Why can’t pros wear shorts on the PGA Tour? Reason explored as extreme heat causes concern at FedEx St. Jude Championship

The PGA Tour players are not allowed to wear shorts because of a dress code policy of the tour. Golfers are required to wear formal attire in professional competitions, according to the rules.

The guideline was altered in 1999 to enable players to wear shorts during Pro-Am and practice rounds. They must, however, wear pants at professional events.

Golfers have been vocal about their desire to wear short pants on the golf course. In one of his previous interviews with Golf Digest, Tiger Woods said:

“I think it would be nice if we could wear shorts. I don’t know why we can’t.”

The dress code has sparked various disputes over the year, and it has recently become the talk of the town once more. The PGA Tour is currently staging the first FedEx Cup playoff tournament at the TPC Southwind. The heat index reached 111 degrees on Friday, August 11, affecting the game.

The tournament's opening round was hampered by rain and got delayed, while the second round was hampered by heat.

Some players were seen walking with an umbrella overhead, while others wore wet towels around their necks to shield their ears. Players even grumbled about the heat during a press conference with the media.

Jordan Spieth was quoted as saying by the PGA Tour:

“It felt like it was just coming off the ground. You could just feel the water coming off the ground. I'll bring two shirts from now on and change at the turn because I was struggling a bit early in the round. I had some goosebumps.

“I was telling Michael (Greller, Spieth’s caddie), this is nothing, this is nothing this week, and then today I'm like, man, I was wrong. I'm humbled. It's just a different kind of heat," he added.

Because of the heat, the caddies removed their bibs. There are rules for the golfers to wear formal dresses while caddies are safe as the PGA Tour policy has nothing regarding bib removal.

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“It was so freaking hot" - PGA Tour golfers complain about the extreme heat at FedEx St. Jude Championship

The severe heat affected golfers during the second round of the 2023 FedEx Jude Championship. They grumbled about it at the news conference following the competition.

Tom Kim, who was dressed in black pants on Friday, was sweating profusely. According to the PGA Tour, he said:

“It was so freaking hot. I had black pants on today, so I didn't really have an excuse. I'm trying to think what pant colors I have tomorrow.”

Speaking about the heat, Jordan Spieth said:

“I don't think (wearing shorts) would have made a difference at all. My shirt made me weigh five more pounds today. I don't think the pants added much to it. You'd have just seen the sweat dripping down my legs instead of having dark pants on.”

The FedEx St. Jude Championship was completed in two rounds, with Lucas Glover leading the way, followed by Jordan Spieth.