D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
Ooooh hello, the grammar police are in the building.
Sock gate (again)
- Thread starter Jacko_G
- Start date
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
*Sigh* there it is again! No sensible reasons, just because a rule is a rule for the sake of rules. If a golf club said everyone must wear Christmas hats or one trouser leg longer than other you wouldn't question as to why? Just blindly accept? I think some people just love to be subservient and told what to do.
But but but! That's exactly what it is! There doesn't have to be a sensible reason for everything you know?
By the way, where's this Christmas hat club you speak of? They sound like the kind of place I'd like to play golf.
robinthehood
Hacker
oh dear.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Black isn't really a colour any more than white is.
Pin-seeker
Well-known member
What are your thoughts on hightop golf shoes or loudmouth trousers?
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
Eurgh. Well, we could discuss the wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum that are and aren't acceptable to certain golf clubs (themselves merely a manifestation of vibrating particles forming the fabric of spacetime in a potential artificial multiverse) but I don't think we should.
If people can't see the damage stories like this do to golf then they need to speak to more non golfers. It just adds to the stereotype, the Midsomer Murder example that we discussed recently with a deep sigh.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
What “damage†really do you think it’s going to cause ?
First of all these stories are being published by golf magazines or golf social media outlets etc - and who follows or reads these stories - golfers , so at the end of the day it mainly just gives a small percentage something to moan about in regards dress codes or rules etc
It’s not going to damage the sport , and any other person who wants to start playing the sport won’t be put off by what colour socks they can or can’t wear.
There is always an overreaction to these type of stories.
People don’t stop playing golf because of socks and they don’t not take up the sport because of socks or dress code
The two most single reasons why golf has issues - time and money
Pin-seeker
Well-known member
Do you have any stats or links on this Phil?
No one is moaning,just having a healthy discussion about it ðŸ‘ðŸ»
This story has been shared over social media. It starts off as golfers only but with the way social media works it spreads across to non golfers threads as well. Non golfers look at it and think 'not for me'. They see it and worry about how welcoming will golf clubs be to a new golfer, what might they do wrong and be embarrassed in front of others over? It puts a barrier up that other sports don't.
A lot of golfers come to the sport in their 30's. Golf now has a lot of competition for those people, from cycling in particular. People get impressions of a sport or a pastime from a range of sources and silliness like this is a turn off and stops people from even trying it out. It's not just socks, it is a totting up of silly nonsense that does the sport no favours.
It's a competitive business, people have other options that are less intimidating.
A lot of golfers come to the sport in their 30's. Golf now has a lot of competition for those people, from cycling in particular. People get impressions of a sport or a pastime from a range of sources and silliness like this is a turn off and stops people from even trying it out. It's not just socks, it is a totting up of silly nonsense that does the sport no favours.
It's a competitive business, people have other options that are less intimidating.
TheJezster
Tour Rookie
Guys, stop digging your head in the sand and ignoring the issue. It's a ridiculous rule at any club. Someone spouted out we shouldn't try to change it!! Why? For the love of all that is holy, why!!??
The only way to make progress is to push. Eventually it'll become accepted
The "but it's their rules, we haaaave to obey" brigade need to take a step back. If enough people turn up in black socks, the tide would soon turn.
As for tigers top, of course its a bloody tee shirt!! The marketing people launched it as turtle neck top, but it's still a tee shirt! Anyone can see this, so stop making yourself look silly by trying to be pedantic.
So in summary, sock rules, completely daft and no place for them in this day and age, so if you feel strongly about it, push back, wear the black with pride. If you get pulled up, politely argue and question and only then, change into a pair you've kept in your bag.
Above all, don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy your golf
The only way to make progress is to push. Eventually it'll become accepted
The "but it's their rules, we haaaave to obey" brigade need to take a step back. If enough people turn up in black socks, the tide would soon turn.
As for tigers top, of course its a bloody tee shirt!! The marketing people launched it as turtle neck top, but it's still a tee shirt! Anyone can see this, so stop making yourself look silly by trying to be pedantic.
So in summary, sock rules, completely daft and no place for them in this day and age, so if you feel strongly about it, push back, wear the black with pride. If you get pulled up, politely argue and question and only then, change into a pair you've kept in your bag.
Above all, don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy your golf
User20204
Well-known member
I've been with you on most of this debate right up til your last line there, white socks and black shoes must be the worlds biggest fashion faux pas, so bad I'd call the fashion police on anyone doing so.
My take on the debate, if it's a club rule, it's a club rule but white socks and black shoes, oh my word.
howbow88
Hacker
Are you aware of how Twitter works?
These kind of stories certainly conform to the stereotypes that many hold about golf - that is a pompous, elitist, unwelcoming sport. Surely no golfer can want people to think that?
To believe that this stuff makes no difference in getting new people into golf is so short-sighted.
Backache
Assistant Pro
Personally I don't really give two hoots either way about sock dress codes. But you can love a sport but still think some aspects could be improved or changed for the better.
Is there nothing whatsoever about any aspect of golf that you think couldn't be improved on?
Jacko_G
Blackballed
Change is good.
Jacko_G
Blackballed
Foxholer
Blackballed
Doesn't matter! Though white is a reasonable 'standard', whereas 'free rein' can allow hideous gaudiness - not that I give 2 hoots anyway!
But complaining about being 'pulled' for not complying with clearly displayed standards is not far different from deliberately breaking Rules of Golf imo. You either play 'according to the rules' or you 'are not playing to the rules'!
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
What a to do eh, but where to start;
It’s not so much what the dress code is that really matters, it’s how any breach is handled. Surely there’s no need for causing embarrassment to a paying guest, but… we don’t really know how it was handled because when I saw the guy works in the media (and maybe smelt an opportunity) I looked at his tweet:
His 1st tweet has him saying; “we’re new players supporting our local club†(this doubtless garnered some empathy from readers) but in his reply tweet to the club he says “haven't encountered the 'sock code' in 25 years playing the gameâ€. (where readers might expect more from him)
Well which is it Andy, are you a new player or have you been playing 25 years?
(I’m sure he’d say he meant ‘new to the area’ or some other spin but his credibility re how this situation was handled has to be taken with a pinch of salt)
So we just don’t know, was he “summoned to the pro shop to be embarrassed†as he says, or was he politely informed ‘where white socks were available’ Who knows because he’s already identified to be a person that twists his statements
The club don’t come out well either because they have chosen to have some pretty lofty dress standards (4 page word doc, 5 page pdf) for a facility that charges £25 a round at weekends, and can a visitor really be blamed for not going to the nth degree in researching the dress code knowing they’re visiting an entry level establishment. (Sure fine dining might have a J&T rule that people would do well to check in advance but dinners wont expect it when having pub grub!)
The dress code doesn’t even appear as regular text on their webpage but a separate pdf or word doc that needs to be downloaded first (ironically as per the club dress code, if the offending striped socks had been ‘hose’ style (knee length) they’d be fine to wear with his shorts, regardless of the stripes) it’s only when they become shorter in length that the club mandate they must be white!
Also (as is often the case) this club have decided that as per their Ladies dress code a women dressed in shorts is not required to only wear white socks and is free to wear any “sports socks†of any colour
Both parties are wrong in my opinion & both need to take a look at themselves in future
It’s not so much what the dress code is that really matters, it’s how any breach is handled. Surely there’s no need for causing embarrassment to a paying guest, but… we don’t really know how it was handled because when I saw the guy works in the media (and maybe smelt an opportunity) I looked at his tweet:
His 1st tweet has him saying; “we’re new players supporting our local club†(this doubtless garnered some empathy from readers) but in his reply tweet to the club he says “haven't encountered the 'sock code' in 25 years playing the gameâ€. (where readers might expect more from him)
Well which is it Andy, are you a new player or have you been playing 25 years?
(I’m sure he’d say he meant ‘new to the area’ or some other spin but his credibility re how this situation was handled has to be taken with a pinch of salt)
So we just don’t know, was he “summoned to the pro shop to be embarrassed†as he says, or was he politely informed ‘where white socks were available’ Who knows because he’s already identified to be a person that twists his statements
The club don’t come out well either because they have chosen to have some pretty lofty dress standards (4 page word doc, 5 page pdf) for a facility that charges £25 a round at weekends, and can a visitor really be blamed for not going to the nth degree in researching the dress code knowing they’re visiting an entry level establishment. (Sure fine dining might have a J&T rule that people would do well to check in advance but dinners wont expect it when having pub grub!)
The dress code doesn’t even appear as regular text on their webpage but a separate pdf or word doc that needs to be downloaded first (ironically as per the club dress code, if the offending striped socks had been ‘hose’ style (knee length) they’d be fine to wear with his shorts, regardless of the stripes) it’s only when they become shorter in length that the club mandate they must be white!
Also (as is often the case) this club have decided that as per their Ladies dress code a women dressed in shorts is not required to only wear white socks and is free to wear any “sports socks†of any colour
Both parties are wrong in my opinion & both need to take a look at themselves in future
KenL
Tour Rookie
This is a wind up right?
Wearing socks that aren't white is not far different from the likes of kicking your ball out of the rough, telling your marker a lower score etc.???
Perhaps we just need a new RoG to clarify things? "A player incurs the general penalty for failing to comply with stupid club guidelines on sock length, colour, material etc."
Neilds
Assistant Pro
Personally I think black socks with shorts is wrong but this attitude from clubs is a bit ott. However, what I find really strange about this story, the guy in the picture changing his socks clearly has his shirt untucked. And the tucked in shirt is a rule at just about every course
