Putter & Tweed

Hole 24 · Since 2017

Women's golf dress code: collars, hem length and the leggings question

2017 to now: the LPGA's stricter code, and club rules that vary

A women's golf dress code turns on three questions: what counts as a collar, how short a hem can go, and whether leggings count as golf wear. The LPGA tightened its answers in 2017. Club rules vary, and some are far more relaxed.

So Yeon Ryu at the LPGA Kingsmill Championship in 2017, the year of the stricter code, in a pink top with white sleeves beneath
So Yeon Ryu at the LPGA Kingsmill Championship in 2017, the year of the stricter code, in a pink top with white sleeves beneath. Keith Allison / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. CC BY-SA. Source.

What it solved on the course

Women's codes add questions the men's don't: a mock neck or a collar, the length of a skirt or skort, leggings on their own or only underneath. Knowing the answers before you arrive saves a change of clothes at the first tee.

History

The collar rule is where women and men part ways. In Galvin Green's summary of the rules, men must wear a collared shirt and women need not, though many women's shirts have one anyway. A mock collar is accepted too, and on some courses so is a crewneck or even a turtleneck.

In 2017 the LPGA decided that shorts, skirts and skorts had become too revealing. A memo dated July 2 told players the stricter code would be enforced from Monday, July 17. It ruled out plunging necklines, and racerbacks unless they had a mock or regular collar. Leggings were allowed only under a skort or shorts. Workout gear and jeans of any color were barred inside the ropes. The most specific rule was the hem: long enough that your "bottom area" could not be seen "at any time, standing or bent over," under shorts or not. Breaking it cost $1,000, and the fine doubled with each further offence.

The LPGA said it had made "minor adjustments" for changing fashion trends. Critics accused it of body-shaming. Teen Vogue said it didn't see why a player couldn't look professional in leggings. Harriet Shephard of National Club Golfer argued the bans only made golf look "more boring and old-fashioned." TheWrap pointed out that the code came a few months after the LPGA had modernized what counted as golf attire, when Golf Digest applauded the tour for allowing Michelle Wie's racerback and seemingly short skirt.

Clubs write their own codes. Golfcare's UK guide sorts them into traditional, smart casual and relaxed. The traditional kind may set the color or length of a woman's skirt or dress, and Golfcare's own suggestion is no shorter than just above the knee. Relaxed clubs may allow gym leggings, though ripped or particularly revealing clothes are likely to be restricted even there.

Who wore it best

  • Michelle Wie

    A few months before the stricter code, Golf Digest applauded the LPGA for allowing her racerback and seemingly short skirt. TheWrap called the outfit more athletic than any golfer had worn before.[1]

How to dress for it now

  1. If you are not sure of the club, wear a collar or a mock neck. Save the crewneck for a course you know.
  2. Do the bend test at home. Crouch as if you were reading a putt, then bend as if you were teeing up a ball. If the hem rides up, go longer.
  3. Leggings are safest under a skort or shorts. Only wear them as trousers where the club says gym leggings are fine.
  4. Leave the racerback at home unless it has a collar. Halter tops and slogan prints fail the same test.
  5. Ask about the clubhouse as well. At a traditional club you may need smarter clothes to eat or drink inside.

Where to buy

New

Vintage

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Sources

  1. New LPGA Dress Code Under Fire for 'Body-Shaming' Players, TheWrap. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  2. New LPGA dress code an embarrassing step backwards, National Club Golfer. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  3. LPGA Informs Players It Will Enforce Stricter Dress Code Policy, Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  4. A Guide to LPGA Dress Code Rules for Golfers, GolfYet. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  5. The ultimate guide to UK golf dress codes, Golfcare. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  6. Golf Dress Code for Women: Female Golf Course Dress Rules, Galvin Green. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  7. A Stylish Look at the History of Golf Fashion, 18 Birdies. Retrieved 2026-09-30.

Updated .