Are we seriously still talking about dress codes in golf?
This month I want to set my stall out early, so… Dress codes are a ridiculous barrier to golf which should be eradicated immediately.
Golf was divided on the subject of appropriate dress again following Tyrrell Hatton’s four-shot victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Tyrrell wore a garment so offensive it inspired a club in our region to immediately contact members and post on its website to say hoodies are not an acceptable form of attire at their club. If you were watching Tyrrell on Sunday and that was your reaction, I truly believe you’ve missed something.
Tyrrell wearing a hoodie while winning the European Tour’s flagship event showcased how stylish golf attire can be in 2020 and showed that golf isn’t just for older people. While some cling to their sun-bleached windcheater or moth-eaten cords, brands like Tyrrell’s sponsor Adidas are moving the sport forward and reflecting the desire for younger golfers to wear clothing closer to what they wear off the golf course. Wearing a hoodie or shorts with one too many pockets might cause offence to some on the golf course, but I’m far more concerned about the etiquette of the person and their respect for the golf course than I am about what they’re wearing.
Brands have blurred the lines of golf attire for a long time now. Spikeless shoes look just like trainers because that’s what people want to wear. Hoodies are available from the golf branches of brands like Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Adidas, Nike and many others because they reflect the desires of the people those brands target. If a golf club doesn’t allow a person to wear those items of clothing, does that club reflect the desires of that golfer?
Unless it is so ridiculous as to be detrimental to the course, such as wearing football boots [a story for another day], then why shouldn’t you be allowed to wear a hoodie on the golf course if you want to? I saw someone on the course in early October in shorts when the rest of us were in waterproofs and woolly hats. I would argue that was far more inappropriate than someone having a hood on the back of their jacket.
It’s time golf got over itself and moved into the 21st Century. Give me a hoodie over a sun-bleached windcheater and moth-eaten cords any day.
