A Scary, Spooky, Golf-Themed Halloween
Boo! Happy Halloween!
Halloween is one of the greatest holidays to celebrate, and it’s not just for young kids and college-aged girls anymore. The weather is still warm enough to be outside, and who doesn’t like to dress up like your favorite (or least favorite) athlete and eat lots of candy? Plus, Halloween falls on a Friday this year, so you it won’t cut into your early morning tee time on Sunday. Although we watch endless horror films and tell ghost stories, Halloween doesn’t have to be spooky and scary, and as an avid golfer, why not throw a little bit of your favorite game into the mix?
Golf-tacular Costumes
Grab some argyle patterns, flat hats, sweater vests, and puffy capri pants, and you’ve got yourself a golf costume. If you’re a woman, grab a pattern skirt and a polo and you’re all set. You can even dress the little one up as a golfer, cause who doesn’t love a baby in plaid? 
A few weeks back, I was nice enough to compile a list of my favorite golfers and their outfits. If you aren’t into all of that gorey stuff, why not go trick-or-treating as one of your favorite golfers? It’s easy enough to throw on a red shirt, black slacks, and a hat and go out as Sunday Tiger. Do you have matching neon pants and shirt? Perfect! You’re Rickie Fowler. Of course, if you can find a pair of pants with some wacky designs and pair it with a shirt with more awesome designs, you can be John Daly. And, if you want to get a few laughs (and probably some stares) grab an old sweater, glue some photos of some of your old high school teams on it, and BAM! You’re the 1999 US Ryder Cup team.
If you do want get a little more creative, use some old turf grass to make a vest or shirt, connect a flag to a hat and go as the green. If you have a significant other, one of you can be the golfer, and the other can be the green! If you’re really into crafting, you can paper mache some ball-shaped chicken wire and transform yourself into a golf ball.
And if you are into all of that blood and gore, check out actor Kyle MacLachlan’s head. If you have a knack for Hollywood makeup, cut a golf ball in half, glue it to your head, and your costume is a golf accident. You’ll be sure to make the little kids scream… and what more could you want on Halloween?
Of course if you want to go as your favorite caveman, just grab a sheet and a fake bone and you’re good to go.
Ghostly Golf Goodies
Besides the costumes and the candy, Halloween decorations are the best part of the holiday. I love seeing the houses with skeletons and coffins and tombstones out in the yard. Pumpkins are a must-have, so make sure to find the perfect silhouette of a golfer in his backswing to carve into it.
If you’re like me, and have too many golf balls just hanging around, why not paint them orange and make your own mini-Jack-o-Lanterns.
This year, instead of a haunted house, why not a haunted mini-golf course? Make the Jack-o-Lanterns the holes and decorate with spider webs, zombies, and anything else that scares you and your guests.
The best idea I’ve heard about is a golf cart parade decorated for Halloween. It’s like mini-float dressed up for the season. And who’s to say the cart needs to be limited to the parade? Next time you hit the course, bring it with you, and you’ll be the talk of the country club.
Don’t Spook the Golfers!
Now let’s keep in mind that not everyone is into Halloween. Golfers are some of the most superstitious athletes out there. Wearing their lucky shirt and carrying their lucky tees keeps them calm and successful on the links. A holiday like Halloween with its own built in superstitions and spooky vibe can really throw off anyone who believes in luck that much.
Decorations and costumes may be the least of the worries for some golfers, when fear and scary things are in the air and being celebrated. As the great Sam Snead once said, “Of all the hazards, fear is the worst.”