Golfers Are Dressed By Their Mothers for Major Championships

by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 13, 2009 11:19 AM EDT

The NY Times' Bill Pennington has a fun piece that talks about the "scripting" of clothes that is done for players by apparel manufacturers in anticipation of major championships. Golf Views' Rob Hayashida was the first to post Tiger's scripted uniforms for the Open Championship this week, but Pennington goes a little further with inside info pertaining to specific players' tastes.

via www.sandbox8.com

For example, Tiger won't wear white pants.

"Tiger won’t wear white pants, for example," said Doug Reed, Nike’s global director of golf apparel and accessories. "And he won’t wear green pants. One year, we proposed he wear a dark green shirt on a Saturday at the P.G.A. Championship. Tiger took one look at it and said: ‘The P.G.A. is in Oklahoma in August. There’s no way. I’m not wearing a dark shirt in that heat.’ So we took it out of the script."

Apparently, like a high school prom, no two players can arrive to the course in the same outfit.

And, of course, no two players should ever arrive at the course in the same outfit. A few years ago at the Masters, there was even consternation on the first tee when Phil Mickelson’s caddie arrived in the same shirt as the golfer Charles Howell III, who was playing in Mickelson’s group.

Though the concept is nothing new, it has picked up in intensity in the last few years.

"Once upon a time, the pros were just happy to get a box of free clothes," said Eddie Fadel, the vice president of Ashworth Golf. "But you had no control over how they would wear them or when. Then people started to realize they could involve the entire marketing, production and merchandising chain and make the most of the national exposure."

Look, I went to Catholic school for elementary and high school. In elementary school, I wore a uniform. The same yellow shirt and green pants, everyday, for nine years. Then, I went to a high school that forced us to wear a dress shirt, tie, and nice slacks everyday - but we could pick the combinations. Not once did I have someone dress me for high school. Not my mom. Not my girlfriend. Not a billion dollar corporation with some really nice golf apparel.

I get why it's done. The companies don't want their clothes to be worn with a fashion consciousness that would make Marty Hackel faint. But, it's still funny to envision players getting a box of clothes and being told how they're supposed to wear them since they can't figure it out for themselves.

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I have talked to a few players about this – all of them liked having their outfits layed out for the week for them. Just one less thing to think about.

Hey – we’re guys. No telling what most of us would wear if not for a mom or girlfriend or some sort of professional help at the store. I admit it, if I’m picking out an outfit, I usually find a woman to make sure that what I’m buying doesn’t clash or just look over the top dorky. I buy khaki, blue, grey, black, and tan pants and easy to match shirts.

This story would be interesting if it was the women’s outfits in question.

By the way – Pennington was three weeks behind the local golf stores that sell Nike clothes. Most of those stores had a special display with Tiger’s four shirts before the US Open.

(oh my lord – RB in a plaid catholic school skirt ? NNOOOOOOooooooooo !!!)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jul 13, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

I think it’s funny that men like having their stuff laid out for them. Shows a real lack of creativity or fashion sense. It’s not a tough skill to learn. Don’t wear brown with brown. Or brown with black. White and anything work. Don’t wear vertical stripes. Don’t wear a patterned shirt and pants. EASY!

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 13, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions