What Should you Wear Golfing? Everything You Need to Know...

Going golfing for the first time and not sure what to wear? You’re not the first person in this dilemma. Don’t sweat it, you probably already have clothing in your closet that will work just fine on the course.

Whether it be a charity tournament or a golf outing with business associates, there are a few basic points to keep in mind before picking an outfit.

What to wear on the golf course?

For a sport that is labeled “stuffy” it can be stressful trying to find an appropriate outfit. Especially if you’re playing at a nice course.

At bare minimum, a good rule of thumb is to wear a collared shirt and any pair of slacks or shorts not made of denim. Beyond that here’s what recommended attire would be…

Collared shirt. Any collared shirt will do, preferably a two button polo. Full button downs are fine, but I would avoid that as it’s not necessarily commonplace. If it’s hot out, I would recommend a lighter material. Under Armour and Nike make great athletic golf shirt, but there are many other brands out there with sporty polos.
Khaki pant or shorts. A pair of pants that most would consider “business casual” is a good look to strive for. Basically any bottom other than jeans or sweatpants should be sufficient to get you on pretty much any course. Shorts are more than acceptable as well, especially considering if the weather is warmer. That said, there are some private clubs that do require pants, although it’s not very common from my experience.
Golf shoes (with or without spikes). Golf sneakers have spikes to help you grip on uneven surfaces and slippery conditions. That’s not to say you can’t wear regular athletic shoes or something similar, but spikes are going to provide the best performance wear. I should note there are spikeless golf shoes. These are nice because they provide a little more versatilely, utilizing studs or dimples to grip as opposed to spikes. Some golfers prefer these because they’re more comfortable, and you don’t need to change out of them before walking into the clubhouse.
Shirt tucked into your pants. Definitely not required, but don’t be a scrub. Tuck your shirt into your pants and wear a belt. Take a little bit of pride in how you look.
Hat or visor. Most wear a hat to keep the sun out of their eyes, but I also wear one to keep my hair out of my face. Bucket hats work well too if you’re looking for some extra sun coverage on the back of your next.
Golf glove. A golf glove is definitely optional especially for beginners, however, I would recommend getting used to wearing one as early as you can. They help with gripping your clubs, plus help prevent blisters.

Follow the above points and you should be all set. Be confident in your look and no one will even question you. I also took the time to answer a few common questions beginning golfers may have…

Do you tuck your shirt in for golf?

Although not required, yes, you should tuck your shirt in when playing golf. For me, it’s more of a comfort thing. Most golf shirts are longer too, designed to be tucked into your pants or shorts. If not, you risk having your shirt balloon out towards the bottom and look funny. As I mentioned above, take pride in how you look and dress to impress.

What are golf pants?

Many beginning golfers will wear dress pants in place of actual golf pants. This is completely fine.

The major benefit of wearing actual golf pants are the fit and the material.

Golf pants are much lighter than dress pants, typically made of stretchy woven material. Most are even waterproof as well. I like the Under Armour golf pants personally. They fit well and give me a great range of motion. Plus, the waistband has an internal grip designed to help keep your shirt in place during your swing.

Can you wear a t-shirt golfing?

No. Golfers should avoid wearing a t-shirt or risk not being allowed to play on the course that day. Men should always wear a collared shirt. Women can wear non-collared shirts, however, they typically will be button down.

Can you wear sandals golfing?

No. Golfing in sandals is not allowed, nor is it recommended. That said, I have seen some folks take their shoes off and play a round. Many golf instructors will maintain that the benefits of playing golf barefoot allow for a better feel for the grass and can help develop better footwork and balance.

Are golf shoes necessary?

Golf shoes are not necessary, however, any serious golfer will want to use them.

Spikes or spineless golf shoes provide added ground grip. Especially in wetter conditions, golf sneakers will make a noticeable difference.

That said, if you’re just beginning and dont want to invest in a pair of golf shoes, regular athletic sneakers should be sufficient to get you through the round. You may lose out on the benefit of added grip, but you can certainly play a round and be just fine without them.

What to wear to driving range?

Standalone public driving ranges, not attached to any course, don’t have dress codes. That means you can feasibly wear whatever you feel like. Some driving ranges that are attached to courses, specifically private, may have a dress code. In that case, it would make sense to wear a collared short and slacks.

Just got out of work and are still in your suit? Go for it. Planning on meeting up with friends for a round of pickup basketball but wanted to get a range session in? Go for it. Finished working on your lawn early and there’s some sunlight left in the day? Go for it.

You get the idea. Chances are you’re going to see people wearing a variety of clothing at the range. Even jeans are acceptable (about the only place in golf where you can get away wearing them).

That said, you’ll get more out of your trip to the driving range if you give a little thought to your fit…

Loose fitting clothing. Tight clothing will restrict your movement. When you’re on the range, you’ll want to have the flexibility to practice your entire range of motion. That means anything form a t-shirt to a hoodie to a collared shirt will play. I generally default to wearing whatever is most comfortable for me that day.
Dressing like you play. A great pointer I learned from a friend who has been playing for a while. If you’re looking to have a serious range session, working on your swing to get game ready, then wear your regular golfing outfit. Practice like you play as they say.
Wearing your golf shoes. This is actually more important than you think for a couple reasons. First, you’ll want to practice in the shoes you play in because the height of your shoe soles are different from shoe to shoe. If you practice swinging from a slightly higher/lower height, your swing may be off come game day. Second, for the same reason you want to wear golf shoes on the course you’ll want to wear them on the range. It’s important to have a good grip on the ground when you swing the club.

As a golfer trying to improve myself, the best piece of advice I can give others is to just get out there. That means going to the range in whatever you feel most comfortable in and putting in the work.

Can you golf in jeans?

No, you cannot wear jeans on the golf course. It’s widely accepted that khakis, or any other type of slacks should be worn on the course. Wearing jeans on the course is a surefire way to get asked to leave.

That’s not to say it’s never been done. There are certainly some courses that would allow golfers to play a round in jeans, it’s just not very common. Not to sound snobby but any course that allows jeans probably isn’t that great.

Worth noting that in most cases you can wear jeans to the driving range, however, I wouldn’t recommend it. They will restrict your movement and you’re never going to wear them playing.

What to wear to golf lessons

The safest bet would be to wear a collared shirt and golf pants. If you’re ever unsure of what to wear, always default to what you would wear on the golf course. That said, some training facilities don’t have a dress code for lessons. I would reach out to your instructor beforehand and check with them.

What to wear to a golf tournament

For men, golf slacks and a collared shirt will be sufficient. Ladies can wear a collared shirt, sleeveless golf shirt and a golf skirt or pants. For a tournament, it’s common practice to wear your best golf outfit. Tournaments are one of the few times you’ll be submitting an official scorecard, so you should look the part.

Bonus: What hand to wear golf glove

Righties wear their golf glove on their left hand. Conversely, lefties wear their golf glove on their right hand. That said, a glove isn’t necessary, but they do help with gripping the club and preventing blisters.

Occasionally you will see a golfer with a glove on both hands. This could be because they get blisters, they have sweaty hands, or conditions are wet and they need the extra grip.

Worth mentioning, golf gloves should fit snuggly. Gloves come in a range of sizes like anything else. You want a glove that doesn’t constrict your dexterity, but also something that will help you grip the club.

Bonus: Topgolf dress code

There is no dress code for top golf except that you cannot be barefoot. That means anything goes.

I would add that dressing up in a golf outfit for TopGolf may be a bit much. Showing up in your full Sunday outfit may result in a few chuckles from the people around you.

Guide: What to Wear Golfing for the First Time