Matching shoes with pants: never required, always nice. (Photo by Dreamstime)
A round-the-world search of golf dress codes for women produced some award-winning regulations, from super-strict to anything-goes. Ladies, one thing seems clear: Clothes are generally required.
THE OTHER DAY I suggested to my kids at The First Tee of Oakland that they wear things that have pockets, because they won’t always have a coach standing by to hold their scorecard, tees and ball markers. Then I tried to explain golf course dress codes.
I looked at the little girls, rocking the leggings-and-golf-shirt look, and the boys in their oversize gym shorts. One of them had on cargo shorts, which are so perfect for golf because of all those pockets, yet are frowned upon at many courses. How could I begin to explain golf course dress codes?
I looked around the world and found some award-winning doozies.
And the winners are:
MOST UNUSUAL GOLF COURSE DRESS CODES
Steenberg Golf Club in South Africa prohibits drawstrings and “secret socks.”
Nile in Seattle OKs nice jeans but requires tops to have 2-inch shoulder straps and prohibits high heels and strapless tops.
MOST SPECIFIC GOLF COURSE DRESS CODE
The Centennial Country Club (Michigan) prohibits hospital scrubs and tubetops.
MOST SENSIBLE GOLF COURSE DRESS CODES
The Pearl Country Club Academy’s junior program (Honolulu) suggests that shorts and trousers have pockets, and in such high SPF territory, hats and visors must be worn “properly.”
And the Colac Golf Club (Australia) advises its ladies “Be sun smart.”
MOST DETAILED GOLF COURSE DRESS CODES
(Domestic) On the Hayden Lake Country Club (Idaho) website, a popup for women depicts check marks for its requirements — belt, collar, sleeves — and a big X for prohibitions, which include no skirts!
(International) Australia’s Brisbane Golf Club has an entire, downloadable brochure on its dress code, which lists among its regulations that shorts cannot be too LONG, and men cannot wear three-quarter pants.
WORDIEST JUSTIFICATIONS FOR GOLF COURSE DRESS CODES
“Sterling Hills (California) has several policies in place to maintain the integrity of the course and to promote safety and goodwill among golfers” and lists these prohibitions: blue jeans, cutoff pants, athletic shorts, swimsuits and jogging clothes.
And at Coral Oaks (Florida), “In order to keep Coral Oaks truly remarkable, we need you to pay attention to detail by following our dress code,” which requires shorts to be of at least “fingertip length” and prohibits removal of golfing attire while playing.
MOST SUCCINCT GOLF COURSE DRESS CODES
“Proper golf attire” at Harpeth Hills (Nashville).
“No tank tops or cutoffs” at San Jose Municipal.
“No dress code” at several courses proud to so advertise.
This article first appeared in the August 2011 edition of GottaGoGolf Magazine.
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