Golf’s Atypical Photo Shoot Exposes Traditions And Why Some Are Holding The Sport Back

"Could you please bring a pillow, a bed sheet, and a tape measure?" An unusual request for a golf photoshoot, but then again, golf isn’t your run-of-the-mill sport. Let me explain.

I joined two Golf Monthly colleagues, Nick and Sam, along with photographer Kevin, at West Hill Golf Club in Surrey to capture various scenarios, both on the course and in the clubhouse. We were building a bank of images to accompany features on the endless topics that pop up in golf.

The shot list was long, focusing heavily on rules and etiquette situations, including, of course, the ever-popular subject of dress code. The pillow and sheet were a tongue-in-cheek nod to slow play, with Sam playfully napping on the tee. The tape measure? It had a dual purpose: one, to gauge the length of my skort (you’ve probably all seen a notice showing what golfers can and can’t wear), and two, to measure out gimmes, which is another subject that divides opinion as to whether or not putts should be given at all.

Other images showed us signalling ‘fore’, looking for balls in the rough, replacing divots, irritation at players taking too long to putt, demonstrating anger after a bad shot, and even a punch up on the tee! If you happen to be a non-golfer reading this column, you will be wondering why on earth we play this game.

One of my favourite images was of Nick and Sam dressed in jeans, a football shirt, and trainers, waiting uncomfortably on the tee behind a men’s fourball. They looked like naughty schoolboys, and did their best to make sure the club members knew this was just for the camera.

While this image exaggerated a relaxed dress code at a traditional club, it does reflect modern culture - what people actually wear outside the gates of a golf club. At ranges, simulator venues, and some pay-and-play courses, jeans and football shirts are the norm, and this is a shift that highlights the gap between club golfers and the rest.

According to the Professional Golfers’ Association, of the 16.3 million golfers across the UK and Ireland, 11.4 million are exclusively off-course. Why is that? There will be various contributing factors, such as time restraints, expense, but I’d bet the dress code also plays a role.

Let me remind you about three-time Ladies European Tour winner Meghan MacLaren, who learnt to play golf as a junior in her beloved Newcastle United strip. Her father truly believes that if the club had not been so amenable to this, she would have left the game for good.

As someone who’s been golfing for years, I’m well-versed in the sport’s rules and standards, but this photoshoot reminded me just how much new golfers have to learn, especially when it comes to etiquette. Golf’s deep-rooted traditions can often feel out of step with modern life. Most people wouldn’t expect, for example, that in this day and age, using a mobile phone in the clubhouse is still off-limits. With all these different layers to the game and old-school customs that are too many to mention, it’s no wonder golf stirs up debate like few other sports.

Take tennis: once you’ve learned the basic strokes and how to score, you’re all set. There’s no rule changes or ongoing discussions about a World Handicap System. Outside of Wimbledon’s strict all-white dress code (yes, even down to the pro’s underwear), most clubs are pretty laid-back. Wearing caps in the clubhouse, for instance, is perfectly fine at many tennis clubs - a stark contrast to the disapproving looks they draw at most golf clubs. Of course, this was another photo opportunity.

I’m not saying we should throw out all of golf’s traditions, they’re part of what makes the game so special, and I’m all for that. But we need to strike a balance, because holding too tightly to tradition will only continue to foster elitism, and this doesn’t promote golf as an inclusive sport. Some clubs want to keep it that way, and that’s their choice, and we’ll never change that. But for others hoping to attract a new, younger audience, relaxing a few rules will help to create a more modern, welcoming environment.