When golfers get ready for a round, they are usually very particular about their clothes.
Golf clothes have a very specific style, and it’s important to wear something that looks good and is easy to play in.
If you are new to the game or are simply organizing your closet, it makes sense to know what qualifies as golf pants and what doesn’t.
Golf pants have some very distinctive styling to them, and you should understand what they are to make sure that you don’t show up to the course with the wrong clothing on.
What Are Golf Pants?
Golf pants are acceptable according to the dress code of a golf course, and they are comfortable enough for a golfer not to have any restricted motion in their swing.
Golf pants do not necessarily have to be made by a golf company.
In fact, some of the best pants for golf are not made specifically by a company that produces other golf equipment.
Let’s take a look at some of the things that make golf pants what they are and some tips for choosing the best golf pants.
What Makes a Good Pair of Golf Pants?
These are the key features to look for in a pair of golf pants.
1. Proper Length
When you walk a golf course, you will cover close to five miles of land.
This is quite a bit of walking.
As you can imagine, some of the walking will be in areas with longer rough or wet turf.
To keep your pants from getting ruined, you must play with golf pants that are the proper length.
If you are someone who ignores the length of pants and just drags them along the ground with you, you will easily ruin your golf pants.
You must also remember that you will likely be wearing spikes when you play golf.
The spikes on your shoe can easily get caught on the bottom of your pants.
This will end up tearing the pants up, and you will quickly be shopping for golf pants again.
Make sure that the bottom of your pant leg is above the bottom of the shoe.
2. Performance Material
The material of the pants you wear to play golf will undoubtedly help you to have a better experience on the course.
Many of the golf pants are starting to go toward a more performance type material.
This fabric is usually the moisture-wicking type and will help to make sure that you don’t sweat while on the course.
Golf pants also come in cotton type materials that are great for the cooler months.
You will need to have several different types of golf pant materials if you play in locations where the weather changes.
It is also not a bad idea to see which of these materials allows you to feel the most comfortable in your game.
Regardless of the type of material you enjoy playing with, stay away from anything that is denim or cargo type material.
If your pants are not the proper material, the golf course will likely not allow you to play that day.
Golf courses are strict about their dress codes, and one of the most important aspects of the dress code is going to be the material the pants are made of.
3. Proper Fit in Waist and Legs
Another factor that you will need to be aware of when you purchase pants is that they must be the proper fit in the waist and legs.
A golf swing requires quite a bit of twisting and turning to be able to hit the golf ball.
You will need lots of room to turn and to get your legs to rotate through the ball.
If your pants are too tight or you feel like you might pop a button as you swing through the ball, these are not going to be good for your golf game.
At the same time, you won’t want pants that are baggy as they can get in the way or be distracting while you are playing.
Having the proper fit in your waist and legs of your pants is essential for golf.
You will want something tighter than athletic pants and more like a suit pant with a straight leg.
4. Color
The color of your golf pant is going to come down to personal preference.
As you have very likely seen, golf pants come in a wide range of unique colors.
Sometimes there are patterns and vibrant images on the golf pants.
This can be a good fit for some players, and others will prefer golfing with something that is a bit more conservative.
The color of your golf pants is a bit of a personal preference, but we do have some recommendations.
If you are going to be playing in inclement weather, choose a pair of pants that are darker in color.
The dark pants will help keep you from looking like a muddy and wet mess in poor weather.
It is also a good idea to have a few pairs of light-colored golf pants.
The light pants are good for the days when the weather is a bit warmer, and you find that you are torn between wearing golf pants and golf shorts.
Most golfers who play on a weekly basis can get away with having three or four pairs of golf pants.
This should be enough to cover your golf pant needs for the year.
5. Pockets
It’s important to have pockets in golf pants.
Golfers have lots of accessories, and they are always looking for a place to put things.
You will notice that, after a round of golf, your pockets will be filled with tees, divot repair tools, ball markers, and even potentially a scorecard.
Pants that are designed specifically for golf will likely have pockets capable of holding onto golf related gear while you play.
Some players don’t enjoy having golf gear in their front pockets.
They find that, as they swing through the ball, it tends to get in the way.
If this is the case for you, look for pants that have pockets located in the back.
Are Golf Pants or Golf Shorts Better?
If you watch professional golf, you will see that the players wear golf pants.
This is because of the dress code for the PGA tournaments.
You can bet that, when these guys practice and play golf at their home golf courses, they are likely to be wearing shorts.
Most golfers will prefer to wear shorts if the temperature is above 70 or so degrees.
With these temperatures, it tends to get a bit warm on the golf course, which can get uncomfortable if you are out there for many hours.
Pay close attention to the dress code and the temperatures if you are headed out for a round of golf on the courses.
Golf courses can get very particular about the length of the shorts that you wear.
Make sure that they are long enough, yet not too long, so that you don’t end up having to purchase a new wardrobe in the pro shop.
There is no question that golf pants can have a much more professional look than golf shorts, but they are not always necessary.
If you are playing at a high-end private club and are worried about your golf shorts not working with the dress code, go with the pants.
The biggest thing to remember with golf pants is fabric.
Other than that, it is simple to find a pair that will work for the game.
As far as pockets, material, and proper fit are concerned, the shorts are going to compete right along with the pants.
You won’t notice too much of a difference between the two.
Conclusion
Although there is plenty of equipment related to golf that is specific to the game, golf pants don’t have to be.
Chances are most golfers have a pair of pants in their closet that they could use right now as a pair of golf pants.
If you are new to the game and don’t have a lot of golf gear yet, don’t break the bank on golf pants.
Over time, you will find the materials and styles that you like, and you can increase your wardrobe then.
Start with one pair of light color and one pair of dark color, and then head for the golf course!
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