Could they ever make a comeback? and I 'm not talking about the gaudy "look at me I'm wearing Kinckers" kinda knickers. But some good traditional classic Knickers.

the problem is they start at $70-80 bucks. And the you need to buy the socks, plus to really do it right, it needs to look old school, which means you need to find a full cut shirt, or, if you really want to do it right, a tie, dress shirt and jacket.

That's expensive if you are going to have a bunch of different outfits.

Plus shoes.

Looking good old school is not cheap.

Plus, no matter how you do it, us short, fat guys look like idiots in plus fours.

I see them on some of the older guys at my club from time to time. It seems to be mainly when the ground is wet under foot and they don't want to ruin a pair of trousers. Yes, I've tried telling them that there's such a thing as waterproof trousers but they don't listen to the likes of me.

I like the old school look. I admit that I've got a couple of flat caps and trilby's that come out occassionally (more so now that my hair seems to be thinning rapidly) but I don't know if I'd have the bottle to turn up in plus fours.

Payne Stewart seemed to pull it off without a shirt and tie so it can be done with a normal (well cut) golf shirt. If you do go for it, you've got to post some pics!

I'm from Springfield, MO (Payne Stewart's hometown) and there was an article in the newspaper this morning about the AJGA event here in town (Payne Stewart Invitational). All of the staff for the tournament wore Knickers all week and the defending champ even got the opportunity to wear one of Payne's old outfits during the final round that was given to a local teaching pro after his death. A pretty cool tribute if you ask me. I'm not sure about them making a comeback, but I think it's great to remember an era of the game and it's players. I don't think I've ever seen a neater tribute in golf than when all of Payne's friends sported Knickers in the first round of the Tour Championship after his death.

BDLz

Knickers are great. I have a teacher at SDGA that wears them from time to time (he teaches history) and he says that everyone should have a pair.

Payne was the only one that could pull that off.

Agreed, Payne could pull it off. I, on the other hand, would look like even more of a twit than I usually do.

If I can get my handicap down below a 10 I will wear knickers. They are great when you can wear them with your own style.

I wear knickers every time I play. Whether they make a comback or not, Im going to keep wearing them.
Last Sunday the beer cart girl told me I looked, "cute" in my knickers, so thats enough reason for me to wear them. Any time a hot blonde tells you that you look cute, keep doing whatever you are doing.
To be fair though, she was probably just trying to flirt with me so that Id buy something from her...

I think knickers are great. I like that look ...

Seriously? Everytime? I've never came across a single person wearning them and I've played a lot of golf.

I'm curious...what do you shoot?

Knickers means panties in the UK, so assuming you are talking about plus-fours and not about the LPGA, in my opinion they are hideous and only should be worn by someone with a lot of game and a thick skin. Go to Scotland where they have a lot of respect for the history of the game, and count how many golfers you see with plus-fours, no, not including Americans. Not many.

Yes, I love seeing women in their knickers.

They have a great traditional look, but you had better have the game in order to wear them, or thick skin, anyhow.

I have seen them once on course in all my years of playing golf, an older guy (70's or 80's ish) wore them.

Every time. I originally started wearing them because I was a fan of the late Payne Stewart and after a while it just kind of took on a life of it's own.
I just started playing again after taking an 8-year layoff, so my game is a mess right now. I usually shoot 95-105. I usually make bogey. (some times I make par and other times I really screw up and make double bogey) I just started playing again a month ago and in the past 3 weeks I went from shooting double to triple-bogey to shooting bogey, so Im getting there.
I personally dont think that you have to be a great golfer to wear knickers/plus-fours. Its all about your own personal style. Me, Im kinda oldschool and I really respect the traditions and heritage of this game, so the knickers just suit me.
Ive never been heckeled or hassled about wearing them even though my game isnt all that great. Where I play, everyone is pretty laid back and there arent really any stuck-up people who think they are golf pros.

Where does the name plus-fours come from? Just interested in the origin?

From Wikipedia:

Plus fours are trousers that golfers wear 4 inches below the knee (and thus four inches longer than traditional knickerbockers, hence the name). They have been traditionally associated with sporting attire from the 1860s and onward, and are particularly associated with golf.

Plus fours were introduced to America by Edward Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII of the United Kingdom) during a diplomatic trip in 1924. They are often seen on golf courses, and frequently worn with argyle socks, silk ties, and dress shirts/sweaters. Some plus fours even came as complete suits.

They were later brought back to prominence by the professional golfer Payne Stewart who wore them on the PGA Tour.

The fictional comic book character Tintin was also usually seen wearing them. Reference is made to this article of clothing in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plus-fours

They should be required on tour!



OK, with an exception for kilts.

Let me say that in defense of the Plus 4's ....

I think anyone can pull it off, as long as they have a moderate level of taste...

Example of bad


Example of acceptable


Even better are ones that are more like old wool trousers.

I'm curious...how much did you tip her?

I gotta think you'd sweat your bag off in Knickers on a hot humid day. I wouldn't wear them but Payne Stewart looked solid in them, and with his passing I think they should be retired unless it's an event to support Payne or his charity works.

LOL...I didnt. After she pretty much hit on me, she asked me if I wanted anything to drink and she kinda smiled and fluttered her eyelashes at me and I was like, "No thanks. Im good."
I knew what her game was and wasnt going to fall for it. I definetly give her an A+ for effort though.

Perfectly captures my take on the subject!

I've seen a few guys wear them over the years. At the risk of getting flamed - My first thought is always something along the lines of "He's either got serious game, or he's a poseur." I think an amateur (who's not a very fine player) wearing them is a bit like getting a huge staff bag and having your name embroidered on it. I think that the new RBS commercial with the guy with all the fancy clothes and equipment who can't play a lick and blames the "wrong kind of sand!" and such for his poor play captures most folks perceptions of this kind of golfer. Sorry if that offends anyone, just my opinion (and I know I'm not alone!). Anyway, not a good look unless you're playing in a "hickory stick" event.

No, you are not alone, and they looked good on Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, and Payne Stewart. However, (please don't flame on me, I was actually a big PS fan for many years) I always thought Payne looked pretty corny when he was sporting the NFL apparel, when he went to the classic look later in his career I thought he looked very professional. You have to have the personality to pull it off though, most people I have seen attempt it seem to have a huge need for attention.

Yeah I wasn't digging the NFL stuff by Payne either.

To me as far as sweating, sure in hot weather they wouldn't be as cool as shorts, and the high sock probably wouldn't help, but in fall or spring weather, I think they'd be quite comfortable.

Dr. Gary Wiren wears them and makes them look great. Of course the rest of his outfit is very classy. He is one of the 'Top 100 Instructors'

Knickers actually arent any hotter than wearing khaki pants. Granted, they are hotter than wearing shorts, but IMO wearing shorts on a golf course is very low-class.
I have nothing against shorts, but I dont think they belong on a golf course.

I think to some extent it depends on the course.

Nope. That doesnt change the fact that IMO wearing shorts is low-class. I understand why people wear them, but IMO they just dont look right on a golf course.
Lets not let thread thread skew off into a debate about whether or not shorts are acceptable dress on a golf course, m'kay?

You're the one who brought it up.

Or Texas.

Really? Shorts are "Low-Class"? I feel this post is out of line. I bet more people wear knickers, than DON'T wear shorts.

Now back on topic...
I think the knickers look great when worn accordingly. I have only witnessed one guy in all my years, but he had it down. Wasn't a great golfer from what I saw, but got it around. The best part about it was that we were at a local muni and amongst the jean-short wearing crowd, so he really stuck out. If that is what you want to wear and are enjoying the game while doing it, go for it.

We actually bought team knickers back in the day when i was in high school, haha.

Fashion styles come and go. Its time to lay the knickers to rest, they just don't look right anymore.


I would hope you wouldn't want to bring back those bell bottoms and tight shirts you wore in the 70s, so lets not bring back the knickers. Panye was the last person who could pull them off, lets leave it that way.

seriously. . .knickers? nobody is cool enough to pull that off.

I think that if you wear knickers you better have the game to back it up. Ex: Payne Stewart he was a fantastic golfer.

Yeah i saw this thread and was intrigued lol. Older guys wear them at my club and pull them off quite well.

Jack

We've got an old boy at my club who must be 80-odd and does the Max Faulkner thing with the plus fours and the leather carry bag with about six clubs in it. He's a character and gets away with it. In fact, to be honest, he manages to pull it off really well.

Most of the time I see someone wearing plus fours - which is very rarely - it tends to be a hooray Henry with all the gear and no idea. Big staff bag, loud voice that talks a good game, and the plus fours are there to make that all important 'statement.'

I for one cannot fathom why one has to have game in order to wear certain golf attire. I think that knickers are quite stylish, and I don't see where they become more or less stylish if the player wearing them is shooting 68 or 98.

If you think it looks stylish on you, who am I to tell another man how to dress or how to spend his OWN money?

Unlike the marathon blue jean thread, knickers and plus-fours are both appropriate golf attire and I say if you want to rock it, then rock on!

Knickers serve the function of keeping grass and dirt off the cuffs of pant legs.