Turn on the PGA Tour during the weekend and you will notice that nearly every player is wearing a hat.
Wearing a hat while golfing has become a popular trend over the past half a century and for good reason.
Why has this change to golf attire become so popular? We’ll we’ve found 5 main reasons why most golfers, from pros to amateurs, wear a golf hat on the course.
In the article below, we are going to cover all you need to know about why most pro golfers wear hats, why you should consider wearing one, and which type to wear. We have a lot to cover so let’s get started.
5 Reasons Why Pro Golfers Wear Hats?
We can look to the professionals for a glimpse into what it takes to succeed in golf.
Typically, if a golf pro practices a certain way or wears a golf accessory, it means its helpful to their golf game.
This certainly holds true for the golf hat. Wearing a golf hat offers many benefits on the course. Keep reading below for a list of 5 reasons why professional golfers wear hats during their round.
1.) Protection From The Elements
Wearing a hat provides protection from the elements on and off the course. A golf hat is a golfer’s best friend on a rainy day.
It protects a golfers face wet weather and allows them to focus on their shot. Looking for the perfect hat for a rainy day? Check out our article on best golf rain hats.
2.) Perfect Spot For A Sponsorship
Golf hats have a purpose outside of helping a pro golfer play well during their round. Golf hats are prime real estate for sponsorship placement.
Golfers have the ability to pick and choose their sponsors. With this, pro golfers will often have several different sponsors on their clothes.
These sponsorships are worth tens of thousands of dollars. Pros not wearing a hat miss out on this additional revenue source.
3.) Shield From Sun Glare
Anyone who has played golf knows the impact that the sun can have on their visibility.
Sun glares are common on the course and can nearly blind a golfer in some situations.
Hats provide a shield from the sun and allow a player to stay focused on their swing and ball.
You may be thinking why not just wear sunglasses to prevent sun glares.
However, almost no pro players wear sunglasses while playing.
The main reason for this is sunglasses can distort a players view of the course.
If you are interested in learning more on why golfers don’t wear sunglasses, check out our article ‘5 Reasons Why Golf Pros Don’t Wear Sunglasses.’
4.) Make A Fashion Statement
Pro golfers wear hats because they offer many practical benefits. However, golfers also wear hats because it fits their style. Golf hats come in all shapes and sizes.
From visors to straw hats, bucket hats to the Scally Cap.
All of these hats serve a similar purpose but have their own distinct look. A hat allows a player to express themselves through there golf attire.
5.) Protect and Prevent Sweating
It doesn’t take much to start sweating on the golf course on a summer day. Hats offer relief from excess sweat which is another big reason players like to wear hats while golfing.
Hats help prevent sweat in two ways. They limit the amount of sunlight to the face and head which reduces overall sweat production.
Hats also help absorb the sweat coming off a golfer’ head. Hats protection against sweat is invaluable on the course as it allows players to stay focused on hot and sweaty days.
When Did Golfers Start Wearing Hats?
If you look at old golf photos, you will notice that old school golf attire did not include a hat. This begs the question of what happened over the past half a century that led to golfers wearing hats.
We suggested some of the reasons why golfers started to wear hats above, but there are a couple reasons for this change.
Sponsorship placement is a big driver on why hats have become so popular on tour. A golf hat can be worth several thousand dollars to PGA tour professionals so its no wonder why they all wear them.
The other reason is the modernization of golf. Golf traditions and strict dress codes have become more relaxed over the past couple decades.
This transformation led to more variety of golf attire on tour which included the use of golf hats.
Why Do Most Pro Golfers Wear Baseball Hats?
The baseball cap style of golf hat is the most popular at the moment but there are several other options. Visors, bucket hats, and straw hats all have their place on the course. All these styles of hats offer protection from the elements while having their own pros and cons.
Players likely gravitate to the baseball because of its snug fit and low profile. Visors offer a similar low profile as well as allow your head to breathe.
Bucket hats offer optimal protection on rainy days and Scally caps show off a certain style. Regardless of what hat you choose, they all offer benefits to improve your game.
Why Do Some Players Not Wear A Hat?
Its uncommon to see a player on tour without a hat, but some do choose to not wear them.
Given all the good reasons above, its hard to understand why they would pass on wearing a hat. So why could this be?
Choosing not to wear a hat really comes down to personal preference. Some golfers do not like the feel of a hat on their head when golfing. At the end of the day, all that matters to the pros is playing well during their round. For some, that means leaving the hat at home.
Why Do Pro Golfers Take Off Hats Before Shaking Hands At The Conclusion Of The Round?
A foundational tradition of golf is the shaking of hands at the end of a round. Taking your hat off before doing so is part of the tradition.
Similar to taking your hat off for the national anthem or before sitting down for a formal dinner, removal of your hat before any act is a show of respect.
This is true for shaking hands at the end of a round of golf. Next time you end your round, act like the pros and take your hat off before shaking hands. It’s a sign of respect and is a classy act.
Final Thoughts
Pro golfers wear hats for a variety of reasons. They have many benefits to their game as well as offer pro players a way to earn more through sponsors.
Hats give all level of golfers the ability to weather the elements to play their best game.
If you have been playing golf hatless, we would suggest giving it a try. It offers many benefits that can improve your game!
Hopefully you liked this article and found it informative. Check out our other blog posts if you liked this one!
