OMG - What an Experience at a local private club

[Sphere Hunter]

About 5 years ago I made in the top 24 in the ovga City and District "A' Class tourney. The final round was at the Hunt Club. I showed up there wearing nice clean cargo shorts and excitied to play my final round. I was asked to leave the property like I was a criminal. These pants would have been fine at Lock March (first Round) or at Renfrew (second round). How was I supposed to know they weren't fine for the Hunt Club at 7:00 am for the third round? TBH I felt like striping them off to see if underwear was just as objectionable to the HC managment (they were clean, I swear). I guess I'm just white trash!

Some rules HAVE TO change. I guess we'll have to wait for all the old guys who take themselves so seriously to die off.

SH

[Txxxxxxx]

As for other golf courses, private or otherwise, it's refreshing to see some establishments maintaining and enforcing dress codes. I find that since Tiger mania started a number of years ago, things have gone somewhat down hill. I'm no old guy either - I'm 32 - but I do respect tradition.

Exactly the way I feel. I'm younger than you, and I still don't think I need to change the dress code because why should I? I don't think there's anything wrong with it. As I said, there are many different styles and clothing manufacturers that are making clothing that fits well within the 'Dress Code' in golf.

[Txxxxxxx]

About 5 years ago I made in the top 24 in the ovga City and District "A' Class tourney. The final round was at the Hunt Club. I showed up there wearing nice clean cargo shorts and excitied to play my final round. I was asked to leave the property like I was a criminal. These pants would have been fine at Lock March (first Round) or at Renfrew (second round). How was I supposed to know they weren't fine for the Hunt Club at 7:00 am for the third round? TBH I felt like striping them off to see if underwear was just as objectionable to the HC managment (they were clean, I swear). I guess I'm just white trash!

Some rules HAVE TO change. I guess we'll have to wait for all the old guys who take themselves so seriously to die off.

SH

Mentioning Loch March which is exclusively public and Renfrew in the same sentence as Hunt Club is like comparing apples to oranges.

It's not like they keep it a secret. Hunt Club has specific dress code rules on their website which is available to anyone who wants to see it.

[Sphere Hunter]

Mentioning Loch March which is exclusively public and Renfrew in the same sentence as Hunt Club is like comparing apples to oranges.

It's not like they keep it a secret. Hunt Club has specific dress code rules on their website which is available to anyone who wants to see it.

Well, there is a line that should not be crossed as it relates to dress code. I just don't think they draw it in the correct place. All three of these golf courses are just that, golf courses. The Hunt Club is no more special than any other. If you think it is, that's fine. I don't. I don't see how wearing cargo shorts is disrepectful to the game I love. Sorry I can't see that. I have to wonder if they allow swearing, bigotry or actual criminals in their little "club". I'd rather play with the guy wearing cargo shorts who respects golf and the other players in his group.

[big mac]

OK here goes---The Royal Ottawa

[NoBack]

i've played glen abby and wore cargo shorts. nobody told me otherwise. I think its all a pile of BS.

Maybe but I've been playing for 30 years and would NEVER wear them or jeans on any course, let alone a private one. Just not in me to buck the tradition.

As someone else said, you choose to play, so pay by the rules.

Besides how many times are you going to play The Hunt or The Royal or any other high end Private course?

When you do, then get out the "pleats" and "ankle socks" and enjoy yourself.

[Kilroy]

Please refrain from guessing/confirming the specific club in this thread. It's getting a bit touchy and we don't need to go there.

[Kilroy]

Maybe but I've been playing for 30 years and would NEVER wear them or jeans on any course, let alone a private one.
When you do, then get out the "pleats" and "ankle socks" and enjoy yourself.

EXACTLY!

It is unfortunate hello world was caught off guard.
OK I was gonna say "with his pants..." but thought better of it!

[big mac]

OK---sorry

[3Jack]

Mentioning Loch March which is exclusively public and Renfrew in the same sentence as Hunt Club is like comparing apples to oranges.

It's not like they keep it a secret. Hunt Club has specific dress code rules on their website which is available to anyone who wants to see it.

When I played LM in the very early 90s they made us purchase long grey socks as the short sockette was not permitted. Hilarious for a public course. Still have the socks, they've only been worn once!

[jonf]

The members generally pride themselves on their rules & exclusivity ... They want you to know you can't play there unless you do what they do etc etc ... And there are enough people that think this way that their clubs will always be full.

I have a friend whose father is at a very exclusive club, and he was once a junior member there. They treated him like garbage (even though his father's membership was worth a small fortune), but that was the way it went ... They had a huge list of dress code rules that extended from the golf course to the lunch room to the dining room etc etc (we're talking about turning down members access to the lunch room after a game of golf because they are still wearing their golf wear and did not remember to bring the appropriate lunch wear to change into)... and this was 10 years ago. Today, the rules are the same, and the line to get in is at elast twice as long.

Precisely. Private clubs don't care if joe schmuck doesn't like their dress code, nor should they. It's all about exclusivity and member satisfaction (and tradition_). I remember when I went to play my first round with a friend at the Royal Ottawa (this was beck when I was about thirteen) I arrived at his house in cargos, regular socks, and a t-shirt. He (being thirteen) told me that this would not fly at the club, and went into his house and got me the appropriate attire. So, if my friend, who had only been a member for a couple months, and was only thirteen at the time, could figure it out, you wouldn't think it would be that hard for two grown men to figure out the dress code. Furthermore, if two rebbellious angst ridden teenagers could swallow their indignation and conform, you would think two mature adults could do the same.

If you don't like the dress code, go spend 30 000 dollars on a membership somewhere else....oh wait....all private clubs have dress codes, because that's the way golf is. Also....not many employers would let you show up for work in cargos. Why should a golf course be any different?

[hoolio]

...I showed up there wearing nice clean cargo shorts and excitied to play my final round...

This is where I see a problem. You were wearing a nice pair of shorts which I'm sure were just fine, but if a course was to put up something subjective as " 'Nice' Cargo Shorts" on their dress code then it just becomes a large potential arguement for the folks working in the pro-shop.

For instance, I'm sure you can go to an overpriced store like Abercrombie or American Eagle and purchase a pair of cargos for $50 or $60, and while they are expensive they aren't exactly as suitable for the golf course as a pair of $10 Denver Hayes shorts from Marks. I'm sure it's easier to just eliminate cargos rather than having staff fight with people and hear things like "These shorts cost me $70, they're pretty nice".

There should never really be any surprises when visiting a Private Course, except maybe in SH's case. 99% of the time guests of the course are playing with a member they know and should be acquainted with the dress code. There aren't going to be cottagers showing up at a course on a whim, like up in the Valley trying to see if they can get on in a tank-top and swim trunks.

[Indio]

Do i wear regular cut shorts and risk having my divot tool stab me in the nads? Or do i play it safe and wear cargos

Wear regular cut shorts and let us know the outcome! I have been sitting in the bushes reading this and trying my damndest to not get banned but Cov, you sucked me into it! At least responding to this post is safe

[Indio]

When I played LM in the very early 90s they made us purchase long grey socks as the short sockette was not permitted. Hilarious for a public course. Still have the socks, they've only been worn once!

Ask Wayne Gretzky about having to buy long grey socks at LM.... He was in a tournament there and he was wearing socketts, they said not even the great one could break that rule and he had to buy knee socks...

[big mac]

I wondered where you where---you just gave me a good chuckle---I love this forum

[reload]

I played a prestigous private club with a long time member and another male guest. The other guest is quite "fashionable" and wore capri pants. The starter dashed down the fairway after we teed off to let the member know that capri pants were not "acceptable" and that it they would be accepted next time. It was done with tact and diplomacy.

[reload]

[QUOTE=reload;190562st.they would be accepted next time. It was done with tact and diplomacy.[/QUOTE]

Errr...I mean NOT accepted..

[pvs1313]

hello world,

so you havea aproblem with them asking you to follow their dress code? It is in their rules and should be followed, if you friend didn't bother to learn this before joining and going it is his fault.

I hate it when peopple show up at my club and wear jeans or soemthing and then try to say " hey i didn't know" well learn before gong.

you might disagree with ther need fora dress coe, fine nothing wrong there, but then play elsewhere!!!

you ahve been on here a lot lately complaingin about different private clubs, seems lie you just do not like the idea of prifate club membershoip so stay away form them is my suggestion

[pvs1313]

not qu9te ,

what should have happened is the member should have told him the dress coe before he went.

the pro shoip is not there to break rules, if they let him go then another member is going to say hey what about me etv etc,
this is how it ahppenes, slippery sloppe,

the head pro( if it was the head pro) did thge right thing.

Forget the dress code for a minute...i was under the impression he was complaining about the way he was treated?
What should have happened is the head pro should have told the member descretely"Next time you bring a guest,please observe the dress code in effect"
Is that so hard?Like i said before,this guest could have been there scoping the place out in order to purchase a membership.Rude service could have cost the club alot of money.
My 2 cents

[3Jack]

Ask Wayne Gretzky about having to buy long grey socks at LM.... He was in a tournament there and he was wearing socketts, they said not even the great one could break that rule and he had to buy knee socks...

Hilarious!

LM is an interesting joint, not in a bad way really, but interesting nonetheless... but a topic for another thread

[Big Johnny69]

This whole thread is pretty ridiculous. Before I went to play Whitetail for the first time I checked their website. I learned what was accepted and not accepted at the club (this included local rules, dress code etc). And this was Whitetail, a public course out in Barry's Bay.....And I know for a fact, if I was going to play an elite private course I would definately either check their website or call to make sure I do not commit a club faux pas. Case closed, those are the rules of the club. To sit there and question it is ridiculous.

[jeffc]

I play once in awhile at my dad's club which is private (and not in Ottawa). There are some rules there, about shorts being a certain length, no jeans anywhere on the premises and no hats inside the club house (you should see my hair after 18 sweaty holes ;-). I'm sure there are a few others but I agree with all these rules as I am a guest there, and even the members choose to join are aware that a private club has lots of rules.

I remember playing Carlton a few years back and some of the guys had long socks with shorts that they had to have cut or buy some new ones. So they all got their socks cut. I can't say that that looked better than just having them at regular length.....

[3Jack]

This whole thread is pretty ridiculous. Before I went to play Whitetail for the first time I checked their website. I learned what was accepted and not accepted at the club (this included local rules, dress code etc). And this was Whitetail, a public course out in Barry's Bay.....And I know for a fact, if I was going to play an elite private course I would definately either check their website or call to make sure I do not commit a club faux pas. Case closed, those are the rules of the club. To sit there and question it is ridiculous.

Agreed, 1000 percent.

[DavidY]

This is just like a Seinfeld's episode....much about nothing.

Dave

[Big Johnny69]

This is just like a Seinfeld's episode....much about nothing.

Dave

I couldn't agree more.

[LBH]

While I agree 100% that you NEED to know the rules of a club before playing, including dress code, etiquette, etc..., I think some clubs and some employees of those clubs need to learn something called respect. It's ok for them to tell you that you can or can't wear this or that, do this but don't do that. They just need to do it in a respectful manner.

As a side note, anyone have any idea why Ottawa Hunt doesn't allow "elasticized waists of any kind"? Seems kind of silly... But hey if I'm ever invited to play there (hint, hint anyone), I'll oblige 100% to that...

My 2 cents

LBH

[Bullet]

Well I must say that last year I played Highlands (Govt, Forces) private course. I didn't have my shirtr tucked in and was wearing cargo shorts. They did ask me to tuck my shirt in and for next time not to wear Cargo shorts.

the member that had invited me, was the first to appologise for not letting me know. It was my first time at a private course so I had no idea. Everyhing was handled well and I do know better now.

My 2 cents

[mpare]

I've been caught off guard by the local idiosyncrasies of certain private clubs. Rain pants inevitably offer a quick solution. When asked why I'm wearing them on a sunny day, I have been known to respond that Environment Canada was calling for rain.

On a more serious note, there is no doubt that private clubs have every right to dictate the attire that they wish to see on their course. Don't assume, though, that these edicts from on high find universal acceptance even within the clubs themselves. Often times they do not.

These rules are oftentimes inconsistent from club to club. I recall playing in the N.B. Amateur one year when a fellow was told that he would not be allowed to play because his socks were too long. Shorts were okay, but the socks could not rise above a certain height. I lent him a pair of socks.

Non-members are not the only ones to be affected by these purveyors of fashion. For a long time, women golfers were prohibited from wearing certain tops that were in fashion on the LPGA Tour, but apparently had not been in vogue in the early 1900s when some of these fashion statements took root. Needless to say, local wisdom won out, much to the chagrin of the women members.

As an aside, I confess to an affection for the adherence to some standards of conduct. Call me old-fashioned, but I find it off-putting to see someone eating in a restaurant wearing their ever-present ball cap. I full well realize my own personal bias, but when I see someone doing this, my reaction is to say "How gauche", but then again that is just me. What this has to do with golf fashion I have no idea.


By the way, Sphere Hunter, I have always thought that you were a fashion leader with a heck of a golf game!

[Txxxxxxx]

As an aside, I confess to an affection for the adherence to some standards of conduct. Call me old-fashioned, but I find it off-putting to see someone eating in a restaurant wearing their ever-present ball cap. I full well realize my own personal bias, but when I see someone doing this, my reaction is to say "How gauche", but then again that is just me. What this has to do with golf fashion I have no idea.

I don't think you're old fashion, I think it's proper manners to remove your hat in any house or restaurant, ESPECIALLY one that you're a guest at. Maybe that's the way I was brought up, but bad dinner table manners drives me nuts. I'm not afraid to tell whoever I'm with to get their elbows off the table either.

[Bullet]

I don't think you're old fashion, I think it's proper manners to remove your hat in any house or restaurant, ESPECIALLY one that you're a guest at. Maybe that's the way I was brought up, but bad dinner table manners drives me nuts. I'm not afraid to tell whoever I'm with to get their elbows off the table either.

You would get along really well with my dad LOL. For me well I work with my hat on on a restaurant. I usually take it off when eating, exceptions made on patio's on hot days. As for elbows.... Not sure there, it could happen but not while I'm eating. Yes yes I do put the paper towel on my lapp! LMAO