Tiger Woods, wearing shorts, lines up a putt on the second hole during competition in the 2005 Tavistock Cup at Isleworth Country Club March 29. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Odds are if you have hit the links at any point in your life you were probably wearing shorts. That tends to be the case for those who enjoy hitting 18 holes on any given day, but professionals have been typically been prohibited from wearing shorts when on tour and participating in tournaments. A new rule adopted by the European Tour may be opening up the door for the pros to start wearing shorts in the golf world, but as with any change in the sports world, it cannot be done without some sort of debate over the sanctity of the game. Or something like that.

Keith Pelley, the Chief Executive of the European Tour, says allowing golfers to wear shorts during practice rounds at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club (shorts are still not allowed during actual tournaments, yet) is nothing but a move forward in modernizing the sport, and it has been received well thus far.

“The players have embraced it,” he said. “Shorts are a natural evolution to help modernise the game. It puts our players first and our fans first as well. The fashion of golf is something that the youth adopt. We will have strong rules, but there will be some fashion statements, and it’s a great start.”

The move to allow golfers to wear shorts has been praised by some, including Rory McIlroy.

“I like it. I think it’s a good idea to let guys wear shorts in practise rounds. I probably just need a couple more weeks in the sun to get my legs out in public! I think all the guys enjoy wearing shorts, especially in practise, and especially if it gets hot, I think it’s a good idea.”

What si there not to like about allowing players to wear shorts? It starts with the perception that the sport of golf is above trying to do some things that make the game feel cooler to a younger audience. If the idea that a younger generation is being turned off by golf because the rules are restrictive enough to force participants to wear pants even in the hottest temperatures, then it is clear the sport battles an odd ageist issue. The European Tour having Pelley rationally explain this as a move to modernize the game speaks for itself; the sport as a whole needs to attract a younger audience, and allowing players to wear shorts is a step in that direction.

Amazingly, this whole issue about shorts is going to be a battle it seems, as the PGA Tour may not be quick to follow in the footsteps laid by the European Tour. Again, we have an image problem. The PGA Tour wants to be seen as the leaders in the golfing world, instead of the followers. Jordan Spieth is already among those adamant in allowing for those on the PGA Tour to wear shorts.

“I think it’s awesome,” Spieth said in a story posted by CBSSports.com. “I think it will be something that I would love to see on the PGA Tour, as well. Guys seem to all love it over here. And most of the guys that are really talking highly of it are the older guys oddly enough. Yeah, I think it’s a great move.”

So the question must be asked. Are you pro shorts, or anti-shorts?

[CBS Sports, The Telegraph]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.