The city golf course in Brockton, Massachusetts has instituted a dress code that requires collared shirts and bans jeans, cutoff shorts, and t shirts.

Public reaction understandably is mixed. While some welcome the new code, others defend their right to dress like bums.

I suppose the bums have a point. It is a city course, and as taxpayers they have as much right to it as anyone else. On the other hand, I have noticed that when people are dressed up, their behavior also improves. It’s one thing to swear and throw clubs and swill beer when you’re in t shirts and cut offs. That impulse seems to fade when you’re dressed in khakis and a nice golf shirt.

I can absolutely tell you that on days when the students in my classs are dressed up for a function, their behavior is significantly better.

Interestingly, two of the local courses that I avoid don’t have a dress code. I don’t know if there’s any connection, but these courses also have horribly slow play, and are not particularly well-kept, in terms of trash and such. (Strangely, they are also not any cheaper than surrounding courses)

Clearly, privately owned courses that are open to the public can set a dress code. It is, after all, their property. But I dont’ know about taxpayer financed and subsidized courses.

So I think I’m going to sit squarely on the fence on this one. I like to “dress up” to play golf—I actually think I play better when I’m dressed better. But I’d like to know what others think. Is it appropriate for a municipal course to set a “country club casual” dress code?