a TANGO convention when the junior captain had his drive in.

Members clubs should reflect the wants/ needs of their members, I've got no great desire to revolutionise my club, but would welcome a relaxation in th bar. I've no great issue with the current code but it will evolve with time. As for shirt and tie in the evening, if you want the atmosphere of a wake, then set the dress code accordingly!