From the Desk of the Editor —
Welcome to our new readers. If you haven’t yet, please read Welcome to the Show and How to Dress When Playing Golf . Those two posts will give you a foundational understanding on why we are here and what to expect moving forward.
BTG
The Fall Wardrobe Guide
Welcome back. As the days grow shorter and shadows grow longer, the yearly tradition of brushing off fall jackets and digging out the countless pairs of pants has started. It’s the best time of year to dress well. It’s easy to layer pieces, but it’s also easy to make some glaring fashion errors if you’re not careful. Some basic rules to follow before reading my suggestions:
No white-soled dress shoes.
No tan belts and shoes with a dark suit. You’ll look like a used car salesman. Stick to dark brown or black shoes and belts with dark suits.
Before I get into the specific brands and pieces I like, my philosophy on buying clothes is to buy high end items that last. Before you buy something, remember that the fit and style of what you are buying matters 100x more than the brand. Don’t go spending thousands of dollars on designer stuff if it makes you look like a cardboard box.
I’ll break down a few brands and items that I like here, and for the record none of these are affiliate links. These are the brands I know and trust:
Outerwear
Barbour Jackets - I’m a fan of them. They are timeless classics than can be dressed up or down. I like the Bedale, Beaufort and Ashby.
Norwegian Wool - For the colder months. I like the ¾ length coats. Keep an eye on the clearance section as well, as there are deals to be had.
Sweaters/Vests
Holderness offers the best bang for your buck with sweaters and vests. The Ward sweater is warm, and their Scottish Cashmere is high-quality for the price. I’m a fan of the King vest, but they have a bunch of new lines coming out for the Fall.
Peter Millar makes a solid reversible vest.
If you want to invest in nice pieces, I’d suggest checking out Johnstons of Elgin
Shirts
I’m a huge fan of long sleeve polos and OCBDs in fall/winter. They make for great layering pieces. H&B actually merged the two with their Burton shirt. Extremely versatile.
I don’t love ugly checkered or plaid button downs. Stick to simple white/blue ones (micro patterns ok) from J Press or another similar brand like J Crew or Brooks Brothers. They key is to own 5-10 that you can mix and match with different sweaters/ quarter zips.
I’m also a fan of rugby shirts, especially the (simple) ones from Rowing Blazers.
Pants
Pant choice will vary depending on body type, so it’s hard to give broad suggestions. I’m tall and skinny and have always gravitated toward the J Crew chinos. Great value.
Peter Millar also makes a great option if you’re willing to pay a premium for pants.
Rag & Bone makes the best denim out there if you’re looking for jeans.
Shoes
I’ve covered the basics in this article here: Shoes for the Modern Gentleman
Basic brown loafers. I like Oak Street. Every man should have a basic pair that they can wear every day. Leather soled.
Invest in a pair of decent looking waterproof boots that you can wear when the weather turns. I’ve had a pair of Dubarry for at least 5 years and they still work great. You could also buy a pair of Blundstones as well.
Bags
Folks on Twitter have been bugging me about my leather bag, so here it is. Famously featured in this tweet (which sparked the idea for this publication). Anyway the brand is called Old Angler. Makes for a great gift in my opinion.
Etiquette Tip - How to Rake a Bunker
During the final round of the Met Open, my player (I was caddying) hit his tee ball into a fairway bunker on the 17th hole. The shot wouldn’t have been too complicated had it not been for the poor lie caused by a half-assed rake job.
While sand traps should be true hazards, a good rake job after hitting a bunker shot is a responsibility a player should not take lightly. Take the two minutes to watch how to properly rake a bunker, thanks.
The Lost MacKenzie Course of Rhayader
In the hills of mid-Wales lies one of golf’s great forgotten treasures: the Rhayader Golf Links. Originally founded in 1908 as a modest nine-hole club, the first version of Rhayader was forced to close during World War I when farmland was prioritized for agriculture.
The game returned in 1925 with the arrival of Dr. Alister MacKenzie, who just a few years later would design Augusta National and Cypress Point. At Rhayader, he used the sloping terrain above the Wye Valley to create a compact, strategic nine. “The views are delightful and could hardly be surpassed by those on any English course,” MacKenzie wrote of his layout, praising the site’s natural beauty while minimizing steep climb. For more than forty years, the course served as a community hub, with competitions and even recorded aces, until closing in 1968.
The land was soon reclaimed by bracken, and the course slipped from memory. That changed in 2020, when local resident Chris Powell set out during lockdown to uncover its remnants. With nearly 1,000 hours of mowing and clearing, Powell unearthed tees, greens, and even original cups using a metal detector. His efforts culminated in a charity event dubbed the “Rhayader Cup,” where locals played the course once more.
Though no formal restoration is planned, Powell’s revival of Rhayader Golf Links offers a glimpse of MacKenzie’s genius preserved in the Welsh hills.
The Purist’s Line
As I wrote the Fall Guide above, I realized that club attire has become too relaxed. Even at some of the most heralded and elite clubs in the country, white soled shoes, flip flops and sneakers pervade the hallways and locker rooms. As stewards of the traditions of the game, we must fend off the incoming tide of relaxed club wear.
More clubs should look to LACC for guidance - pants only (and more recently, no hoodies allowed). Clubs can differentiate in myriad ways, but none set the tone like the dress code. Jacket and tie to walk in? You know you’re in for a special day.
Sometimes we need to go back to go forward.
Club Lore - Tell Me a Story
I enjoy reading and responding to reader emails. Should you choose to reach out, tell me something unique about your club and/or a playing experience you’ve had recently. I want to share stories with the community and foster real connections here. It could be anything from a cool room in your clubhouse to a special dish or drink that is served on premises. The most compelling will be featured here weekly. Email me: [email protected] to submit your offering.
Talk soon,
BTG
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