Fashion Insider: Calling out the worst from Ryder Cup closets
By Man in the Black Hat, PGATOUR.COM Fashion Insider
It's always fun to look back at photos from days gone by and wonder what on Earth possessed us to wear what we wore and to cut our hair the way we did. Everyone has skeletons in their closet that they're not particularly proud of, The Man In The Black Hat included (hockey hair and a Simon Le Bon inspired wardrobe, circa 1984).
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Who knows, 20 years from now last week's enthusiastic preview of the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup uniforms may well end up being a highly regrettable analysis. Though doubtful, it is certainly within the realm of possibility.
Undeterred, let's relive some of the most memorable (and by memorable I mean ill advised) looks in modern Ryder Cup history. After all, if we refuse to learn from our previous mistakes, we are destined to repeat them. Though bad taste knows no borders, and while The Man In The Black Hat plays no favorites between the U.S. or European sides when it comes to matters of style, American faux pas seem to be more prevalent based on what lies below:
• 2002 at the Belfry was the either the year of the missing Ryder Cup logos, making Phil Mickelson, Mark Calcavecchia, and David Toms look like the non-members at a member-guest -- or it was the year Paul Azinger wanted to punch his caddy for wearing that 'over-the-top' bib. Take your pick.
• 1999 at Brookline Country Club may is still talked about today because of a "perceived" breach of etiquette on the 17th green during Sunday singles, but it all really started on the first tee on that final day with the first pairing, when the U.S. showed up in horrendous burgundy team shirts that featured a collage of past U.S. Ryder Cup winning teams. The Man In The Black Hat appreciates any sentiment that honors history, but next time, let's keep the photos neatly in the album where they belong.
• Was it only 13 years ago that the double pleated trouser was so popular? Apparently so, as evidenced by the Spanish duo of Ignacio Garrido and Jose Maria Olazabal in 1997 at Valderrama. Love them or hate them, the double pleat was, and remains, the bain of the fastidious, taking the art of pressing a trouser to a razor's edge to a level of frustration previously unseen.
• 1995 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., bore witness to the U.S. team greeting the European side with open lapels, while salmon was apparently the catch of the day for Europe.
• Two years prior, in 1993 at the Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England, something happened to the late Payne Stewart's signature plus fours that is difficult to explain. Yes, it's probably just a combination of the camera angle and an ill-timed breeze, but The Man In The Black Hat can't recall Stewart ever looking as much like he was wearing coolats as this. Perhaps the tailor thought the ample Ted Ray was going to show up to play in the matches.
• Team Bushwood? Hardly, but it sure looks like the 1983 U.S. team raided the Caddyshack wardrobe truck. Not pictured: Al Czervik.
• Taking the hot tub time machine back a bit further for the sake of posterity, it seems that the 1971 British Ryder Cup team took enough time to kit themselves with matching bags of the both golf and shag variety, but left the apparel somewhat to chance.
• In 1961, U.S. Ryder Cup team members doubled as milkmen. Take note, Mr. Ryan Moore.
See you in 2030. I'm sure we'll have lots of ammunition, some of it pointed directly at 2010.
Black Hat Ticker
Jim Furyk battled through inclement weather on Sunday to win THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola and the FedExCup in one fell swoop at East Lake Golf Club, opting to employ a baseball inspired rally cap look on a couple of separate occasions. The look worked with particular effectiveness on the 18th green, though the style was more functional than it was superstitious in an effort to combat drops of rain falling from the brim of the cap while putting.
Although The Man In The Black Hat is a fan of Phil Mickelson's custom belt from House of Fleming and the custom skinned Callaway cleats that match, we have grown somewhat weary of the brown belt / brown shoe combination, as stylish as they may be. Here's hoping Phil has more variety in store for us in 2010.
The Man in the Black Hat is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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