Fashion crimes: Why we dress like lost rockstars

GOLF IS A sport known for silence, discipline, polite clapping, and scorecards that can humble the strongest souls.

- Rahil Gangjee

But beneath this serene surface lies a wild, chaotic, rebellious streak—one that does not show up in our swings, our strategy, or our calm expressions. It shows up in our clothes.

Yes, I’m talking about the fashion crimes of golf—those loud trousers, neon caps, retina-blinding shirts, and colour combinations so catastrophic they could trigger a weather alert. If the rest of the world assumes golfers dress like CEOs on vacation, they clearly haven’t seen the full circus. And before I throw anyone under the golf cart, let me confess: I, Rahil Gangjee, was once a fully active participant in these crimes.

If you dig up my old photos, you will find a younger version of me wearing shades of orange, yellow, turquoise, and bright blue that had no business existing on fabric. At one point, I’m pretty sure I wore a shade of green that wasn’t legal in most countries. My closets were basically a tropical bird sanctuary. The logic, back then, was simple: “If I can’t intimidate them with my distance, maybe I can blind them”

My fashion misadventures (a confession)

When you're young on the tour, you think you're invincible. You also think the louderyourclothes, the betteryour golf will magically become. Something about bright clothing gives you a false sense of power—likewearing fluorescent givesyou +10 yards off the tee.

I’d walk onto a tee box feeling like a superhero, only to top the first shot 40 yards. Nothing humbles you faster than chunking a wedge while wearing a shirt that looks like it’s sponsored by a Holi festival.

I once walked into the locker room wearing a coral-pink trouser and sunshine-yellow shirt. One senior pro looked at me and said: “Rahil, are you playing golf or auditioning for a boyband?”

And honestly? He had a point. I looked like a backup dancer who got lost on the way to rehearsal. But trust me—I wasn’t alone.