PLUS FOURS
A number of golfers suffer under the delusion that 'plus fours' as the baggy knickers are known, derived its name from the fact that the tailors added four inches to the usual measurements to ensure extra freedom. The facts are quite different.
The reason why the baggy trousers suit came to be named 'plus fours' is that when golfers took to wearing the suit, because of the ease and freedom of movements, it was humorously considered necessary to be a first-class player before one would dare to wear such a suit.
Before the present British national system of handicapping was introduced, which places the best players at scratch,the club handicap system allowed the having of backmarkers of one or more strokes, the maximum being four so that a par excellence golfer was handicapped plus 4 (or four plus). The plus four which indexed a player's golfing prowess and entitled him to wear the suit eventually became, therefore the name by which the suit was known.
Before the present British national system of handicapping was introduced, which places the best players at scratch,the club handicap system allowed the having of backmarkers of one or more strokes, the maximum being four so that a par excellence golfer was handicapped plus 4 (or four plus). The plus four which indexed a player's golfing prowess and entitled him to wear the suit eventually became, therefore the name by which the suit was known.
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