Strong Opinions
In defense of ... baggier pants
FEEL THE FLOW Clockwise from top left: Botter x Reebok LTD Paneled Track, Arc’teryx Cronin Cotton, Abercrombie & Fitch Loose Pull-On, Skechers Twill Downtown Cargo, Katin Surfside.
The world of golf is inundated with tight-fitting, thigh-hugging pants. I really thought we left that style behind with the emo phase of our teens, but every time I hit the golf course (or even the driving range), my eyes are scorched with the sight of dozens of guys wearing pants that they could’ve worn when they were 13. Not only are they revealing, especially when paired with many a golfer’s favorite (absence of) color, white, but they are not flattering unless you’re rail-thin with a slim upper body to match your chicken legs. The proportions are, simply put, immensely wrong. A closer-fitting shirt and wide-legged pants always look better than the inverse.
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I’m calling for a return to the ubiquitously flattering baggy, pleated golf pants favored by Freddie Couples, David Duval, Ernie Els and other ’90s golf stars. These guys looked like they belonged at the golf course, not the smoothie bar at Barry’s Bootcamp. Indeed, at the PGA Merchandise Show in January, Ashworth announced its return to golf apparel with a booth adorned by Fred Couples swinging on the range in some perfectly voluminous trousers and a cotton crewneck. It oozed easy and swag, something that cannot be said for all the polyester numbers we see out there today.
I’m not saying we need to dress like MC Hammer on the course; we just need to bring back some volume. Baggy pants are much more comfortable when navigating the awkward positions you’ll take up on the golf course, and they have more space for tees, ball markers and a provisional, all of which will rest comfortably in your pockets without the awkward bulge that comes with slim-fit performance pants. Please, throw out your skinny golf pants (and your joggers, while you’re at it) and cop some vintage Dockers and a leather western belt while channeling your inner Tiger, circa 1997. You can’t swing it like the G.O.A.T., but you can at least look the part.
