Hoodies on the Course?

Morning mist clings to the fairway like a secret. The light is soft, the air quiet, and every sound carries a little more than you expect.

When you’re young, you rush through it. The scorecard matters more than the walk. You swing hard, chase distance, and curse the missed putt. But the older you get, the more the game slows down. You start to notice the sounds of the fauna, the flight of the birds overhead, the rustle of the leaves on a brisk Fall morning.

The course becomes a kind of chapel. A place that humbles, teaches, forgives, and repeats the lesson the next morning. Golf doesn’t change, but you do. And with every round, every par saved, every quiet ride back to the clubhouse, you understand a little more why the old ones never stopped playing.

A few people have reached out since I started this publication to ask my opinion on hoodies worn at private golf clubs. Like all of my opinions, this one is nuanced and 100% correct.

I was adamantly against wearing anything hooded on the golf course when the trend first started about 5 or 6 years ago, but I’ve since softened my stance after the entrance of major players like Holderness and PM.

Yes, it’s a step in the wrong direction, but as pro shops at elite private clubs begin to sell them, hoodies have become tolerable in my eyes. Broadly, I am against private club golf attire slowly devolving into streetwear, but the hoodie can be dressed up properly if it fits the wearer well and is purchased from the correct brand.

A few things to avoid when purchasing a golf hoodie:

Drawstrings and front pouches make the garment more casual, and some clubs are starting to ban hoodies with these features. We’re aiming to look as neat and clean as possible, given the casual nature of the item.

Also, if you have kids that can hit the ball farther than you, or have gray hair, it’s time to hang up the hoodies. Stick to quarter zips and sweaters. You don’t want to turn into the guy who wears white sneakers with a suit.

Anyway, here are a few hoodies from brands that I know and trust.

Avoid anything that looks like this:

Or this:

Stick to simple colors and brands that use quality materials. The goal is to look sharp, not use the hoodie as an excuse to not wear a good looking cashmere or merino wool sweater or Q-zip.

Need to plug the essay Make Putters Beautiful Again, as I’ve been eyeing some vintage works of art online.

Check out this one that sits firmly in the “beautiful” quadrant.

As I wrote that, I thought about making a putter matrix. It’s already in the works, and will unquestionably ruffle some feathers. Good.

Let’s talk for a minute about head cover etiquette. There’s a few ways I look at etiquette with driver, wood, and putter head covers. This is not about logos on the head covers, but more so where they belong during a round.

The putter cover stays on no matter what. Can’t risk damaging it. Same goes for the wood covers. The only item up for debate here is the driver cover.

Scenario 1: You get the first tee time on a Saturday morning and you’re a twosome in a cart, playing with one of your buddies. The goal is to play in 2 hours flat. The driver head cover stays off.

Scenario 2: When you walk and carry your own bag, or playing with a caddy you don’t know and or trust. The head cover stays on when not in use.

Scenario 3: You get paired with your favorite caddy. You know he’s great at his job and will take care of your clubs, so you always let him stash the driver cover in the side pocket.

Just my thoughts as a cartoon golfer on the internet.

Ranking my favorite cold-weather outerwear items

As an aside, let’s stay away from wearing undershirts under our golf polos this fall (and spring). It’s a bad look especially when the shirt is bright and contrasting with the color of your polo. Buy high-quality polos so you don’t need to do this. Thanks.

Talk soon,

BTG

Email me: [email protected]

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Talk soon,

BTG