Why tour pros wear "outfits" but you should wear "clothes"

Most of today's modern tour pros wear "outfits" -- highly coordinated kits that pair specific items of clothing together, often matching them identically by color. I've come to describe this tour trend as the "Hook-Up."

Hook-Up: > *verb / (huk-up) 1. To match two or more colorful pieces of clothing together identically. * > *>

A slang term with early origins in the late 90's hip-hop community and most often used to describe sneaker / hat coordination.*

Take Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia.

However, just because #theseguysaregood doesn't necessarily mean you should follow their lead on this tour trend, and here's why.

1. It makes you look like you're trying way too hard.

I don't care whether you're talking about Freddy Mercury or Freddie Couples, no one in the canon of cooldom has ever made it look like they were trying to look a specific way. We've all seen that guy who rolls up to the first tee completely decked out in this season's J. Lindeberg. Don't be that guy.

2. Hooking-up a highly coordinated look can be pretty limiting.

Specifically so when it comes to wearing those pieces with the rest of your wardrobe. If you can pull these moves together for every round next season than great for you, but I play too much golf and do too little laundry to ever make this work. Point is, even if your neon-yellow spikes, belt and hat all look fresh together, they can be difficult to breakdown and work in with the rest of the clothes in your closet.

These aren't strictly golf guidelines, either. Maybe you're not into clothes and don't have much of a wardrobe, which is totally cool. Everyone, though, gets in a bind sometimes when they need to pull something together for a wedding and they've got to drop a little dough on a look they'd like to last. Instead of letting some salesman hook you up in an outfit with a plaid shirt and purple tie, pick up a sharp, solid suit and some basic furnishings in light blues and navys that will work with everything you'll ever own. This way, if you grow out of some of your gear you won't be SOL when the next event rolls around and you have to start the whole process from scratch.

So, if someone's willing to pay you tons of money to wear certain styles, don't ask questions and keep that gig up for as long as you can. If, however, no one is willing to sponsor you, you'll do well to find some of your inspiration outside the ropes.