In Praise of the Golf Vest

When you have a regular golf foursome, you are signing up for peer pressure. All it takes is one person who wants to play in the rain, or when the temperature drops below freezing, to get you out there enduring some unpleasantness for the sake of the game.

The best way to stay warm is to dress in layers. Near freezing I find myself wearing long underwear tops and bottoms, heavier trousers than normal for golf, a fleece, a vest, and a windproof outer layer.

The trick is to avoid piling on so much clothing that it inhibits your swing. The fact is that I do feel my swing inhibited unless I'm only wearing one layer, but you can reduce this with loose layers.

This is where the vest shines - giving you core warmth without restricting your arms. I wear a fleece vest for milder temps and an insulated vest that zips up high for the coldest days.

When it's dry I wear a Patagonia lightweight down sweater. You can also use your rain gear in a pinch as the windproof layer.