Competition is fierce today during the final round of the Masters. And while we’ve no idea who’ll be wearing the green jacket tonight, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano wins the green polo.
While his American opponents have played the past four days clad in logo-laden, mercerized and moisture-wicking technologically enhanced golf shirts, Spain’s Fernandez-Castano has played each day wearing the kind of plain old classic untreated and unadorned polo shirts available wherever Ralph Lauren goods are sold. He even pops the collar.
Once again the foreigners outdo us in the sartorial Americana department. — CC
Senor Fernandez-Castano was dubbed one of the worst-dressed golfers by thegolfwriters.com. He was photographed wearing a pink, Polo sweater-vest and a striped golf shirt with the collar popped: http://thegolfwriters.com/weekend-losers-style-watch/
If one feels obliged to advertıse via a logo, one should stick to Lacoste. Otherwıse, choose the understated elegance of a logo-free LL Bean or Lands’ End polo.
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano gets paid to wear Polo, as did (does) Love and Watson. I do know that Watson shopped at Mister Guys and Jack Henry’s Club Shop on the Plaza as a youth, both ivy/trad shops in KC at the time. Both shops are, were, very close to his prep school. I’ve seen him shopping in Brooks, Guys, Henrys and the Polo Shop. Watson is a pretty tasteful guy and will talk to anyone.
Back to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, try to find a photo of him on the course without his collar “popped”. Is it a fashion statement or the purpose of the collar or both? All the photos I see of him playing he’s conservatively dressed. Could Thegolfwriters be jealous of his hot wife or prefer more forward leaning course attire? If it’s the latter, then I imagine they went orgasmic when sports teams began “updating” their uniforms years ago. For example, the Denver Broncos’ huge orange spermatozoa flowing down the side of the uniform, progress?
An older gentleman I played golf with occasionally wore his collar “popped” most of the time. He supposedly had grown up in a wealthy family, was educated in France before WW2, and was a Marine fighter pilot during WW2. A steel executive in the post war period, his stories ran the extremes from dating starlets to driving the finest cars known to man. A very low talker in conversation, he oozed class. Most of us guys, including myself, felt of a lower station than he.
His taste in clothes was impeccable, but threadbare. Everything he owned seemed decades old. His golf shoes were tattered, but neatly polished. He drove a Chevy Cobalt, reputedly because his wife was short, and couldn’t drive a large car. He and his wife lived in a very modest home. One day, while he was sitting next to me at the golf course, I couldn’t help but notice his SS and gold Rolex. He certainly posed with it enough times, but that day, I noticed the telltale sign of the second hand pulsating each second instead of the smooth movement of a Rolex. I was indeed shocked that he was wearing a fake.
Whether this guy was a total phony is up for question. I’ll still say he was one of the classiest guys I ever knew. The last I heard, he and his wife were in some sort of nursing or assisted living home. Every time I see a collar “popped” I think of that guy.
Whoah, let’s hear more about this guy. I’m especially interested that you could actually see the movement of his watch’s second hand, and what’s more, knew what to look for.
You’ve got great themes for a work of fiction here. The guy who’s a phony but actually classier than the classy guys he’s pretending to be.
I was out hitting a bucket at the muni course in Napa. All around me were gentlemen in moisture-wicking shirts and logo laden hats. One guy was wearing blue jeans! (I cringe when I see blue jeans at a golf course.)
I used to wear the logo hats, then a close friend said if I’m not a professional golfer and I’m not getting paid to wear it, don’t wear it.
As for the moisture wicking shirts, I don’t like how they feel. A good, old reliable pique cotton golf shirt works for me!
Now excuse me gentlemen as I head out for a quick nine holes with my vintage clubs!
The day I saw the watch, he was sitting at a table to my right as I tallied up scores from our morning league. A cheaper quartz timepiece or a fake Rolex (battery quartz) will pulsate every second. A mechanical watch’s second hand will pulsate, but almost imperceptibly. My own Rolex Datejust, bought in 1978 for about $ 300, has a second hand that moves very smoothly. Why I bought a Rolex defies explanation. Young and foolish, no doubt. The more expensive fake Rolexes have a mechanical movement, so they would be more difficult to detect. Other telltale signs of my friend’s watch is that the case and bracelet seemed beat up more than normal. Rolex stainless patina gets better with the years.
Anyhow, a couple more comments about my golf buddy. I was told that he had been educated as a medical doctor, and had lost his first wife and small children in a automobile accident. He also had been shot down in the Pacific by a Japanese pilot in a dogfight. He had been drafted as a private and took Marine enlisted basic training before entering flight school. The guy was born in 1923 or 24, so the dates just don’t add up.
As far as romantics are involved, he supposedly dated a TV fitness expert in the early 1960’s, until she suggested marriage and adopting children. The best way I could describe the guy is that he looked very much like Humphrey Bogart, the same toothy grin (or sneer?) Very debonair in his eighties.
How vintage are your clubs? I play on occasion with hickory shafts, in addition to early steel shafts, (pyratone covered steel shafts made to look like wood). I occasionally play also with 1969 Haig Ultras with aluminum shafts.
Sometimes, great golf finds can be gotten in thrift stores. Newer stuff however, hickories are too rare and valuable to find there.
And I enjoy golfing in early spring. Sometimes I’ll wear a cotton long sleeve dress shirt, just like Bobby Jones and the art deco era golfers. No tie, though, someone would cart me off to the funny farm.
I have three sets of vintage clubs. A late 60’s Jack Nicklaus McGregors RO85 Champion blades, a 1974-5? Jack Nicklaus McGregor VIP blade irons, then a set I put together through thrift store finds. From what I can tell, some are made in the 1940’s.
Im always looking for hickory shafted clubs. The clubs I have from the 40’s have a look like they just pre-dated the hickory era. The clubheads have that very old look to them. I don’t play those. The original grips are still on them. I just gently hit them on the driving range. I don’t think they can hit the modern golf ball.
I’m looking into buying a hickory shafted wedge and putter from Louisville Golf. Sorry for the long reply. As you can see, I love vintage clubs!
Just had time to read the WSJ article. It’s really amazing what some people can accomplish with no scruples and bravado. Really something.
One other thing I remember about my golf buddy. He told me that he had some sort of Swiss Cronometer that he used while a fighter pilot. He said he contacted the manufacturer in Switzerland, and after much correspondence, he ended up selling it back to the company for $ 10,000. The company, he said, wanted it for their archives.
After reading that WSJ article, I hope he was only wowing his golf mates, not anything darker.
My last comment on my golf buddy. (I swear I’ll quit.) He actually could make you believe a Chevy Cobalt was an exotic car; you almost wanted one after he extolled its virtues.
@Wriggles
Great reflection about your golf buddy. A collar popped for me is all about the sun baking my neck in desert weather. Dermatologist recommended!
I think we too frequently mistake foreign pastiche for “Americana done right.” But in this case, I agree.
Regardless, I bet Señor Fernandez-Castano is would trade that RL polo for a logo-laden synthetic shirt in a heartbeat if the price was right.
hate the visor as headwear-wear a whole hate for cryin out loud. . . .
hate the visor as headwear-wear a whole hat for cryin out loud. . . .
Senor Fernandez-Castano was dubbed one of the worst-dressed golfers by thegolfwriters.com. He was photographed wearing a pink, Polo sweater-vest and a striped golf shirt with the collar popped: http://thegolfwriters.com/weekend-losers-style-watch/
If one feels obliged to advertıse via a logo, one should stick to Lacoste. Otherwıse, choose the understated elegance of a logo-free LL Bean or Lands’ End polo.
Bring on Davis Love III
or Tom Watson
Payne Stewart.
Bobby Jones!!!!!!!!
Yes yes, but none of those guys was at the Masters!
Tom Watson was at the Masters, I was there… and so was he (playing)
Bobby Jones built the course. 😉
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano gets paid to wear Polo, as did (does) Love and Watson. I do know that Watson shopped at Mister Guys and Jack Henry’s Club Shop on the Plaza as a youth, both ivy/trad shops in KC at the time. Both shops are, were, very close to his prep school. I’ve seen him shopping in Brooks, Guys, Henrys and the Polo Shop. Watson is a pretty tasteful guy and will talk to anyone.
Back to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, try to find a photo of him on the course without his collar “popped”. Is it a fashion statement or the purpose of the collar or both? All the photos I see of him playing he’s conservatively dressed. Could Thegolfwriters be jealous of his hot wife or prefer more forward leaning course attire? If it’s the latter, then I imagine they went orgasmic when sports teams began “updating” their uniforms years ago. For example, the Denver Broncos’ huge orange spermatozoa flowing down the side of the uniform, progress?
An older gentleman I played golf with occasionally wore his collar “popped” most of the time. He supposedly had grown up in a wealthy family, was educated in France before WW2, and was a Marine fighter pilot during WW2. A steel executive in the post war period, his stories ran the extremes from dating starlets to driving the finest cars known to man. A very low talker in conversation, he oozed class. Most of us guys, including myself, felt of a lower station than he.
His taste in clothes was impeccable, but threadbare. Everything he owned seemed decades old. His golf shoes were tattered, but neatly polished. He drove a Chevy Cobalt, reputedly because his wife was short, and couldn’t drive a large car. He and his wife lived in a very modest home. One day, while he was sitting next to me at the golf course, I couldn’t help but notice his SS and gold Rolex. He certainly posed with it enough times, but that day, I noticed the telltale sign of the second hand pulsating each second instead of the smooth movement of a Rolex. I was indeed shocked that he was wearing a fake.
Whether this guy was a total phony is up for question. I’ll still say he was one of the classiest guys I ever knew. The last I heard, he and his wife were in some sort of nursing or assisted living home. Every time I see a collar “popped” I think of that guy.
Whoah, let’s hear more about this guy. I’m especially interested that you could actually see the movement of his watch’s second hand, and what’s more, knew what to look for.
You’ve got great themes for a work of fiction here. The guy who’s a phony but actually classier than the classy guys he’s pretending to be.
This reminds me of “The Man in the Rockefeller Suit.” German-born Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter foisted himself as Clark Rockefeller through his courtly manners and his impeccable clothes. Many of his suits were purchased from J.Press or Brooks Brothers: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576321331878555032.html#articleTabs%3Darticle
I was out hitting a bucket at the muni course in Napa. All around me were gentlemen in moisture-wicking shirts and logo laden hats. One guy was wearing blue jeans! (I cringe when I see blue jeans at a golf course.)
I used to wear the logo hats, then a close friend said if I’m not a professional golfer and I’m not getting paid to wear it, don’t wear it.
As for the moisture wicking shirts, I don’t like how they feel. A good, old reliable pique cotton golf shirt works for me!
Now excuse me gentlemen as I head out for a quick nine holes with my vintage clubs!
@ Christian
The day I saw the watch, he was sitting at a table to my right as I tallied up scores from our morning league. A cheaper quartz timepiece or a fake Rolex (battery quartz) will pulsate every second. A mechanical watch’s second hand will pulsate, but almost imperceptibly. My own Rolex Datejust, bought in 1978 for about $ 300, has a second hand that moves very smoothly. Why I bought a Rolex defies explanation. Young and foolish, no doubt. The more expensive fake Rolexes have a mechanical movement, so they would be more difficult to detect. Other telltale signs of my friend’s watch is that the case and bracelet seemed beat up more than normal. Rolex stainless patina gets better with the years.
Anyhow, a couple more comments about my golf buddy. I was told that he had been educated as a medical doctor, and had lost his first wife and small children in a automobile accident. He also had been shot down in the Pacific by a Japanese pilot in a dogfight. He had been drafted as a private and took Marine enlisted basic training before entering flight school. The guy was born in 1923 or 24, so the dates just don’t add up.
As far as romantics are involved, he supposedly dated a TV fitness expert in the early 1960’s, until she suggested marriage and adopting children. The best way I could describe the guy is that he looked very much like Humphrey Bogart, the same toothy grin (or sneer?) Very debonair in his eighties.
As I said, the classiest guy I ever met.
@ Skip
How vintage are your clubs? I play on occasion with hickory shafts, in addition to early steel shafts, (pyratone covered steel shafts made to look like wood). I occasionally play also with 1969 Haig Ultras with aluminum shafts.
Sometimes, great golf finds can be gotten in thrift stores. Newer stuff however, hickories are too rare and valuable to find there.
And I enjoy golfing in early spring. Sometimes I’ll wear a cotton long sleeve dress shirt, just like Bobby Jones and the art deco era golfers. No tie, though, someone would cart me off to the funny farm.
I have three sets of vintage clubs. A late 60’s Jack Nicklaus McGregors RO85 Champion blades, a 1974-5? Jack Nicklaus McGregor VIP blade irons, then a set I put together through thrift store finds. From what I can tell, some are made in the 1940’s.
Im always looking for hickory shafted clubs. The clubs I have from the 40’s have a look like they just pre-dated the hickory era. The clubheads have that very old look to them. I don’t play those. The original grips are still on them. I just gently hit them on the driving range. I don’t think they can hit the modern golf ball.
I’m looking into buying a hickory shafted wedge and putter from Louisville Golf. Sorry for the long reply. As you can see, I love vintage clubs!
@ Mitchell S.
Just had time to read the WSJ article. It’s really amazing what some people can accomplish with no scruples and bravado. Really something.
One other thing I remember about my golf buddy. He told me that he had some sort of Swiss Cronometer that he used while a fighter pilot. He said he contacted the manufacturer in Switzerland, and after much correspondence, he ended up selling it back to the company for $ 10,000. The company, he said, wanted it for their archives.
After reading that WSJ article, I hope he was only wowing his golf mates, not anything darker.
My last comment on my golf buddy. (I swear I’ll quit.) He actually could make you believe a Chevy Cobalt was an exotic car; you almost wanted one after he extolled its virtues.
@Wriggles
Great reflection about your golf buddy. A collar popped for me is all about the sun baking my neck in desert weather. Dermatologist recommended!