I have to admit, I couldn’t contain my excitement when gym leggings suddenly became an acceptable form of attire for playing golf. I never thought the day would come when dress codes would be so relaxed. Finally, something that made sense. Golf is supposed to be an athletic sport, after all.
The swing movement certainly requires a great deal of flexibility, turn and lower half leg action. However, never did I think that the same leggings I wore to the gym would be acceptable on the golf course, so of course, I had to embrace them. Turning it on its head I would never have dreamt of going to the gym to work out wearing a normal pair of trousers, yet for years and years I only ever got to wear these exact things to play golf.
Watch Alison Root and Katie Dawkins chat about winter golf pants
Then, seemingly overnight, golf leggings suddenly became a craze, with many golf apparel brands adding them to their collections. I think we can thank Jasmine (The Jazzy Golfer) for helping to pioneer their inception with her many social media posts sporting vibrant pair after pair.
Not only did I embrace the golf legging last year, I couldn’t live without them! In fact, there’s hardly a single picture of me wearing anything but golf leggings on the course, in all seasons. I became something of a trend-setter at my very traditional private member’s club, Parkstone, in Dorset.
With over 100 women on the membership list, many an old-fashioned eye was turned. Although I never got questioned about my choice of clothing, I could hear scathing mutterings among the older generation as I waltzed down to the practice putting green that very first Tuesday and rolled putts, dressed in what to them was ‘gym gear’.
It didn’t take long for many of my closest friends at the club to follow suit. Anna, was the first, wearing a super sleek silver pair of thermally-lined Sweaty Betty leggings, every time she played. She too was hooked.
The funny thing is, after a year of wearing our leggings, both of us have stopped this winter. Maybe it’s because of the high number of those so-called traditionalists who have started wearing them. Women who I thought would never be seen dead wearing a pair of leggings are now strutting out to play golf in them. All shapes and leg sizes on show!
Yet one year on, I’ve almost entirely stopped wearing my golf leggings this winter. The fashion fad bubble has burst. Why? Partly, because I got bored of the novelty and wearing the same thing every week (I didn’t have an endless supply of suitable leggings in my wardrobe) but mainly, if I’m honest, because they still aren’t as practical as trousers for golf in the winter.
For starters, they aren’t as warm, (I was definitely in denial at this point last winter because I just wanted to wear them so much). Quite frankly, the thinner legging material is no match for a very good pair of thermal winter golf trousers.
Secondly, I’m yet to find a pair of golf leggings with a back pocket, and I really like taking my golf glove off to putt and popping it in my back pocket. I also think trousers are more flattering. I’ve got quite large, muscular legs (with my fair share of unavoidable, hereditary cellulite) and there’s no way of hiding my lower half silhouette wearing leggings. Everything is on show.
Last, but by no means least, I’ve gone back to wearing trousers because golf manufacturers have upped their game to produce the best women's golf clothes, They don’t want us all going to Sports Direct to buy a pair of gym leggings with side pockets that are suitable for golf, but they’ve seen the popularity of wearing them soar. Perhaps a little taken by surprise by this trend, and have responded by making golf trousers more ‘legging-like.’
My favourite pair is from Ping and they could definitely be mistaken for leggings, bought for our Dorset county golf team to wear as a collective. I absolutely love them. They come in different leg lengths, and being short, this is ideal for me. They also have a Lycra stretch material that adapts to your body shape. We are all very different shapes and sizes in our team and every player looks good in them - nobody has complained about the fit. The material is thicker than leggings and warmer, yet stretchy enough to feel like I have the same swing freedom of movement wearing them. Most importantly, they have pockets everywhere, front (both sides) and back. Oh, how I missed those pockets.
So while this winter I won’t be seen wearing my golf leggings any more, I did most certainly start a trend at my club that many followed, so I wonder what’s next? Possibly, it’s just the gradual acceptability of wearing more ‘street-style’ clothing suitable for both on or off the course? Dare I say it, maybe even jean-style leggings could soon be ok? Although I doubt it. That would be a step too far.
