Is this the future of dress codes?

[matt71]

So what is the reason why you have to wear red at the Wimbledon course?

 

[TheJezster]

So what is the reason why you have to wear red at the Wimbledon course?

Its a byelaw from the conservators of the common. All golfers must wear a pillar box red upper garment (full colour) whether polo, jumper, vest or jacket. I believe it was initially to distinguish golfers from others who use the common; walkers, joggers, horseriders etc

Makes it easy when buying golf tops tho. Got it in red? No? ok, next...

 

[pokerjoke]

Ok, but why is there a problem with what someone wears?
Why does somone suddenly become undesirable simply because of the clothes they wear?
Apart from offending the offending the fashion police, can someone explain wh6 this is a problem?

I don't believe I have said there was a problem.

He was actually breaking the courses golf attire rule as they are all there to see outside the shop.

If you feel the clothes he wore for the course was appropriate then you would also class that as ok in the bar afterwards[would you] because if you did and then 10 people dressed the same would that look right in your golf club.

Also as you believe its ok do you think GM would be happy if someone turned up to a fitting opportunity and to have a photo taken for the magazine.
After all it wouldn't look undesirable.

I don't want to get into a massive debate on this with you personally mate we are all titled to our opinions,but if you let one do it and others follow suit your club would soon look like a rough pub.

At my course as I said its probably expected its cheep cheerful and anyone can play.
At a proper course I believe it would be different.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I'm offended by the fact you were offended that someone was not offended when someone else was offended.

I'm offended.....................but I don't know by who

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

I don't believe I have said there was a problem.

He was actually breaking the courses golf attire rule as they are all there to see outside the shop.

If you feel the clothes he wore for the course was appropriate then you would also class that as ok in the bar afterwards[would you] because if you did and then 10 people dressed the same would that look right in your golf club.

Also as you believe its ok do you think GM would be happy if someone turned up to a fitting opportunity and to have a photo taken for the magazine.
After all it wouldn't look undesirable.

I don't want to get into a massive debate on this with you personally mate we are all titled to our opinions,but if you let one do it and others follow suit your club would soon look like a rough pub.

At my course as I said its probably expected its cheep cheerful and anyone can play.
At a proper course I believe it would be different.

Just a quick question, that may look at this from a different point of view.

If a "proper course", you say that if you let one do it, you will end up with loads.

I'm just wondering where the "loads" of people will come from. Will this be current golfers who wish they could dress like this if the rules didn't exist (in which case it's the same people so what is the issue),

OR

Will this be new people who would only join because of the relaxing of the dress code (in which case, surely this is good for the sport, and for the club itself?)

If there is a third option, i'm all ears, honestly

 

[Hacker Khan]

I'm offended.....................but I don't know by who

You have to take great offence at everything anyone says, that's how the internet works.

 

[TheCaddie]

I don't want to get into a massive debate on this with you personally mate we are all titled to our opinions,but if you let one do it and others follow suit your club would soon look like a rough pub.

Are you suggesting that most people that play golf are inherently just 'oiks' wearing presentable clothing as a facade? :rofl:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

But what is actually "wrong" with it?
OK its not the best clothing to wear and he may look a complete knob but he's paying his money, helping to keep the club going, hopefully enjoying himself and potentially becoming a member or long time player.
Why does clothing offend?
To be honest I can sometimes feel the same about Loudmouth troos or similar...
What, really, is the difference..?

I'm thinking I'd possibly be less offended by that guys garb than I am by the idiotic (IMO) garish stuff some folks wear on the golf course

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think I've realised what my issue is.

It's not the dress code per se but more to do with people not following whatever it may be. That to me shows a lack of respect to the club and it's members. If people want to play in jeans and football tops and the club allows it, fine I don't have a problem with it but I would choose not to play there but if the same people turn up where it's not allowed then I take offence.

I'm happy with the current accepted dress code although I do think there is room for movement. I don't see any benefit to shorts with long socks over wearing trousers, short socks should be acceptable IMO. Likewise, jacket and tie for lunch can be a pain but I'm happy to accept that as I love to play the 'proper' traditional courses.

 

[hines57]

Great approach and an excellent way of encouraging folks into the game.

 

[User20205]

Great approach and an excellent way of encouraging folks into the game.

Why does the need to wear a polo shirt stop people playing.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Why does the need to wear a polo shirt stop people playing.

Not all teens have one coz they think they are naff

 

[User20205]

Not all teens have one coz they think they are naff

The first proper round I played was at boughton nr Canterbury. I played in a long sleeved button up shirt and some trainers. They let me on, that was 1994. Dress codes at some clubs were flexible even then.

I got sweaty and had soaking wet feet

I went out and bought a polo shirt, a horrible Taylormade brown number, some slacks from m&s and some second hand, bright white second hand shoes, with a frilly bit over the laces

Nice :thup:

I looked like a knob but the dress code wasn't a barrier to me playing. I didn't expect the sport to bend to my will.

 

[Hacker Khan]

To me the issue is not the cost of it or even the ease of putting on the traditional golf 'uniform' for want of a better word. I totally agree that you can kit yourself out in clothes that would get you onto any golf course for tuppence hapenny. And there is a very good argument to say that if someone can't be bothered to follow 'the rules' then they have no right to be able to join that club.

But I think that is missing the point. The rules need to be appropriate for how modern society runs if you want to be a main stream sport attractive to the vast majority of society. Golf needs to decide if it can afford to turn away people who do not want to conform to the traditional golf uniform for whatever reason. Yes the reason why some people don't want to wear that kind of gear is that they are 'wrong uns' who you don't want near your course. And in previous decades the cut of someones sartorial jib was a pretty good way of weeding those types out.

But times have changed, society has changed, attitudes to clothes have changed in the main. And the reason why people don't want to put the 'golf uniform' on might be that they don't really like being told what to wear when they are paying money to do a leisure pass time. It might be that they think they will look like their dad's friends, it might be that they think it is just that little bit naff in 2015.

For some well established traditional clubs this is fine, they can afford to not worry about this and weed out the types of people who don't want to follow the rules no matter how out of date other people may think they are. As the prestige of the club far outweighs that. And fair play to them. However I'd argue the vast majority of clubs need to think if the risk of excluding the 'wrong uns' by way of enforcing dress codes is worth the risk of excluding others who do not really want to follow the dress code for other reasons that may be perfectly logical to them.

And before anyone mentions it, yes I also fully accept that dress codes is not the only reason why membership numbers and participation numbers are falling.

 

[richart]

The first proper round I played was at boughton nr Canterbury. I played in a long sleeved button up shirt and some trainers. They let me on, that was 1994. Dress codes at some clubs were flexible even then.

I got sweaty and had soaking wet feet

I went out and bought a polo shirt, a horrible Taylormade brown number, some slacks from m&s and some second hand, bright white second hand shoes, with a frilly bit over the laces

Nice :thup:

I looked like a knob but the dress code wasn't a barrier to me playing. I didn't expect the sport to bend to my will.

Are you saying you were a teen in 1994, or just dressed like one ?

 

[User20205]

Are you saying you were a teen in 1994, or just dressed like one ?

I had just left my teenage years

You'd have to swap the 9 for 6 wouldn't you

 

[richart]

I had just left my teenage years

You'd have to swap the 9 for 6 wouldn't you

I always enjoyed playing in a jacket and tie, plus fours, and a flat cap.:thup:

 

[User20205]

I always enjoyed playing in a jacket and tie, plus fours, and a flat cap.:thup:

Didn't you go to school with young Tom Morris?

I heard Chrisd was in his dad's year

 

[Smiffy]

Would a "strict" dress code put you off joining a particular club?

 

[Imurg]

Would a "strict" dress code put you off joining a particular club?

I would certainly take a strict code, such as jacket and tie in the clubhouse, as a negative when weighing up the choices