Golf attire: Think Ws for what to wear

After our somewhat serious topic last week involving Youngstown State University and “The Muni” I thought we would take a stab at a somewhat lighter topic this week: dress codes.

Now let’s be clear about this … I take A LOT of heat for some of my outfits.

The guys at The Lake Club have a number of Easter references for me due to my propensity for wearing pastels.

My wife is always telling me my clothes are either the wrong size, don’t match, or just “look stupid” (in the most loving way possible mind you).

And while I pride myself on being “ahead of the curve” when it comes to golf fashion, I rarely ever buy anything from the newest lines or brands.

So now that I’ve established my credibility for giving fashion advice, here are some of my rules for dressing appropriately on the course:

KNOW YOUR W’S!

It may sound simple, but do you know how many people wear the same golf “outfit” regardless of where they’re playing? Or what event they’re playing in? Or with whom?

You don’t wear the same outfit to every restaurant and you shouldn’t wear the same outfit for every round of golf. So how do you figure it out? Start with the W’s.

WHERE: Know where the heck you’re going! If you’re going to a country club, always make sure you follow the dress code. Trust me, you’ll be embarrassed if you get to a club and they tell you they’re glad to have you but that you’ll need to buy the proper clothing from their pro shop if you want on the course.

If you’re going to the muni to play a quick nine after work and you know jeans are totally acceptable, wear jeans if you want. The key here is to know what’s acceptable and follow the local culture.

WHY: Once you know where you’re going, ask yourself WHY you’re going there. Big fancy fundraiser? Maybe you should dress up a little more. Buddy’s bachelor outing? OK, maybe your outfit is a little less important. The key here is to realize that WHY you’re going somewhere can be just as important as WHERE you’re going.

WHO: The other really important W to consider. Playing with your regular buddies is different than if you get asked to join your boss and his friends. My general rule is that I’m OK being overdressed within my group but I never want to be the most underdressed. The more you know your playing partners, the less likely you are to stick out as “that guy.”

And now a few general rules to wrap up with:

1. Always wear a belt, preferably one that matches your shoes.

2. No tank tops. Yes, the game is changing, fashion trends are expanding. But this is a game of respect after all. If you want to work on your tan, lay out in the sun. If you want to play golf, wear sleeves.

3. Hats face forward. Call me old school, but I also think the brims should be curled in a little.

4. Shirts always look better tucked in.

5. Flat fronts are in. Pleats are out.

6. Cargo pants are also out.

7. Cotton shirts are still my favorite, but polyester/tech shirts are easier.

8. And finally, “Loud Mouth” or “Rickie Fowler” pants CAN BE acceptable. Yes, they’re fun. But if you’re going to pull these off, you need to have the right attitude.

An 8-handicap who wears bright green Puma pants and thinks he’s going to shoot 68 gets an eye roll behind his back. A 12-handicap who wears terribly ugly Loud Mouth pants but KNOWS how he looks and is fine laughing at himself is always a good time.

Jonah Karzmer is a former golf professional who writes a Sunday golf column for The Vindicator. In his spare time, he sells commercial insurance for Huntington Insurance and loves getting feedback on his weekly columns via email at jonah.karzmer@huntington.com