When a scruffy looking redneck like me goes golfing

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

I had a somewhat odd experience last evening, as I decided to get 9 holes in after work. It led to me writing the following email:

Hi,

I have recently returned to playing golf again, and have had the opportunity to golf now 4 times at Loch Nairn since late August. I have always been aware of the requirement to wear a collared shirt and have always attired myself with a proper shirt. Today, 9/28, I came to play 9 holes after work, and I work a job where I may wear denim jeans. I did change into a collared shirt, and went to the pro shop to pay for the privilege to play 18 holes.

In the pro shop, I was informed by one of the attendants working that denim was not permissible, and he recognized me enough from an earlier outing to say that he thought I had been informed of that previously. I said I had not, as I had not been so informed. I was also puzzled because in 2 prior outings where I had worn denim no one had seen fit to say, "Please don't wear jeans the next time." I have no problem with such a requirement, but I am concerned by the following issues:

1. On all of the scorecards I now have from Loch Nairn, Rule 8 says "Shirts with collars must be worn at all times." None of the other rules inform of a policy prohibiting denim. I have also looked at your website, there is no mention of a prohibition against denim or jeans. I will also note that when the attendant informed me of this, I was not shown any signs stating that players could not wear denim or jeans. Perhaps there are signs in the pro shop, perhaps there are not.

2. Furthermore, I'd like to direct your attention to the following link:

http://golfcourse.com/search/coursedtl_ga.cfm?clubid=6633&courseid=6642&source=GA&start=1&count=10&sort=clubname&usstate=PA

The part on the page concerning dress code states: Dress Code Collared shirt, no cutoffs, denim OK

I realize that webpage may not be up-to-date or accurate, but again, this goes to my point about the lack of anything tangible beyond this one attendant's word that denim is not okay. The only thing I can find with any statement about jeans or denim explicitly states that it's okay.


My suggestion would be that you remedy this situation by posting the dress code requirements to your website at http://lngolf.com, that you contact the site http://golfcourse.com about updating your information, and that if your pro shop is lacking signs concerning the dress code for golfing, that signs be made.

I would like to say I think the course is in better shape than the many years ago I played it, and I have good memories of the course as it was the site of the first birdie I ever got many years ago. I'm just a little peeved by this ambiguous situation that tonight made me feel as though I wasn't quite welcome for having worn jeans when I had no reason to believe I couldn't, considering past experience and how the link above has the clear statement that denim is OK.

I'm also thinking of printing out a copy, and snail-mailing it, too. I don't know how often they check their email, if they even do. Oftentimes, emails get lost to digital oblivion.

It was just kind of a weird experience last night. This particular attendant at the course challenged me a couple weeks back when I went from the front 9 to the 10th tee, and I had to explain to him that the two guys I had been playing with were only playing 9, but I had paid for walking the full 18.

I wonder if I should have raised a stink then and there, but I just wanted to play 9 holes before it got dark. Ugh.

Maybe it's time to shave again, and go back to my shorter hair days of old.

Time to lose the scruffy redneck look?

[Kilted Arab]

Ah...golf snobbery!

I have to say, I don't know of any course, public or private, that allows denim to be worn. And I don't know of any golfer who would turn up expecting to play while wearing denim. Maybe the US is different from Scotland, but the golfing culture/common sense in Scotland/UK dictates a certain standard of dress when playing. And denim doesn't make the grade.

I guess it's all about standards. If they start to drop, they can drop quickly. Personally speaking, I'd far rather turn up at a course to see blokes in funny sweaters and white trousers (Hi Irishes!!) than a group of hairy blokes in jeans and t-shirts swigging from cans of beer. I know you didn't mention beer...

Anyway...post a photo of yourself before and after the shave!! And I hope you and your club make peace.

All the best

KA

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

Originally Posted by Kilted Arab

Ah...golf snobbery!

I have to say, I don't know of any course, public or private, that allows denim to be worn. And I don't know of any golfer who would turn up expecting to play while wearing denim. Maybe the US is different from Scotland, but the golfing culture/common sense in Scotland/UK dictates a certain standard of dress when playing. And denim doesn't make the grade.

I guess it's all about standards. If they start to drop, they can drop quickly. Personally speaking, I'd far rather turn up at a course to see blokes in funny sweaters and white trousers (Hi Irishes!!) than a group of hairy blokes in jeans and t-shirts swigging from cans of beer. I know you didn't mention beer...

Anyway...post a photo of yourself before and after the shave!! And I hope you and your club make peace.

All the best

KA

Heh. Personally, I tend to think that denim jeans look a lot better than some of those colorful atrocities called "golf pants" but that may be just me. Perhaps I'll purchase some of those colorful atrocities, in the interest of complying to the heretofore ambiguous standards.

Mostly, though, my rant was concerning how there was nothing expressly stating that denim was improper. The rules on the scorecard only mention collared shirts, plus I have provided a link which explicitly states that denim is ok.

If they're changing the dress code, fine. But if it's changing, then I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that they clearly post it.

Otherwise, you end up with the uncomfortable situation that I had last night, where I was made to feel less than welcome even though I'm a paying customer who tries to honor the rules and etiquette as I have previously understood those requirements.

Even us rednecks have standards of behavior. I probably repair more divots and ballmarks on the green than those who would never be caught dead in something so lowbrow as a pair of jeans.

[Kilted Arab]

Originally Posted by Ravenous Bugblatter Beast

Heh. Personally, I tend to think that denim jeans look a lot better than some of those colorful atrocities called "golf pants" but that may be just me. Perhaps I'll purchase some of those colorful atrocities, in the interest of complying to the heretofore ambiguous standards.

Mostly, though, my rant was concerning how there was nothing expressly stating that denim was improper. The rules on the scorecard only mention collared shirts, plus I have provided a link which explicitly states that denim is ok.

If they're changing the dress code, fine. But if it's changing, then I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that they clearly post it.

Otherwise, you end up with the uncomfortable situation that I had last night, where I was made to feel less than welcome even though I'm a paying customer who tries to honor the rules and etiquette as I have previously understood those requirements.

Even us rednecks have standards of behavior. I probably repair more divots and ballmarks on the green than those who would never be caught dead in something so lowbrow as a pair of jeans.

Ha!

the prejudice thing works both ways...the gaudy gits hate the slobs and the slobs hate the gaudy gits...

I'll start a campaign "Peace on the Fairways"...

Go on...post a photo...!

KA

[Bravo]

RBB:

I love your writing style...you are a worthy contributor here...

I am with Kilted on this one...frankly there are very few courses that allow denim but I can see your point that they failed to post their rule...

And lets see the photo. Before you conclude anything, please know that the oldtimers here have all long since posted photos of themselves and nobody is worse for the wear.

Especially IG with that shirt in the last competition with DI and KA....

Shameless Irishman...

[Kilted Arab]

From the Headfort photos you can see I err on the scruffy side. I don't have the style of the Irish lads, sadly.

If I wear expensive clothes it looks like I've stolen them.

[Silver]

A ton of courses around here allow denim, but those are pretty much all of the municipal courses and strictly public, all of the semi-privates and privates are "denim free zones".

I've worn jeans on a number of occasions...usually when we weren't planning on playing but went in on a whim.

Good on you for sticking it to 'em RBB.

[Justice76]

Wear super tight spandex bike pants next time that will show them

[longiron]

while i do dress in "golf" clothes, I do not see that denim should be a problem if they are not all torn up. Hell they let people where golf sandals. And as far as some red neck showing up hitting balls off beer cans. Some of the biggest asses i have seen on the course are the best dressed.

[Augster]

Well done RBB. While I myself only wear denim on a golf course when it's below 40 degrees and raining, and under my rain gear, I still have done it. It's not prohibited at any of the local muni's here.

But once you start paying over $40 a round they won't let you. Same as everywhere I guess.

I would Snail Mail it to them also if they don't get back to you in a day or two. How much email could a golf course possibly get? Hopefully they will make it right and give you a free round. At the very least the next time you play there I would look around for signs about "no denim" and make comments if there were none. Should say on the scorecard, really.

Well done.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

I did get an email back yesterday which I would have posted about earlier, but this site was having lots of problems loading.

I was told they were going to update their own website and post the policy clearly.

That's all I wanted. And I will honor that in the future when I go golfing there. I have no troubles with that when I understand what it is I am purchasing and what obligations I then have in return. I wouldn't even mind a kilts-only wearing policy so long as it is clearly posted.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

As far as posting a picture of myself, I actually bear some resembalance to my avatar picture, which is of a Scottish Highland Bull that I took a couple years back at the Philadelphia Zoo. Both he and I have a shaggy goatee and hair falling down over our eyes, which is why I wear a baseball cap when golfing.

[DaveE]

Not that it matters but if you're ever in Central TX you could wear denim at our course. No cutoffs, but one of guys I play with wears jeans year round. Even in the heat of summer which is nuts but to each his own.

Maybe it's a Texas thing, I actually saw a guy wearing boots once. At least he wasn't leaving spike marks on the green.