75 - We Are The Goon Squad...

There were many sniggers and snide remarks from the pundits covering the Open at Turnberry this year when John Daly stepped onto the first tee in an outfit so loud that they probably burnt the retinas of any spectator who was unfortunate enough to glance at his legs (below). Anyone who saw the big man strutting down the fairways in his Loudmouth Golf clothes won’t forget it in a hurry.

Although his attire was a little extreme I salute Daly for not taking the dress code so seriously, I salute anyone who sticks it to the man. That is not to say I think anything can be worn on the golf course, far from it, I just think that if golf is to move away from the perception that it’s elitist and snobby there needs to be a change in attitudes from the old guard.

Ok, I get that jeans are a no no on the course but why for example, if wearing shorts, must players also wear knee length socks (a rule I saw recently at a private course)? Surely players are wearing shorts to keep cool – something that is negated with the addition of 2 foot of gleaming white terry-towlling sports socks!

I’ll admit that seeing people on municipal’s in an England shirt, tracksuit bottoms and a pair of Reebok Classics winds me up but is it the worse thing in the golfing world? (What does make me laugh about these ‘rule breakers’ is that they can’t find the cash for a pair of proper golf shoes but they will have a bag full of Ping clubs and will be firing Titleist Pro V1’s up the fairway. Hmmm…)

I agree with DJ Chris Evans who said he likes playing golf he just doesn’t like looking like a golfer. I don’t like the Lyle & Scott v-neck pullover brigade who march up and down the fairways checking everyone else out like a cranky headmaster, tutting at players wearing garish coloured polo shirts, fashionable tailored pants and designer shoes with matching bling belts. It is as if they expect players to dress like extras from 70’s sitcom Terry & June.

Big manufacturers like Nike and Adidas have made great strides in producing more fashionable golf clothes while the likes of Stromberg, Oscar Jacobson and J Lindeberg make stuff that could be worn in the coolest of bars as well as at the local track. So why should there be frowns from the Ronnie Corbett-a-likes if some young buck turns up in a pair of Ian Poulter’s Union Jack pants?

If the dress code was relaxed slightly and the attitude towards non-traditional clothes changed for the better I’m convinced more young people would be interested in joining private clubs and societies. Young men love posing and some of the premium clothing available lets them do just that as they strut up the fairway like a golfing peacocks.

To stay alive every sport needs to evolve but golf won’t move forward if the blazer and tie types put barriers in front of potential new players because of the way they dress. I think it is time for the old to embrace the new and update their attitudes. After all, golf is a great game that should be enjoyed by everyone even if they decide to turn up looking like John Daly.