Back to the 30's golf attire ? YES Please !!
JEEVES
“DO YOU
HAVE A DRESS CODE POLICY?”
“Standard
Dress Code Policy – Proper golf attire is required at all times for all players
and riders to include both collared and/or tailored collarless shirts for men
and recognized golf fashion for women. Golf shoes with soft spikes or athletic
shoes required. T-shirts, swimwear, tank tops, jeans or cut-offs are not golf
appropriate attire.”
Knicker(bockers) in a knot: The ‘Attire’ debate on the golf course
By Richard
Fellner on April 30, 2012
https://www.insidegolf.com.au/opinion/knickerbockers-in-a-knot-the-attire-debate-on-the-golf-course/
Players
like Aaron Cox aren't afraid to push the fashion boundaries. But is this
practice good for the game?
From the
early days of the plus-fours and ruffled cravats, to today’s bright colours and
plaid ensembles, golf and fashion have long been intertwined.
That’s not
to say that golf fashion has necessarily been “fashionable”. Just look at golf
photos from the 1970s (or some of the blokes on tour today) and you’ll get my
drift.
Attire on
the golf course has been a contentious subject of late. The Inside Golf mailbag
and inbox are full of letters decrying the “imminent demise of Neat and Tidy”,
while last month’s cover photo of a “scruffy looking” Aaron Baddeley even got a
fair amount of unhappy reader letters (see page 87).
In the
continuing struggle to retain members, and attract the ever-important junior
contingent, some clubs are beginning to relax the traditional dress codes.
White socks and collared shirts still reign supreme, but it seems that more
clubs are starting to “turn a blind eye” to the more creatively-attired players
these days. It’s a neon-coloured grey area.
There are
two sides to the argument. Traditionalists argue that the standards of Neat and
Tidy attire MUST be adhered to in order to preserve the traditions and essence
of the game. They contend that if we relax the dress codes – even a smidgeon–
then the entire game may spin out of control into the equivalent of a
no-holds-barred, “golfers gone wild” frat party.
On the
other side of the fairway are those who claim that the game is entrenched in
old-fashioned, elitist attitudes and antiquated traditions that have little
appeal to the younger generations. They say that if we fail to capture the
kids’ attention, the game will dwindle in popularity until it is equal in
regard to, say Olympic Trampoline.
Dress codes
in nearly all sports have regularly adapted to the times. From the AFL, to
(Twenty20) Cricket, to American baseball to the NBA… uniforms have regularly
reflected the fashion and styles of the younger generations. It’s seen by some
as a “necessary evil” in order to ensure the survival of the sports.
Golf is no
different. I’m sure there was a similar outcry centuries ago when a small band
of golfers eschewed their kilts and animal skins to don (heaven forbid) ties,
knickerbockers and morning coats. And what about those heathens in the 1920s
who (gasp) stopped wearing formal jackets on the links? Or the “Free-thinkers”
with the radical concept of NOT tucking their long pants inside their socks; or
those who wore bowties, V-neck sweaters and even (double-gasp) short pants!
When you
think about it, today’s accepted “Neat and Tidy” attire – namely the
short-sleeve collared shirts, pleated shorts and golf caps – would have golfers
of the 1900’s covering their niblicks in shame.
I’m not
saying that we need to allow singlets and budgie smugglers on the course – on
the contrary, I firmly believe that young golfers and beginners need to respect
the traditions and the culture (and attire) of the game. But if we really want
to keep our game alive, surely we can open up our minds a little, and maybe let
our white socks drop a bit? There is certainly a compromise out there.
See you on
the fairways (in a collared shirt, of course).
Richard
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| NO !! |
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| YES !! |
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| YES !! |
1 comment:
Aaron Cox aren't afraid to push the fashion boundaries. So as a golfer we can't afraid.
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