Before we go any further, I want to make it clear I’m not an advocate of lowering standards in society or casting aside traditions because they might not be palatable to the younger generation.
That’s why I think discarding dress codes is a big mistake – contrary to the views of those who feel it’s time to abandon them altogether – and that retaining certain customs is absolutely essential as the game looks to modernise and keep pace with societal changes.
However, I do feel some traditions should be confined to the past and remain relics of a bygone era. My colleague Elliott Heath recently wrote an article on the golfing customs he’d like to see scrapped in 2026, and while I agree with his points, I’d add more items to the list.
For example, I find having to change into a jacket and tie after a round of golf simply to eat lunch a complete chore. I also don’t understand why people get offended if someone is wearing their hat in the clubhouse after a round of golf.
At a time when many clubs are feeling the pinch, turning away a paying customer because they’re wearing a cap inside makes no sense to me. Hats are common in pubs, cafes and bars – which are competing with golf clubs for custom – so it feels to me like another case of golf shooting itself in the foot.
The hat issue is indicative of my growing frustration with the clubhouse experience at many golf clubs around the country. I think it can, and should, be so much better.
This weekend, I played a round at my local pay-and-play. It certainly has some issues on the golfing side – the conditioning isn’t anywhere near as good as it should be given the price it now charges and I'm often not able to play off the white tees – but the off-course operation is spot on.
There were so many families and children walking around the facility, which is pretty atypical and a real contrast to what I normally see.
The clubhouse was packed full of people both inside and out, the driving range was rammed, screens everywhere were showing live sport and people were wearing golf shoes and hats inside. It was the antithesis of what I’d come to expect at more traditional members’ clubs.
'Walking On Eggshells'
Now, I appreciate pay-and-play venues are different to members’ clubs and catering to different audiences, but this weekend it struck me how much more I enjoy the off-course ambience at the former. I actually wanted to spend time there after my round.
Clearly, this is a subjective topic and others are perfectly entitled to disagree with me, but when I’m playing at more traditional members’ clubs, I often find myself wishing everything was a bit less formal. It can often feel like you’re walking around on eggshells.
The outfits the staff wear help set the tone and send a clear message about what to expect in that environment. For me, a clubhouse should be a social bar for golfers to relax; the opposite of formal in fact. I'd rather see simulators, big-screen televisions showing sports and pool tables than waiters in waistcoats and beautifully folded napkins.
I see waistcoats as needless formality. You can be smart without looking like you’ve come straight from a shift at the Ritz. Chinos and a fitted shirt is a much better option as far as I’m concerned.
The type of member who wants staff to wear waistcoats is probably the type of member who makes the clubhouse a less welcoming place than it should be, scouring the lounge for anyone wearing a hat, using their mobile phone or daring to light up the place with laughter.
Waistcoats normally go hand in hand with drab decor and patterned carpets that haven’t been changed since the 1950s. I genuinely can’t fathom why some people would want or choose to relax in that sort of environment.
Clubhouses should be buzzing with life, not sleepwalking towards irrelevance. They play such an important role in enticing new members and visitors and establishing the culture of a golf club. So let’s remove the waistcoats, upgrade the decor and swap the working-man’s-club atmosphere for something more attractive and upbeat.
