Putter & Tweed

Hole 23 · 1970–1979

1970s golf fashion: polyester, plaid and wide collars

1970s

1970s golf fashion put synthetic fabrics, wide collars and loud patterns on the course. Men wore polyester shirts and trousers, often in shades of brown. Pants flared or fit close. A white belt and white shoes, as worn by Dave Stockton, finished the look.

What it solved on the course

Synthetic fabrics handled grass stains and repeated washing. Wide collars and synthetic fabrics revolutionised course comfort. Bright colors and eye-catching patterns were common on the course.

History

The 1970s changed what golfers put on. Synthetic fabrics arrived and improved performance, and polyester became the fabric of choice because it held bright color and stood up to grass stains. Men's golf fashion ran on bold colors, wide pointed collars and patterns like plaid, argyle and stripes. Pants came in two shapes, form-fitting pairs and bell-bottoms that swished down the fairway. Brown polyester was everywhere. The wider fashion world's rebellion reached the fairways. Jack Nicklaus almost always wore a signature thin horizontal striped shirt. Raymond Floyd won the green jacket, and his well-tailored pants showed off brown and white saddle shoes. In 1976 Ben Crenshaw again made color look good, wearing a striped yellow and red shirt with a red belt and yellow pants. Dave Stockton wore a yellow ensemble with a matching white belt and shoes. Lee Trevino was a noted flashy dresser. He said Sanders was another inspiration, taking great pride in his appearance and coordinating everything with color.

Who wore it best

  • Doug Sanders

    Trevino said Sanders was another inspiration, taking great pride in his appearance and coordinating everything with color.[4, 3]

  • Lee Trevino

    A noted flashy dresser, Trevino said he loved seeing his son sell the same shirts he wore in the 1960 and '70s.[4]

  • Jack Nicklaus

    Nicklaus almost always wore a signature thin horizontal striped shirt.[5, 7]

  • Ben Crenshaw

    In 1976 Crenshaw again made color look good, wearing a striped yellow and red shirt with a red belt and yellow pants.[7]

  • Raymond Floyd

    Floyd won the green jacket, and his tailored pants showed off brown and white saddle shoes.[7]

  • Dave Stockton

    Stockton wore a yellow ensemble with a matching white belt and shoes.[7]

  • Hale Irwin

    Irwin was easy to spot in signature glasses, and green looked good inside the ropes at Augusta.[7]

How to wear it now

  1. Pick one loud piece, a plaid trouser or a bright shirt, and keep the rest quiet.
  2. Look for polyester or a modern synthetic blend. The drape is part of the look.
  3. Try a wide-collar polo with flat-front pants or a slight flare. Have the hem shortened so it breaks once.
  4. A white belt and white shoes still work. Wear both or choose one.
  5. A plain crewneck sweater or jumper in a solid color tones down a patterned shirt.
  6. Skip the full matching set. No costume.

Where to buy

Vintage

Links open the shop's own site. Some may earn us a commission.

Sources

  1. Grey Journal, Grey Journal. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. PGA Tour, PGA Tour. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. Galvin Green, Galvin Green. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. Hermiston Herald, Hermiston Herald. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  5. Three Putt Golf, Three Putt Golf. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  6. OTT Golf Wear, OTT Golf Wear. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  7. Golf WRX, Golf WRX. Retrieved 2026-10-01.

Updated .