Putter & Tweed

Hole 30 · Since 2020

Country club and resort attire: the dress code off the course

Today's club and resort codes

Country club and resort attire covers the clubhouse, dining room and grounds. Most clubs lean toward smart casual, and a collared shirt with slacks is generally safe. Dinner may require a jacket, sometimes a tie. Resort courses typically ban T-shirts and athletic shorts.

The white clubhouse of Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon
The white clubhouse of Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon. Ian Poellet / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. CC BY-SA. Source.

What it solved on the course

A written code tells you what to wear in the clubhouse and dining room before you arrive, so you do not get turned away at the door.

History

Country club attire off the course is a set of rules for the clubhouse, the dining room and the grounds. Most clubs lean toward smart casual, which many call country club casual. Country club attire generally means business or business casual dress, though more clubs have recently favored business casual. A poll of over 3,000 golfers found that 72% believe dress codes are important. Clubs still enforce their codes. At Kenwood Country Club, shirts with collars are required for men, and men must have their shirts tucked in. Hats are not permitted for men on the main level of the clubhouse, including covered patios and terraces. Franklin Hills defines the steps: casual attire means coats or ties are not required, informal attire means a jacket is required but a tie is not, and dinner attire means both a jacket and tie are required. Huntington Country Club permits casual attire Tuesday through Friday and Sunday, including golf clothes and denim jeans in good repair. On Saturday evening, jackets for gentlemen are recommended but ties are not required. Younger members are now 35% of new joins at some clubs, and the older rules are loosening. Some clubs now allow smart, dark-wash jeans after 5 PM. Resorts often sit in the middle. Resort courses typically ban T-shirts and athletic shorts but allow neat denim. Rules vary widely, so check the dress code before arriving.

Who wore it best

  • Kenwood Country Club

    Its dress code requires collared shirts for men, tucked in, and bans hats for men on the main level of the clubhouse.[3]

  • Franklin Hills

    It spells out casual, informal, dinner, cocktail and black tie so members know what a jacket and tie mean.[4]

  • Huntington Country Club

    It permits casual attire Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, with jackets recommended for Saturday evening.[5]

How to dress for it now

  1. For a clubhouse lunch, wear a collared shirt and tailored trousers or chinos. Skip the tie if the club says casual, but keep a navy blazer in the car for dinner.
  2. At a resort, check the card in your room. Many resort courses allow neat denim and mid-thigh shorts, but the dining room may still want a jacket.
  3. Leather loafers in black, brown or burgundy work for dinner. Leave the sneakers and flip-flops for the gym or pool.
  4. If the invite says tie optional, a dark tie is a safe call. A dark suit is the go-to for men at dinner.
  5. Women can wear collared shirts or appropriate crew neck tops. Dress pants or a dress fit Saturday evening.
  6. A lightweight cotton or linen shirt helps in warm clubhouses. Layer a simple blazer, not a flashy one.

Where to buy

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Sources

  1. 2nd Shot MVP, 2nd Shot MVP. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. Fundamental Coast, Fundamental Coast. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. Kenwood Country Club, Kenwood Country Club. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. Franklin Hills, Franklin Hills. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  5. Huntington Country Club, Huntington Country Club. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  6. Vessel Golf, Vessel Golf. Retrieved 2026-10-01.

Updated .