The game of golf has come a long way over the last few decades and golf clubs have largely moved with the times in an effort to appeal to and provide for a new generation of players with different life views and expectations.
Almost wholly gone are the days of men-only bars and the requirement for knee-high socks to be worn with shorts, but some clubs do continue to cling to slightly archaic principles that are overly prescriptive and can appear discriminatory or backward-thinking. For golf to thrive going forwards, clubs need to deliver full inclusivity and do away with any rules that make the sport appear stuffy and out of time – That’s the image we need to lose. Here are 6 golf club rules that are holding the game back.
Dress code
Golf clubs really don’t need any sort of prescriptive dress code anymore, although guidelines could be useful for those starting out. The overwhelming majority of those who choose to play golf, choose an outfit that is appropriate for an outdoor activity and, whether that outfit has a collar, a hood, involves a tailcoat or Jacobean ruff, it really doesn’t matter. If someone chooses an outfit that isn’t fit for purpose, they’ll realise that pretty quickly when they get out on course and won’t choose it again. If they choose to dress like a wally, that’s their prerogative. Likewise with the old-school:
Jacket and Tie rules
If people like arriving at the club in jacket and tie and like to put on jacket and tie after their round, that’s great. They will look and feel smart and should be commended for their approach. But it shouldn’t be a requirement. It makes life very awkward for visitors who may be on a holiday or tour who haven’t packed their tweeds. It can also be rather uncomfortable on the warmest days of summer. If jacket and tie was, instead, the preferred but not required attire for certain parts of the clubhouse, many would adhere to it but those who are less well prepared would still be able to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat after their round.
Members’ Guests rules
(Image credit: Tom Miles)
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