So you want to look professional out on the golf course for your first round? Most courses do have a set of pretty standard dress code policies that they expect their customers to be wearing.
For men, it is recommended to wear:
- A collared shirt
- Golf Shorts or Golf Pants
- Golf Shoes or Athletic shoes
- plus accessories (options below)
For women:
- Collared shirt
- Golf Skort, slacks or dress shorts
- Golf Shoes or athletic shoes
- plus accessories (options below)
Some courses will be more strict than others on forcing these dress codes. For example, a local course in my city allows T-Shirts, shorts and even jeans! They only disallow tank tops and open-toed shoes. So if you want a definitive answer to what the courses dress codes are before showing up for your tee time, I recommend that you give that course a call and see what their policies are for their customers’ attire.
Men’s Golf Clothes
You don’t have to dress like Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth when you are heading out to the course. Some of their golf outfits cost well over $1000 when everything is totaled up! So to avoid spending a fortune, I have outlined below some of my recommended golf clothing options for men.
Shirts
Golf shirts come in many different colors and textures. In my opinion, it is best to get the breathable polyester golf shits as they are very lightweight and breath nicely in the heat.
- Check out the options on Amazonhere and see if like any of the designs!
Pants and Shorts
The good news is that you don’t have to wear pants like the pros when it is 95 degrees out! Most courses are perfectly fine with a nice looking pair of shorts (no gym shorts or jean shorts). When it does get colder out though, you are going to want to have a pair of golf pants when playing.
- Check out these pants here.They are very affordable (compared to other brands) and last for many years! I have a grey pair myself!
Golf Shoes
If you have read my article on excellent golf gift ideas, you know that I am very high on the newer Sketchers golf shoes. They come in cool designs and are incredibly comfortable! Oh did I mention they are waterproof?
Any time it rains I am always shocked when I leave the course with my feet still dry!
Compared to other top golf shoe companies, these shoesare far more affordable and well worth the investment!
One man from one of the leagues at my golf course loved Sketchers shoes so much that he bought 5 pairs in the same day! You don’t have to like them this much, but I guarantee you will be impressed.
Accessories
For men, golf apparel accessories are sort of a “bonus” regarding what is necessary when playing golf. They aren’t required, but I can point you in the right direction with some of my recommendations:
- Nexbelt– These belts are great as they are one size fits all. They are stylish, and the golf series belts come with its own ball marker under the buckle!
- Footjoy golf sock- You can’t go wrong with any Footjoy sock. These socks have extra fabric which makes them far more comfortable than regular socks and helps keep your feet dry. What is the saying, happy feet, happy life? Actually, I think I just made that up, but it still sounds right!
- Cold weather gear– read the article
- Rain gear– read the article
Women’s Golf Clothes
Alright, ladies, I haven’t forgotten about you and your golf fashion. You may be thinking: Why do I even need this person’s opinion on golf clothes? I’d rather find options out on my own!
And to this I say, you are 100% right! You don’t have to purchase any of my recommendations below, and I do suggest that you shop around at local golf stores when you have the time.
These are just options that I have seen from observing thousands of female customers each year and what type of golf attire that they wear.
Golf Shirts
Just like the men’s example above, I strongly suggest that women purchase the same breathable polyester golf shirts to feel more flexible and lightweight when swinging a club.
- Take a look at thedifferent styles hereto see if any catch your eye.
Golf Skorts and Pants
Most female golfers elect to wear golf skorts including the pros!
- Here are a few options you can look over to see which styles you want to wear. As with the golf shirt, it is best to make sure the material is mostly polyester and breathable when out on the course. They can also be used to playing tennis!
Golf Shoes
Yes! I’m going to promote Sketchers again! You are not going to find a better golf shoe as far as price, quality, and appearance than these Sketchers shoes!
Feel free to look at several options, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
And no, I have no affiliation with Sketchers golf apparel, I am very high on their footwear and feel that everyone needs to know how good they are
Accessories
Just like for men, there are some “bonus” golf accessories that you can choose to use out on the course to enhance your round.
- Ladies Belt- I am again going to suggest the Nexbelt just because of its convenient one size fits all model, various styles, and durability. You can look at several of my recommended options here on Amazon.
- Women Socks- Footjoy golf socks are the best socks you can buy when playing golf. End of story!
- Golf Visor- Another favorite women’s fashion statement in golf is to wear a visor to shield the face and eyes from the sun. Here a few options you can browse through!
Public Courses
Depending on the quality of the course, you can figure out what type of apparel is appropriate for play. For example, if the greens fees are around $25-$30 dollars, you will be fine wearing tennis shoes, shorts or capris, and a collared shirt.
However, nicer public courses may disallow kaki shorts, leggings, and untucked golf shirts. These types of courses cost around $50-$75 around. Again, make sure that you call the pro-shop ahead of time with any clothing questions you may have.
One of my friends wore an athletic T-Shirt once on a golfing trip that we had and was told he could not play unless he purchased a $50 golf shirt in the pro shop to wear on the course!
Country Clubs
Most country clubs require men to wear golf slacks and women to wear golf shorts or skorts, even if you are hitting balls on the driving range! Private courses have strict dress codes to keep up nice, clean appearances for their members.
So if you are playing at a country club for an outing or have a membership, it is a good idea to wear what the professionals wear on TV. (read below)
PGA Tour Dress Code
Men
For men on the PGA Tour, it is required to wear pants no matter the weather conditions. They also wear shirts, golf shoes and hats depending on who they are sponsored by. (Footjoy, Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, etc.)
Women
Women on tour wear golf skorts and like the men, usually, dress in sponsored apparel brands.
What You Can Never Wear
I have to mention a few options that are never acceptable on the course. Believe it or not, I did have a customer show up to play once wearing a tank top and bathing suit!
- Tank Tops
- Flip Flops
- Bathing Suit
- Gym Shorts (most courses)
- Booty Shorts
- Jeans (most courses)
- Boots
- Metal Spiked Shoes
- No clothes ????
Spectator Clothing
Whether you are going to a PGA event, watching a college tournament or watching an outing scramble, there are some clothing guidelines that you should follow.
Women- It is okay to wear a sundress, dress pants, skort or capris, flats, dress shoes or tennis shoes
Men- For men, it is good to wear dress pants, collared shirt tucked in, golf hat, sunglasses, dress shoes or tennis shoes.
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