We’ve all seen the movies where golf attire is ripped upon mercilessly and men show up in checker trousers in an outrageous colour with a matching golf shirt, complete with an unfashionable bobble hat, but in reality golf attire has always closely matched what men were wearing off the course at the time. From the plus-fours of the founding fathers to the polyester-blend bellbottoms of the 1970s, men didn’t care much about their golf course ‘look’ until pro-golfers such as Tiger Woods became icons. As such, the rules of golf style have changed significantly and here we discuss the gold rules for keeping your golf attire stylish, comfortable, and functional.
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Keeping it Street Legal
Take a look at your selected golf outfit and ask yourself if you would happily wear it in the street. If the answer is no, then change your outfit immediately! No matter what you think, it is not necessary to wear loud, overly bright patterns on the golf course, despite what the history of golf attire tells you. If it looks like you’re heading to the Florida Keys, rather choose something more toned down.
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All Buckled Up
We are not sure when it happened, but at some point it became ‘stylish’ to wear huge, chunky, oversized belt buckles. You might have already amassed a sizable collection, and we are sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but big belt buckles are not cool. There’s no point to dragging 5 extra pounds around on the course.
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Must-Have Golf Attire
No matter what your favourite online sports betting guide might say, pleated pants remain in the nineties! Opt for these classics instead.
- A self-collar polo shirt
- A tipped pique polo shirt
- A pair of slim-fit chinos in a neutral colour
- A V-neck wool sweater in a solid colour
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These Shoes Were Made for Walking
Still wearing those clunky old golf spikes? Throw those away immediately! They’re basically fossils at this point. Unlike those dudes that buzz around in golf carts, completing 18-holes actually requires plenty of walking and you will want to be comfortable. Almost every golf attire brand now offers shoes that have all the traction and stability of a traditional on-course shoe, with the comfort and styling of a sneaker.
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Throwing Shade
One thing you definitely shouldn’t buy into is the salesman’s pitch that golf-specific sunglasses will help you ‘read the green’ better and a good pair of polarised sunglasses is all you really need to be comfortable in the sunshine for long periods of time. Your golf attire should be thought of as an extension of your casualwear, so if the sunglasses you’re wearing on the course look ridiculous off the course, opt for something classic such as the keyhole style.
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Choosing Your Headgear
It would be incredibly unwise to hit the golf course without a hat, especially in mid-summer even if you’re hitting the course early enough to miss the intense heat of midday. However, that doesn’t mean you should wear the fedora your wife or girlfriend refuses to let you wear outside of the house. Straw panama hats, driving caps, and peak caps will be far better suited to both style and function.
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Choosing Colour Wisely
Many pro-golfers can be seen hitting the course with bright shirts or trousers, but it’s important that you choose your bright colours well. If you opt for a brightly coloured, bold pair of trousers, you are definitely going to have to pair that with a subtle, neutral shirt. You don’t want to look like a walking circus!