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What’s Your Golf Style?

Published

16 years ago

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Recently I’ve been involved in a few discussions about golf style. As the game has become more accessible and gained more mainstream popularity, the dress code has definitely been interpreted in new ways. Of course private and municipal courses have different standards and some have no real dress code at all. Today’s golfer is a mix of traditionalists and those with a more casual approach. A few things keep coming up in style conversations:

Bright colors – a la Camilo Villegas or Ian Poulter: Some are quite offended by the Columbian-born golfer’s style. Often wearing brightly colored coordinates with large belt buckles, he’s been called gaudy more than once. Others think he’s got a progressive, modern style.

Cargo shorts – like at your municipal course: These shorts can look more like “shants” (almost a short but closer to a pant) and tend to be a bit sloppy. The more tailored cargo with a smart shirt can look really nice though. On the other hand, who really cares when you’re just playing at the local 9 hole?

Shirts without collars – for men or women: Again, if you’re just at the range or cheap muni it probably doesn’t matter. I’ve seen some get very upset at Michelle Wie for sporting a tank and others who think you should golf in what is comfortable.

Sweat pants or gym clothes in general: Some think this is acceptable at the range but many purists seem to think this is a no-no in any situation.

Sneakers on the course instead of golf shoes: I’m pretty sure you can’t do this at many of the private clubs so it’s a non-issue. At the range or muni it probably doesn’t matter to most.

Old school – as in loud plaids or plus fours: Payne Stewart pulled off the old school style nicely. I’ve seen some great throwback plaids but some find them to be tacky.

Most of the “travesties” of fashion are committed at the more laid-back public courses. I’ve seen very mellow courses where there’s only one guy decked out in the Ashworth gear and he stands out like a sore thumb and gets stared at. I’ve also seen someone wearing a golf shirt and shoes with jeans get the stink eye. Each course I go to seems to have a distinct golf style of its own.

What’s your golf style? Are you a purist or do you throw on whatever is clean?

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11 Comments

11 Comments

  1. Jesse

    Oct 23, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    Syle in golf is huge. In my mind the better you look, the more confident you will be, and the better you will play. You don’t have to go extreme with some of the color combos that Camilo wears, but NOT always wearing a cotton striped shirt and khaki shorts or pants is good. Tech fabrics are huge right now with some styles that don’t scream middle age weekend golfer. Bright colors are great. Shorts and pants that are different than black, navy, or khaki can really add to your style like a plaid, yellow, light blue, white, or green paired with an appropriate solid colored or patterned, not stiped, shirt looks great. Model your style similar to most of the younger or clothing sponsored players on tour, they have people telling them what to wear!!!

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  2. Adam

    Jun 26, 2008 at 1:18 am

    In fashion as with almost anything “Take Change by the Hand or it will Take You by the Throat.” Keep moving forward I for one am very pleased with the way fashion on the golf course it going. The new fabrics that wick away sweat and keep you cool with breathability are great. I like to dress to impress on and off the course. You can only make a first impression once. I feel great when I walk out the door and head to the country club in my Burberry golf clothing and seem to get a lot of comments that support my decisions. Dressing well can intimidate a competitor as well, I have had players tell me they thought when they saw me that I was a good golfer before I even stepped foot on the first tee. If you can get them thinking before you hit a shot that is a plus.

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  3. Ron

    Jun 24, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    It’s not mentioned but much of the new fashion is driven by the use of technical fabrics that keep you cooler, dryer and more comfortable like the Adidas ClimaCool and Nike Dry-fit stuff. It’s much more comfortable. I actually don’t ski or golf in cotton anymore. I wouldn’t wear some of my stuff on a local muni course, but it’s not uncommon at all on my club course.

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  4. Ryan

    Jun 23, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    I am very offended with the way people address the styles out on tour. I beleive that Camilo, Sergio, Jesper, Badds, alls these guys are trend setters. Any Jo Blow can go out in a Blue Shirt, Khaki Pants and a black belt. It takes style and balls to go out and make a statement not only with your clothes but with your clothes. How good is the marketing and advertising for these players, people are always talking about Poulter, well how many clubs has Cobra sold since they got him on staff, “LOTS!” I am a very stylish golfer and I am the type of person who cant play good unless I look good. Just my .02 cents!

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  5. Mike

    Jun 23, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    You know what they say – when in rome, be like the romans. If you’re playing on the local 9 hole, a t-shirt and cargo pants are probably fine. Playing at the premier muni/country club, best be wearing your polo and khakis. I would probably say cutoff/sleeveless shirts are always unacceptable though. Have a bit of class, at least.

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  6. Paul

    Jun 21, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    To each their own as it has been said before, and as far as the LPGA is concerned, Thank the lord they got some “fashion” out there. To me it is better to be the guy with his collard shirt untucked taking your 20.00 bucks than the guy who looks and plays so uptight that he can’t get comfortable.

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  7. alex

    Jun 21, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    just wanted to make a comment on what Tim Schoch had written … if anyone is an idiot its your self sir, and i say this with as much respect as i possibly can. as a golf professional my self and a “regular” golfer there are trends in golf and it are visible in fashion to even equipment and in many more aspects in this great game. so my dear tim was gary player ben hogan arnold palmer and walter hagan all idiots when they wore clothing items with color or started their own trends and still managed to look sharp on the course in this great game that we play, even thought their styles were not the “norm”
    oh and tim ever head of to each their own time to grow up and be a true gentleman of the game we cherish. and just hope to see you at my muni maybe you will be the comic relief for my staff if they see you in your faded shirt and knee high kaki shorts not that there is anything wrong with that

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  8. Peter

    Jun 20, 2008 at 4:19 pm

    I’ll keep saying it.. the word golf is not a verb.

    Golf and personal presentation are historical partners. We have a situation now where golf is trying to reach the greater population – motivation being the marketing dollar.
    If we want golf to retain some aspect of the idea that it is good to strive to be better (an idea not unsuitable for a large portion of the population), then it must require some degree of standard of its participants. Whether this be dress, language, behavior – can any of that actually be detrimental for an individual?

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  9. Jim

    Jun 20, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Are we that boring of a society that we have to be negative about people wanting to express their style and individuality? It just goes to show that those who cant accept fashion on the golf course have little or no self confidence, and realize that they could never pull off such a look. Villegas and Poulter are two of the best dressed players on tour and are often featured in global fashion magazines for that very reason. When is the last time you saw Davis Love, Vijay Singh, or Phil Mickelson in GQ or Details? If style and fashion from the younger tour players helps promote the game, its pretty narrow-minded to be critical.

    Reply Report comment

  10. Chris

    Jun 19, 2008 at 6:38 pm

    I think golf is ready for the change that is here. Remember not long ago Aspen would not let a snowboard on the mountain, yet the X Games were just held there. Change = Progression. Now I do not believe in the “trash the course with your golf cart” guy that is more interested in a drunken stuper that sinking a long putt. But who wants to wear their grandpa’s shirt just because the course says you need a collar? Have your own style and bring it to the course. Follow the rules but never conform…unless of course you just like to be a follower. In that case you just don’t “get it” anyway. Check out 13thgreen.com Your Source Fore Style On The Course. HAVE SOME STYLE!!

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  11. Tim Schoch

    Jun 18, 2008 at 10:28 am

    When I golf, I don’t give a second thought to making a fashion statement. I always dress neatly and appropriately, not a sweat-pants kind of guy. I can’t believe that clothing fashion is on any “regular” golfer’s mind.

    As a TV viewer of pro golf, I think the pros look like idiots if they wear runway freaky outfits, then don’t make the cut. And I’m referring to the LPGA, as well, which has gotten out of hand.

    In my experience, if someone is a true golfer and respects the game, they will dress appropriately. If you add the “look-at-me” factor, then you’ll get the vain golfers who look like NASCAR race cars and titters behind their backs.

    IMO, the fashion show is on TV. If you insist on being the show at your muni, you only end up being comic relief.

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB, 2022 Masters

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13 hours ago

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Apr 11, 2024

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At the 2022 Masters, Scottie Scheffler delivered a steely Sunday performance to capture the green jacket in the 86th contesting of the tournament. Beginning the final round with a three-stroke lead, Scheffler was steady all day, tallying a final-round 1-under 71 to finish three strokes ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Here’s a look at what Scheffler had in the bag two years ago.

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (8 degrees @7.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (16.5 degrees @15)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

Utility: Srixon Z U85 (3)
Shaft: Nippon Pro Modus3 Hybrid Tour X

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F, 60-06K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Special Select Timeless Tourtype GSS Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

More photos of Scottie Scheffler’s WITB in the forums.

 

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Best irons in golf of 2024: Most technology packed

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16 hours ago

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Apr 11, 2024

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In our effort to assemble the 2024 best irons, we have again compiled an expert panel of fitters to help you find out which of the 2024 irons is best for your game.

Ultimately the best way to find your personal best iron set is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.

We are in the era of not just maximizing distance but also minimizing the penalty of common misses for each player — this applies to irons just as much as it does with any other club in the bag. And of course, proper set makeup and gapping is essential. This is why, now more than ever, custom fitting is essential to help you see results on every swing you make.

We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you by offering recommendations for your individual iron set wants and needs with insight and feedback from the people who work every single day to help golfers get peak performance out of their equipment.

Best irons of 2024: The process

The best fitters in the world see all the options available in the marketplace, analyze their performance traits, and pull from that internal database of knowledge and experience like a supercomputer when they are working with a golfer.

It’s essentially a huge decision tree derived from experience and boiled down to a starting point of options—and it has nothing to do with a handicap!

Modern iron sets are designed into player categories that overlap the outdated “what’s your handicap?” model, and at GolfWRX we believe it was important to go beyond handicap and ask specific questions about the most crucial performance elements fitters are looking at.

These are the best iron categories we have developed to help you determine which category is most important for your swing and game.

Best irons of 2024: The categories

2024 Best irons: Most technology packed

This is the “give me everything you got” list. These irons are the cream of the crop for offering technology to improve feel, distance, and ball speed. The great thing about the technology category is it’s not reserved for higher handicap golfers — it’s for anyone looking to get everything they can out of their game in an iron that also suits their eye.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke

Their story: At the core of Callaway’s new Ai Paradym Smoke irons is the Ai Smart Face. With the Ai Smart Face, these irons are designed to promote exceptional distance, tight dispersion into the green, and optimal launch in a modern construction. The new shape consists of longer blade lengths, thinner toplines, and optimized sole widths in a bid to create a forgiving, yet streamlined look at address. In addition, an all-new Dynamic Sole Design features a pre-worn leading edge with variable bounce that cuts through the turf with efficiency.

Fitter comments:

  • “That thing is an absolute rocket launcher. For the guy who flips at it, it’s perfect. It definitely launches lower spins less. it just goes forever compared to, you know, compared to a lot of them that we, that we tested.”
  • “I mean, it’s actually probably one of the cleaner-looking kind of game improvement irons. You know, some of them, they can get kind of beefy, but the look of that one that’s very appealing to the eye. The AI technology that Callaway has been using for a couple of years now, it’s generating a ton of ball speed for guys, but also at a point where they’re still getting a lot of peak heights on it. So it’s not like you feel like you’re just hitting bullets out there.”
  • “If a guy is looking to just hit it far, that’s probably the best thing out there. Callaway’s always had like crazy hot iron faces in that mid-size game improvement-type club. And this is just the next version of it. This thing is crazy fast. Shockingly, for how strong the lofts are, the ball still gets up in the air pretty good.”
  • “When it comes to pure technology the Paradym Ai Smoke iron has it all. Super computers helping engineers design the back of the face based on over 250,000 shots make it an amazing tech iron alone.”
  • “Classic Callaway story with face variability that is AI-driven along with material and design. Tons of tech. With Ai Smart Face and a hollow body design, they make it to the top as far as technology goes.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

TaylorMade P790

Their story: Engineers utilized the variables of tungsten weighting, SpeedFoam Air, and internal mass — with an assist from AI — to precisely give golfers what they need in each iron. For example, launch and forgiveness in the long irons. More specifically, TaylorMade is using what the company calls FLTD CG (flighted CG) to strategically position CG throughout the set (lower in the long irons, higher in the short irons). CG is positioned almost a millimeter lower in the long irons compared to previous generations. In the shorter irons, the higher CG positions allowed engineers to dial in spin and promote accuracy.

Fitter comments:

  • “Best combination of everything. The amalgamation of all irons on the market blended into one mathematically perfect design.”
  • “I think people recognize the name. It’s a very popular club. It stands up to every model in a category.”
  • “That’s the staple in the players distance category. It’s year-in, year-out. It’s tough to beat TaylorMade — they don’t go wrong with that iron, for sure. They make little refinements, but it’s almost like, yeah, just keep making little refinements. Don’t kind of mess that up just because the, I mean, it, it fits such a wide range of players and it’s just such a good iron that fits a wide, wide range of handicaps.”
  • “I think where TaylorMade kind of struggled over the past is getting that spin on the golf club, and I think each generation it just keeps getting better. I think they did an awesome job.”
  • “If it’s not our best-selling iron in the fitting center, it’s always like number two. It’s such a great, great performer across the board. And yeah, it just keeps getting better every year. It’s really awesome; crazy distance on that thing too.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Titleist T350

Their story: The new T350 irons are still built for maximum distance and forgiveness, but they were redesigned with a hollow-body construction that’s inspired by the T200. Like the T200, the T350 also uses Max Impact Technology behind the face to maximize speed and forgiveness, and dual-tungsten weights in the back cavity. The T350 irons are noticeably larger, and with thicker toplines, than the T200 irons for golfers who need the additional surface area and stability.

Fitter comments: 

  • “The T350 is super good. They definitely cleaned it up, cleaned up that topline a little bit and made it…a little bit more compact, a little bit smaller for sure.”
  • “You know, I think is one of those irons that maybe sometimes can get overlooked. I don’t know…some guys, they think ‘Titleist,’ they can’t hit it. If someone’s in this category, it’s always a club you’re gonna have.”
  • “So like this is the first one in that model that’s had like a forged face and, and, and, and I think that just improved the feel of it. Topline to me looks a little bit cleaner and, they do a nice job of hiding the offset doesn’t look quite obnoxious when you look down at it. I don’t know if it’s like the chrome that they put or whatever, but it looks a lot cleaner at address. The iron’s always been super easy to get up in here.”
  • “That type of customer, I know they all want to do is just hit it nice and far. But we’re seeing so many guys come in that just need help getting it airborne in that moderate kind of clubhead speed category. And this thing is probably, if not the easiest, one of the easiest irons in this category to launch. And I think that’s what makes it so great.”
  • “High launch is a key component to this iron. Clean look, with reduced offset and a better look for a players game improvement iron. Players are surprised that this is a game improvement iron based on the looks and package size.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Srixon ZX5 Mk II

Their story: MainFrame v2 was developed with an Automated Intelligence process, flex-maximizing variable thickness pattern of grooves, channels, and cavities carefully milled into the backside of ZX5 iron faces for high ball speeds. Not only does MainFrame boost COR, but it also repositions mass away from the face and into the toe and sole for a lower CG for easier launch, more consistency, and forgiveness.

Fitter comments: 

  • “I’m a big believer in the V-Sole. For high-speed guys who want a little forgiveness and are steep, it just doesn’t stick in the ground. Super soft and high launching. Not a ton of offset. It’s also been a good fit for moderate-to-high handicappers.”
  • “So I would say it, it kind of stands out in its category because it does launch higher than its competitors. It also sits in between some of the models, like, it doesn’t directly compete with a hollow cavity and it doesn’t compete with, like the Cobra King Tour. Like, it’s a degree stronger. For a forged iron, it performs great for us. The only problem is that it is a little bit light in a swing weight, so we have to be careful of who we fit.”
  • “It’s definitely one of our more popular irons for sure. You know, you get a guy who wants to play something small but still wants something more forgiving, and they don’t want kind of that full hollow body iron. I mean, that’s definitely one of our best sellers for sure. We’re seeing that a lot of combos — that’s a one iron that you can definitely combo with the ZX7 for sure.”
  • “I think a lot of guys like the concept of the V-Sole with them…If you’re talking an overall package, you know, for the guy that is looking for something clean. That’s a spectacular golf club. Good looks and good feel and great, you know, great performance, and it fits a lot of categories.”
  • “I think the one struggle a lot of companies have with that category is getting something to spin, so to try and give like guys so they don’t get those knuckleball shots or that fly out of the rough that goes 20 yards longer. I kind of think that that’s what I think makes that item so good is you get some spin on it, and I think it, it looks and feels good enough that like it, a guy that’s a mid-single digit can play it and be like, yeah, that’s good enough for me. But it’s also forgiving enough that a guy that’s in that kind of 12-to-15 kind of category if he wants to reach a little bit and play something that might look a little bit better. It just fits such a huge, huge range of players. I think it’s just awesome.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Ping G430

Their story: Billed as Ping’s “longest iron ever,” the G430 irons combine a lower CG with stronger, custom- engineered lofts and a thinner face that delivers up to two more mph of ball speed, per the company. At the heart of the new addition is the PurFlex cavity badge, an innovation that features seven flex zones that allow more free bending in design to increase ball speed across the face. In combination with a lower CG, the badge aims to contribute to a solid feel and pleasing impact sound.

Fitter comments:

  • “The best G.I. iron on the market. Easy to hit and launch while making great ball speed for distance.”
  • “The best iron in the game improvement category. High launch and packed with forgiveness on those off-center hits. It’s one of the easiest irons to hit. So easy to hit and look at for the average golfer.”
  • “Yeah, I mean, that’s definitely a go-to and in the matrix for sure. I mean, it’s just super easy to hit, super forgiving. They don’t mess that iron up.”
  • “Ping does a great job of building golf clubs. Their design is fantastic and it’s not for everybody, you know, it’s not the lowest-spinning club…but it sure is one of the most forgiving golf clubs and most consistent golf clubs. Ping G430 in that category of club, you can have something that a good player who needs a little help maybe can use because it’s consistent across the face, and you can’t do that with some of the other clubs because they’re not as consistent across the face for the ball speeds. It is a monster for us.”
  • “The best iron in the game improvement category. It’s one of the easiest irons to hit.”

Best irons of 2024: Meet the fitters

RELATED: Best driver 2024

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Equipment

Why Tony Finau is planning to play 2 drivers at the Masters

Published

17 hours ago

on

Apr 11, 2024

By

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt of a piece we originally filed this piece for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. You can read the full piece there. 

Now, for the 2024 Masters specifically, Finau is planning to put another Ping G430 LST driver into play, in order to help him on the right-to-left holes at Augusta. The second driver, which is set to replace his 3-wood, will measure about the length of his 3-wood, and it has 10.5 degrees of loft, according to Ping Tour rep Kenton Oates.

“Tony Finau, most likely, will be playing two G430 LST drivers this week; his gamer, and a new shorter 10.5 headed option,” Oates told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday. “In the ramp-up towards The Masters, Tony and his team discussed options to optimize his performance off the tee. In discussing the tee shots around Augusta and second shots, Tony realized he would never hit 3-wood off the ground, minus maybe 8 if it was soft and into the wind.

“With that in mind, we felt it would be worth exploring a driver built to more 3-wood specs – shorter, more loft, etc. We build the driver in Houston and Tony carried it to Augusta to test. Right away it was giving him the performance he was looking for, allowing him to hit a straighter shot off the tee, or even draw it easier than his gamer driver, along with the added forgiveness benefits of using a driver instead of a 3-wood. Tony potentially could use the little driver on 2-7-10-14-17-18, pending course and wind conditions.”

Since Finau’s stock driver swing is grooved for a cut shot, maybe it’s unrealistic that Finau will hit big sweeping draws with the new, second driver option. But, according to Finau, it’s still a useful option, especially since he won’t need the 3-wood much this week.

“The [second] driver really goes straight, so there’s just no fade on it,” Finau told GolfWRX.com. “The draw holes out here, you don’t really have to turn it over, you just can’t hit a fade. But yeah, I’m going with two drivers.”

Read the full piece on PGATour.com.

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WITB

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