A Case for More T-Shirts in Golf—and Why Courses Should Get on Board

I love playing golf any chance I get, and whether that means playing at a beat-up hidden gem, a muni, a nice public course, or a fancy private club, I’m all in. I also understand that just like with restaurants, some courses have a dress code, some are pretty casual, and others are just happy if you’re wearing shoes and a shirt.

Now, I want to be clear that I’m not advocating for private clubs to go all “t-shirts and flip-flops”, because just like with the restaurant analogy, there is something to be said about the ritual of getting dressed up to enjoy a nice meal with friends or play a round of golf at a top club.

I’m even on board with those clubs that have formal dining rooms that require a jacket and tie. Instead, what I think needs to change is how everyone else approaches the idea of a dress code and what it means to actually “dress” for a round of golf.

Are We Really Talking About Dress Codes Again?

Yes, and here's why.

Just a few days ago, I decided to book a spur-of-the-moment afternoon 9-holes at one of my favourite local courses, Copetown Woods, located about 15-20 west of Hamilton, Ontario. The last-minute nature had me quickly grabbing my clubs, shoes, and heading to the course in the clothes I was wearing without much thought, which included a t-shirt (golf themed) but certainly not a “golf shirt”.

It was only after I was about halfway there that I quickly realized “Oh, maybe I should have thrown on a polo”, because that’s what you're told you need to wear to play golf.

The reason for this mild panic was based on previous experiences where (I believe) staff got a little over their skis when it comes to dress code. One experience was at a sub-$40 muni, where jeans were considered acceptable, but a clean-cut, logo-less t-shirt was not. The other was at a similar level mom and pop course where I was aggressively suggested that maybe I shouldn’t wear a t-shirt to hit balls at the range next time, yes, you read that right, to the public driving range!

But the funniest thing happened when I checked in for my tee time at Copetown; nobody said anything. They asked if I had played there before, if I had any questions, and told me I tee off with a threesome in about 20 minutes. It felt like one of those weird moments where you get away with something and then wonder when the gig is up. The only thing is, the gig was never up; that's just the way they operate. Come and play golf, keep pace, be respectful to the staff, look after the course, and if you want to do it in a t-shirt, go right ahead.

I think for most golf courses, this is an attitude that needs to be more widely accepted, because as much as we hear about “growing the game” (thankfully less now), and helping to make golf more welcoming to new players, most courses, even many of what I would call middle of the road local spots, tend to think of themselves as places of “serious golf” and feel the need to keep up with the private clubs of the world, where they should instead be a lot more come as you as.

I know if given the choice, I’ll stick to my t-shirts moving forward, to the point where it will change where I choose to play.