A Beginner’s Guide to Golf Clothing: The What, When, & Why
If it’s your first (or one of your first) times on the golf course, you’ve probably spent your fair share of time researching golf clubs to learn what each of them do and what you need to consider before choosing which club you’re going to buy.
That is definitely a very important aspect of golf and you are on the right track if you’re putting plenty of effort into researching it. But what you might be overlooking as you scour the internet for every bit of information on golf clubs is—golf clothing!
You might be thinking that clothing on the golf course is more a matter of personal fashion than actual necessity but there are some items that will really make your time out on the green much more enjoyable.
In this article, we’re going to talk about the essentials of golf clothing. What do you need and why do you need it? We’ll also give you a few tips to keep in mind while you’re shopping so you can be confident you are making the absolute best choices for you.
Why Is Proper Golf Attire Important
You should not be underestimating the importance of proper golf clothing while you’re out playing golf. Here are a few of the reasons that getting the right golf attire is so essential for every golfer from novice to pro:
- Most golf courses have a dress code: this means that if you actually hope to get ON to the golf course in the first place so that you can play, you’re going to need to follow a few basic rules. These are most often not particularly strict rules. You’re not going to have to buy a special uniform but there will be certain guidelines that you need to follow. It’s actually a good idea to call ahead to check what the club’s dress code is before you show up in jeans and a football jersey.
- Prevent injury: certain parts of your wardrobe are actually necessary to prevent injury. For example, a glove will prevent blisters and discomfort on your hand. Without it, a full day of golfing would likely leave your hand raw and sore. Shoes are also very important for preventing injury and keeping you comfortable.
- Stay comfortable: whenever you play a sport, it’s important to wear comfortable clothes made of breathable fabric. Your time on the course should be fun and maybe even relaxing. If you’re sweating bullets and bothered by too tight clothing, you’re whole day will be spoiled.
- Protection against weather: weather can really affect your game and your enjoyment. If it’s a colder day and you show up in shorts and a t shirt, your muscles and joints will be too stiff to play as well as you could. Likewise, if you show up in full winter gear on a warm day, you’ll be too sweaty and overheated to play comfortably.
As you can see, the right gear is just as important in golf as it is in any other sport. So with that in mind, what do you actually need to be wearing for a good game of golf?
The Most Essential Golf Clothing Items
Here are the key items you need to complete a proper golfing outfit:
- Shoes: these are going to be the most important part of your outfit. Golf involves a lot of walking and standing so the right shoes are absolutely essential to help you get through all that without ending up with painful, sore, sweaty, or injured feet. There is a lot that goes into finding the right pair of golf shoes. You can read our guide that focuses exclusively on golf shoes for some more detailed info and tips.
- Socks: The right socks will make you feel like you are walking on clouds. The wrong ones will make your feet sweaty and uncomfortable. You should stick to ankle socks made of good, breathable cotton. Consider a thicker sock for extra padding if you need added comfort. Shop around for either golf specific socks or running socks.
- Gloves: A glove is not strictly necessary. You can potentially get away without it but it truly adds an extra level of comfort to your game. It helps give you a better grip on the club and it prevents your hand from being rubbed raw after a full day of golfing. Your glove should be fitted but not so tight that it cuts off circulation to your hand. The best gloves are made of a soft, thin but durable leather that kind of behaves as a second skin for your hand.
- Shirt: breathable, loose (but not baggy) shirts are preferable for comfort. In terms of dress code, you will almost always be expected to have a collared shirt. Short sleeves are fine as long as it is a clean looking, collared shirt. Avoid T shirts and jersey material. Finally, your shirt should always be tucked into your pants.
- Pants: The bottom of your pants should meet the top of your shoes. The fabric should be a breathable fabric like cotton—absolutely no jeans or jersey material. This is often restricted in most club dress codes. Khaki is a pretty standard choice. You can opt for the more interesting patterns but then you’ll need to put more thought into coordinating your outfit.
- Shorts: shorts should only be worn on warm days and when you do wear shorts, they should be a similar material as your pants. In terms of length, they should fall just above your kneecaps.
- Belt: if your pants or shorts have belt loops, use them. This is for dress code purposes. The belt makes for a cleaner, more put together look.
Now that you have an idea of what specific items you need and how they should fit, how do you actually go about selecting good pieces for your wardrobe? Read our tips below to get started.
Tips for Buying the Right Golf Clothing
Here are a few tips for shopping to make sure you don’t waste your money on uncomfortable or poorly fitting golf clothes:
- Try before you buy. The convenience of buying online can be tempting but if you aren’t familiar with a brand and how its items really fit, you can’t be sure you’re getting the right size or cut. You don’t have to actually buy in the store but you should at least go to the store to try on a few different items before going home to buy the one that fit well online.
- Don’t just get the first thing you try on, even if it is pretty comfortable and seems like a good fit. You may end up going with your first choice in the end but you want to at least know what a bad fit and cut feel like so you know for sure that the one you are going with is actually a comfortable and smart choice.
- Read reviews. Some brands are more reliable than others. And to complicate matters more, some brands are better for certain items than they are for others. It’s very unlikely that your entire wardrobe will be supplied by a single brand unless you just purposely buy everything from the same company. Read reviews from people who have actually tried out the products to get an idea of who you should be looking to for which items.
- Get some variety. If you plan to golf more than once in your life, you’ll need some variety. You can’t get away with just one golf outfit. At a minimum, you’ll need one outfit for the warmer months and one outfit for the cooler months. But you should also have a few different shirts, a few pairs of socks, and so on in the event that you choose to play golf more than once per season and don’t want to show up in the exact same outfit every time.
With these tips and the other information you’ve read in this article, you are ready to get started on your quest for the perfect golf clothing items. Afterward, you can finally enjoy that game of golf you’ve been prepping for all this time!
Final Word
As you can see, wearing the proper golf clothing is not just about looking like you belong on the golf course. There are some very practical reasons to invest in quality gear so that you both look and feel comfortable.
Among everything we’ve discussed in this article, getting the right pair of golf shoes is definitely the most important thing on the list. You definitely want to do additional research and make sure that you are taking everything into consideration before you spend money on golf shoes.
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