I'm A Long-Time Golf Club Member And The Dress Code Still Confuses Me

Recently, while enjoying a post-round drink, I joined my fellow female golfers in playfully teasing a friend for wearing only a V-neck jumper on the course - no polo shirt underneath. If you’re a member of a traditional golf club, you’ll understand why. It looked unusual, but only because we’re so used to seeing both men and women in polo shirts as standard.

After plenty of friendly banter, she headed over to the noticeboard - impossible to miss on the way to the first tee – which has an illustration of a man and a woman outlining the dress code, just to double-check she wasn’t breaking any rules. To be fair, none of us were entirely sure if a solo V-neck jumper was acceptable, but as it turned out, it was. No collar? No problem. As long as it had sleeves, it passed the test.

Golf is full of rules, on and off the course, but when it comes to dress codes, it’s funny to think that even as experienced players and long-time members, my friends and I were still second-guessing what was allowed. And that, to me, highlights the ongoing confusion. We’ve been so conditioned to focus on what not to wear that, in the case of the V-neck jumper, we saw a potential issue instead of celebrating how golf fashion is evolving.

This all happened the same week I interviewed content creator and presenter Mia Baker. As a 30-year-old woman on a mission to encourage more young women and girls into the game, I was keen to hear her thoughts on golf’s dress code and how it affects newcomers.

According to Mia, the problem isn’t so much the rules themselves, many of which are more relaxed than people realise, but the perception of what those rules are. In fact, she believes women often have more flexibility in their clothing choices than men at most courses.

She recalled her first time playing golf and how she panicked over what to wear. Could she wear leggings? Did she need a collared shirt? She didn’t even own golf shoes. But as it turned out, none of those things were actually required.

Of course, dress codes vary from club to club, which is where the confusion comes in. But if many courses now have a more relaxed approach, we need to do a better job of shifting mindsets and making that message louder.

Brands are certainly playing their part, continuing to push the boundaries of golf fashion and designing clothing that fits effortlessly into a modern lifestyle. And this year, more than ever, I’ve really noticed it.

Looking at the latest summer women’s collections, it’s clear that brands are redefining the acceptable length of the shorts and skorts. Many of the best women's golf shorts now feature a 4-inch inseam, and it’s not just the usual suspects like adidas, Puma, or Macade - even Callaway and FootJoy are on board. I’m not sure I have the figure to pull them off, but there’s clearly a demand for this trend.

That’s the thing, fashion is more than just what we wear; it’s part of the bigger picture in bringing golf into the modern era. The industry is more competitive than ever, but that also means for the best women's golf clothes, we now have a fantastic choice of fabrics, designs, and colours.

I’d like to think we’ve all moved on from the old idea that golf clothing is stiff, boring, or something you’d never wear off the course. Hopefully, anyone thinking about taking up the game now sees it as a chance to have fun with style, show some personality, and wear something that actually feels like them.

With content creators like Mia, Beth Roberts, and Jasmin Crossfield amongst others championing modern golf style, this is catching the attention of a younger female audience and making the sport more appealing.

This is where some clubs still need to connect the dots between industry trends and what’s happening inside their gates. If a new player, especially a beginner, shows up in an outfit that doesn’t quite align with your club’s traditional norm or dress code, please don’t greet them with an interrogation that could put them off the game entirely. More often than not, they will be wearing a freshly released, golf-branded outfit straight from this season’s collection.

It’s time to catch up, embrace modern golf fashion, and update those noticeboards, or better still, get rid of them!