Oh, what to wear!

Working on a golf course is a never-ending and sometimes even an unpredictable job. When you have to think about things like the weather forecast, what plant protectants to apply, where to cut the holes, and how to ensure the soil and turf remain no less than pristine, certain things may consume less of your thoughts. One of those being what you wear each day.

You may not be trying to make a statement or stand out in any way, because you aren’t the one playing golf most of the time. You often blend into the shadows and fall into the background, getting your work done and then going home. But what you wear might be as important as what topdressing sand you select. Functionality, quality, style and comfort are just a few things that you consider when choosing your outfit in the morning, without even realizing it. Recognizing the importance may lead to better productivity and maybe even a little motivation to get dressed in the morning.

Know your course

Every golf course and maintenance team possess unique traits and quirks. You might have a dress code or guideline, an assigned uniform, or none of the above. Knowing what your course expects can help you prepare and experiment with different options.

For example, Thad Thompson, superintendent at Terry Hills Golf Course in western New York, requires his team to wear some type of shirt with sleeves.

“Me and my assistant really are the only ones that wear collared shirts. Everybody else is pretty much shorts and a T-shirt,” he says. “I do not like the unprofessional look [of no sleeves — we have a reputation as it is.”

For Kasey Kauff at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, his team is all about breaking the superintendent and maintenance team stereotype.

“We are trying to change the look from the khaki pants and collared shirt,” says Kauff, the Texas club’s director of grounds. “We feel the golf course superintendent wearing the khaki pants and collared shirt is now a thing of the past.”

Trinity Forest even began selling the logoed sweatshirts his team typically wears in the pro shop because the members were such fans of the look. “My guys wear more shorts and T-shirts, or shorts and hoodies or shirts and untucked collared shirts,” Kauff explains. “It’s just more relaxed. … Even our club, our members will play in T-shirts out here. It is a very relaxed place.”

By contrast, Toscana (California) Country Club director of agronomy Jared Stanek and Country Club of Detroit superintendent Ross Miller provide their respective teams with collared uniforms.

“Our entire team is outfitted,” Miller says. “They all get five polo shirts each year with the club logo on it. They also get five pairs of khakis as well. Full-time staff get a shoe and clothing allowance of $400 a year so they can get new boots and everything. We provide galoshes and OSHA-approved toe caps.”

Being inclusive

If you have women on your team, you may need to consider an alternate uniform option or style.

The Country Club of Detroit provides a stipend to women on the team, allowing them to purchase their own pants.

“(Ross) provides our shirts with the logo on them, they’re polo shirts,” Country Club of Detroit horticulturist Cassandra Budzik says. “Because I’m management staff, we have a better choice of the shirts we want to get, so he’ll let me choose a certain style within reason.

“I would just say it’s hard when some companies, if they don’t have as many women there, it’s hard for them to special order products just for women sometimes. You’re stuck with the menswear, and it just doesn’t fit at all, it doesn’t have the same shape. At least if they allowed for you to have them altered, that would be a nice option for some companies that don’t want to special order something just for women.”

Budzik adds that it doesn’t happen as much now, as companies have begun accommodating women, but it all depends on the course and their budget.

Industry favorites and essentials

With each course varying in policy, dress code and budget, there’s a lot to take into consideration. Things like functionality, longevity and comfort are atop the list.

“A lot of times it’s hard to find look and functionality,” Budzik says. “Because I’m doing so much more manual labor, I need something a little more rugged and veer more towards functionality. It’s hard to find functionality and style. With Patagonia, I can get a little bit of both.”

Depending on where your course is located, you may value certain items over others.

“I think functionality and comfort go hand in hand,” Miller says. “We don’t do anything with cotton, everything is more polyester, breathable. Again, in the summer, more functionality and comfort. Everyone has a sunhat with the course logo on them.”

“(Functionality) is vital,” Stanek says. “For the crew, it’s long pants and long sleeves year-round because I need to make sure that they are safe and protected when they are running the equipment. Then, you have to be comfortable, so I make sure we’ve gotten the right fabrics for them. I need something that keeps them cool.”

Sun, heat and cold protection are essential. For Kauff, whose course is in Dallas, where temperatures swell past 100, Maui Jim sunglasses are a necessity.

“The ‘mandatory’ thing is sunglasses,” he says. “I need my sunglasses, the one thing that I literally cannot go without. I can go without a hat, but I cannot go without sunglasses.”

For a superintendent in New York, gloves are a must.

“I mean, I probably have six or seven different pairs of gloves in the file cabinet behind my desk,” Thompson says. “Just in case something gets wet, you want to be warm. I’m prepared for almost anything, I think.”

In Southern California, the UV rays can be harmful.

“For us, it’s definitely about sun protection,” Stanek says. “It gets so hot here, so sun protection is vital and that’s kind of how we always approach it here. It’s funny, in the winter, I wear lots and lots of layers, even though it ends up being 80 degrees; in the morning, it’s down in the 40s or even 30s.”

From the top of your head with sunhats and sunglasses to the very bottoms of your feet, a quality pair of work shoes can make or break your level of comfort.

Thompson, a self-declared shoe addict, will even go as far to contact manufacturers about the quality of their shoe.

“I wear the same pair every day until they wear out, but I probably have 10 different pairs of boots and a whole bunch of others,” he says. “They have to hold up to what I’m doing. I have very specific critiques about a lot of different brands of work boots. Carolina work boots are, in my opinion, some of the best but the eyelet will wear out.”

“For me, I have to get a really good orthotic shoe, really good quality,” Budzik says. “I usually try to get waterproof because once you get wet, you’re done. I fluctuate between the two, either a really good waterproof shoe or I have a lightweight, mesh shoe that dries really quickly and also has good foot support.”

It’s clear everyone has their own personal preferences and some value certain traits over the other. You must decide what is important to you when it comes to work wear. There may even be some trial and error before you find the perfect brand or product. Either way, you should make it your own.

Cassidy Gladieux is a Kent State University senior participating in Golf Course Industry’s internship program.