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Hey friends, it’s Lizzie! Golf is the newest item on my quintessential-millennial hobby checklist, and I’m fully in my driving-range era right now — buckets of balls, a lot of laughing at myself, and a first full 18 holes on the calendar that I am equal parts excited and nervous about. The question I want to answer first isn’t about my swing (thankfully). It’s “what do you wear?” So here’s the honest answer, Florida-heat edition, from someone who is very much still a beginner.
Real talk first: my golf wardrobe is way less golf-specific than you’d think. Most of it was already in my closet.
The honest headline: I don’t own golf shoes
I play in regular sneakers. Some days it’s my everyday sneakers, some days it’s my Tory Burch sneakers, and that’s the whole shoe situation. At the driving range nobody has ever looked twice, my feet are comfortable, and I’d rather put my money into range time than into a pair of shoes for a sport I’m still learning.
Will I buy golf shoes eventually? Maybe, after my first real round, once I know whether I actually want the grip on a course. For now, sneakers it is. If you’re starting out, please don’t let “I don’t have the right shoes” be the thing that keeps you off the range.
One thing worth knowing before your first 18: some courses have a dress code, and they’re all a little different. A quick look at the course’s website or a two-minute phone call saves you an awkward moment at check-in. The range has never cared; a course might.
What I actually wear: matching sets
My formula is a matching set, almost every time. A skirt set or a shorts set, a fitted top, done. It looks put together in no time, which matters when you’re already nervous about swinging a club in front of strangers.
Where mine come from:
- Moon Dream and Sun — my own activewear line. It’s the set I reach for when I want to feel cute and actually move. The shop is coming to TikTok Shop soon. Until then, DM me on Instagram @sealillly for private orders or local pick-up.
- Glowmode sets — the activewear line at SHEIN. Affordable, soft, and they come in colors I actually want to wear in photos.
- Amazon fits — a few skirt sets I picked up to test, because sometimes you just want to try a color without a big spend. My favorites are in my golf list on Amazon.
What I’ve learned about dressing for Florida heat specifically:
- Built-in shorts under the skirt are non-negotiable. Between the swing and the wind, you want them.
- Lighter colors feel cooler when you’re standing in full sun for an hour. Dark sets are stunning; save them for early morning or late afternoon.
- Pockets matter more than I expected. Phone, glove between shots, and later on, tees and a ball marker. A skirt with real pockets earns its spot.
- Stretch beats structure. If a set looks cute but you can’t lift your arms above your head in it, it’s not a golf set.
Visor or hair bow. That’s the whole hair strategy.
Midday range session? Visor. It keeps the sun out of my eyes on the backswing and keeps my hair out of my face, which is genuinely half the battle. Golden-hour session where I know I’m filming? Hair bow, high pony, done. Both do the same job, which is keeping my hair from whipping across my face at the exact moment I’m trying to focus. One of them just photographs cuter. You know which one.
The golf-specific thing I bought: a glove
I just picked up my first golf glove on Amazon, so this is a first-impressions note, not a long-term review. I’ll update this once it’s been through a few buckets. So far: it’s already made the club feel more secure in my hands. If you’re going to buy one golf-specific thing as a beginner, this is the one I’d start with.
The rest of my golf kit was a gift: a friend gave me a complete pink RAM Axial women's set of clubs and a set of pink golf balls to start, so the glove is the one thing I bought myself.
What I’m adding before my first 18
This is my shopping list, not a recommendation list, because I haven’t played a full round yet and I’m not going to pretend otherwise:
- A pack of tees and a ball marker, because showing up to a course without tees is apparently a rookie giveaway.
- A small bag or crossbody that fits a water bottle, sunscreen, my phone and a snack. Four hours in Florida sun is a long time.
- Sunscreen I’ll actually reapply, and a big water bottle. Not glamorous, just necessary.
- Not buying yet: golf shoes. I’ll decide after round one.
The Florida timing rule
Ten years of training in Florida heat taught me one thing that applies to golf too: plan around the sun, not through it. Early morning and late afternoon are the sweet spot for the range. Keep midday sessions shorter, with more water and a shade break between buckets, and stop before you start feeling it rather than after. The heat ends the round before the golf does, every time. This is also why light colors and a visor are not a style choice for me; they are the difference between finishing a bucket and calling it early.
My range-day checklist
- Matching set with built-in shorts and pockets
- Regular sneakers (or the Tory Burch ones if I’m feeling fancy)
- Visor or hair bow
- Golf glove (this is mine)
- My pink clubs and pink balls (a friend gave me the set to start)
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a full water bottle
- A little bit of humility. The range is humbling, and that’s the fun part.
That’s it. That’s the whole list. If you’ve been putting off the range because you feel like you need a full golf wardrobe first, consider this your permission slip: wear the cute set you already own, grab a glove, and go hit a bucket. Your 30s are the best decade to be a beginner at something. Let’s gooo. ⛳️🌴
⛳️ My golf and Florida-heat finds
The sets, the visor and the glove, all in one place.
Your Questions, Answered
Do you need golf shoes as a beginner? Not for the driving range. I play in regular sneakers. Some courses have dress codes, so check before your first full round, but don’t let shoes be the reason you never start.
What should women wear golfing in Florida heat? A light, stretchy matching set with built-in shorts and pockets, a visor or something to keep hair off your face, sunscreen and plenty of water. Save dark colors for early morning or late afternoon.
Is a golf glove worth it for a beginner? It was the first golf-specific thing I bought, and it made the club feel more secure in my hands. If you buy one thing, start there.
Related reading
- Learning Golf in My 30s: My First Trip to the Driving Range
- Beginner Golf Tips for Women in Their 30s
- Golfing in Pittsburgh vs. Florida: What Actually Changes
- Why Florida Is Still the Best State for Your 30s
- Elevating Activewear in Your 30s (Without Buying All New Pieces)
- Loving Pink Again in My 30s (And Still Doing the Badass Sports)
