Shorts on Tour

[clutchfan]

It's the tucking into shorts that looks awful, not so much the shorts.

[Soloman1]

MLB, NFL and NBA players are not independent contractors like PGA Tour members.

 

I suspect that if a true legal challenge were made, the Tour would lose. Independent contractors cannot be forced to follow a dress code. They can be made to wear a uniform if it is contingent to being a contractor for an entity. However, the Tour has no uniform. I think no one has the guts to challenge the Tour gravy train about the "dress code."

 

I'm not a lawyer, so I'd like to hear from some to see how wrong I am.

I'm not allowed to tell an independent contractor how to dress, so why should the Tour be able to?

Tiger Woods doesn't wear collared shirts anymore. Would your private club refuse to allow him to play, demanding that he put on a collared shirt?

[Warrior42111]

So I decided to ask the intern on our team he contractor question at lunch today. FYI our interns come from a contract agency.

According to him, all the HR and pay related stuff is done by the agency. However, he said in his and every other intern he knows is the statement that outside of the items taken care of by said agency,(pay, hours, OT, etc) they follow the code of conduct and standards of the company they are contracted to. In other words he has to follow our dress code. Perhaps because he's not an independent contractor and coming from a contract company.

Side note, over a year ago our company (office setting went from business casual (slacks/ shirt/ polo) to business relaxed ( jeans / polo) the world has not ended.

[ChronicSlicer]

When I mentioned length I was mostly meaning shorts, nobody wants to see Koepka prancing around in his Speedo or thong or whatever the hell he was wearing once. It's just not cool, lol. As for shirts on Tour, a polo is cool, tucked or untucked. So are the mock necks. Even a button down would be ok.

 

[drn92]

why?

[Soloman1]

Why?

 

Because he said so!

[Mudguard]

I vaguely recall it being a condition of being a PGA member. Well in New Zealand anyway.

[lowheel]

gary player, jack nicklaus, doug sanders to name a few wore mock necks and turtle necks all the time. tigers shirts are part of a golf line.The governing body has absolute authority on what their contractors wear. thats why they can suspend them or ban them as well. its called a pga membership for a reason.. theyre even in charge of what sponsors are allowed on their members clothing

[grm24]

Tiger wearing a collared shirt in the PC.

Jack wearing a short sleeved mock neck.

[Soloman1]

Policies and the law are different. A company can have a policy, but it does make it legally allowed or restricted. The absolute IRS rules for an Independent Contractor are that the contract buyer of the services cannot tell the contractor how to dress, train the contractor or tell them how to perform the work. The completion of the contracted work is all that matters.

 

But you guys don't have the right reasoning.

 

I think the answer is that the players interact with the public and that gives the power back to the Tour, using the logic that the Tour has the right to maintain any image they wish in order to maintain the value of the tour.

[Hawkeye77]

The independent contractors thing is mentioned a lot, but in their case overblown. Players still have to abide by the rules and policies of the Tour if they want to play in the Tour's events. They can be "independent contractors" for tax purposes and be subject to rules related to events and other things. Players don't own the events or the rights to the events.

[bladehunter]

Contractors can absolutely be made to wear a uniform. Loads of Fedex drivers are owner operator / contractors for the home delivery network. They wear Fedex from head to toe and label their trucks as such.

[bscinstnct]

I'm pretty sure that the independent contractors who worked on the 2nd Death Star would have had to follow an Empire approved dress code.

 

[DeeBee30]

But that shirt IS tucked in...so what’s your issue with it? As for my response about private clubs, it’s their club so they can make the rules...and it’s a rule I can live with as an amateur. Guests in my house have to remove their shoes when on carpet...my house my rules.

As for your NFL, NBA, MLB analogy, those are TEAM sports that have uniforms and uniform requirements. The PBT doesn’t require bowlers to tuck their shirts in. Neither does the WTA for tennis players (and pros used to wear pants, by the way).

 

[Barfolomew]

Let them wear shorts.... but If I see their knees I'm gonna barf!

[bscinstnct]

 

 

 

Look, you can't go around on TV and in front of fans on the PGA Tour in shorts looking like some tourist buying a hot dog at Coney Island,

 

I mean, according to you, this guy would be fine teeing it up out at the Players, right? C'mon now....

 

 

 

[DeeBee30]

Ok, I agree that there’s no way that guy should be out at the Players...with whose deck shoes, he’d slip all over the place! Plus, the tan line on his legs is gonna look ridiculous. Put him in some FJ SuperLites with no-show socks and he’s ready to go.

Edit: oh wait...is that a rangefinder pouch on his belt? That’s gotta go too. NOW ready for the tour.

[Titleist99]

Look like the new body DeChambeau to me....LOL

[DeeBee30]

Wow...surprised no one poked this sleeping dog after Rickie's attire out at Kapalua this weekend!

[bscinstnct]

Rickie in Hawaii gets a pass every time.

 

But Patrick Reed in this outfit gets a visit from security ; )

 

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

Someone should tell Rickie that folks know how to identify the pimps without the bit "P" on the hat.

[wely324]

PBA (professional bowlers association) does not require shirts to be tucked in. But if your shirt is tucked in, you must wear a belt. They also require pants to be worn.

[DeeBee30]

PBA/PBT...whatever. I pay more attention to balls in holes, not holes in balls. Point taken, though.

[slicktry]

Guaranteed if the players are allowed to wear shorts during competitive play, 90% would do so. What's the amount that wear them during practice rounds? That should be a very good indication on uptake. As I said before, give it 3-5 years and shorts will be allowed during tournament play on the PGA Tour. Euro Tour will most likely be first since they seem to lead, not follow, on these sorts of issues.

God Bless

Jer

[bladehunter]

It’s not nearly 90% and it’s not predictable by age. Justin Thomas is a prime example of a millennial who prefers to look like somebody.

[bscinstnct]

 

Maybe but it will depend on the event.

 

I'm sure if the players want the option and if they lobby hard enough, they could make a big stink. But, besides the PGA Tour, I think that courses/venues can dictate attire as well. Augusta and certain courses just wouldn't allow it and I think that the players, given that they understand the tradition and rules of attire at golf clubs, would fall in line at those venues. Maybe at tournaments like the Phoenix Open, it would actually be a good thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MidwestGolfBum]

It has seemed to be a pretty mixed bag for people wearing shorts during the practice rounds, as you said. I don't see it being a switch overnight if they were to allow it, more of a gradual transition as people became more accustomed to it being there. I'm sure the clothing sponsors would love it, given they can then market their shorts on tour as well, not just their pants.

[wely324]

I don't see it being a switch overnight, and I honestly feel a good number of players prefer pants for various reasons. Yes maybe the events where its 95 plus degrees out and they are baking in the sun a lot of guys might prefer shorts, but today's pants are light and breathable, along with the sun protection they provide I just don't see it being a hard switch or the tour allowing it in the next 3-5 years.

[bladehunter]

Agree. I work in the heat and cold a lot. So I’m not very temp sensitive. But. I find the current hi tech pants just as cool as shorts unless it’s literally 97 plus 95 % humidity. And then the difference is actually sweat. With shorts the sweat provides cooling and pants it’s wicked away and you don’t feel the cooling. But. The tie breaker for me is now sun protection. I’m dark skinned so I don’t burn. But. That’s dangerous as I tend to not worry about it. And hate sunblock. ( greasy oily skin and I hate adding on more grease ) so long pants are what I wear 99 % of the time on course.

[dubbelbogey]

Once it's allowed on Tour, the majority will quickly switch to shorts when the weather permits.

It's what people wear when it's hot out. Yes, today's lightweight, sweat-managing, breathable, sun-protecting materials are awesome, but when it's hot out, most folks in Western cultures wear shorts. Most caddies wear shorts whenever they can. Very few choose tech-material long pants. I suspect their players will do likewise.