The Presidents Cup lands at Medinah Country Club September 22 to 27, and for six days a private course in the western suburbs becomes the best-dressed walk in Chicago. Brandt Snedeker's Team USA, Geoff Ogilvy's International side, and a gallery that will cover several miles on foot before the day is out.
Which is the part nobody plans for. This is not a golf outfit. It is a (long) day outfit that happens to be at a golf course — cold at the shuttle, warm by the turn, windy on the exposed holes, and with nowhere to put anything you take off.
Read the bag rule first
Before you choose a single piece: no bag larger than six inches by six inches. Not a tote, not a crossbody of any real size, not a backpack. A clear carry no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 if you go that way.
A six-inch square holds a phone, a card and a lipstick. It does not hold a jacket, a water bottle, a scarf or a spare layer. So the outfit has to carry the day itself — which means pockets, and layers you are willing to tie around your waist for a few hours.
Pockets are the whole brief
The Rhone Revive 7/8 Pocket Legging ($108) is the piece this event was almost designed around — real pockets, a fabric that holds its shape across a nine-hour day, and a leg that reads polished rather than gym. In Dark Espresso or Navy Blue it sits comfortably in a country club gallery.
If you would rather not wear a legging, the TravisMathew Cloud Terry Wide Leg Pant ($119.95) in Heather Natural is the softer, looser option — though you give up the pockets, so plan accordingly.
The layer that does the real work
One piece matters more than everything else here, and it is your mid layer.
The Rhone Mirage Anorak ($158) is our pick and not a close call. It is a quarter-zip anorak that handles wind and a light rain line, packs down small enough to knot at your waist when the afternoon warms, and in Sand or Black looks intentional rather than sporty. On an exposed Medinah hole with a north wind, this is the difference between staying for the last group and leaving at four.
For a warmer forecast, the Fore-té Nicole Cropped Jacket ($112) in Ecru or Oxford is the lighter answer — cropped, easy over a knit, and cut for exactly this kind of day.
Underneath
Start with something thin enough to disappear. The Rhone Serene Tank ($68) works as a true base layer, and the Rhone DreamGlow Mock Neck ($128) is the better choice for a cold start — a higher neck buys you real warmth without a scarf you would then have to carry.
The TravisMathew Cloud Terry Crew ($99.95) is the middle path: soft, warm, and it looks deliberate with the anorak over the top.
Shoes, honestly
Parking is a ten to twenty minute shuttle from the West Entrance, and then you walk the course. This is a several-mile day.
Wear something you have already worn for a full day on your feet. A clean leather sneaker or a low trail shoe. Not a boot with any heel, not a new pair, and not white if there is any chance of morning dew — Medinah's grass will be wet until mid-morning and it will end a white sole immediately.
What to skip
- A tote. It will not get through the gate. This is the mistake most people make.
- A dress, unless the forecast is genuinely warm. The Fore-té Tate Dress ($132) is lovely and works beautifully under the Nicole jacket on a seventy-degree afternoon — but a fifty-five degree shuttle at eight in the morning is a different question.
- Anything you would be upset to get grass on.
- A scarf. Warm at nine, carried at noon, lost by three.
Two outfits that work
The one we would wear. DreamGlow Mock Neck, Mirage Anorak, Revive 7/8 Pocket Legging, broken-in leather sneakers. Tie the anorak at your waist when the sun comes round.
Warm afternoon session. Serene Tank, Nicole Cropped Jacket, Cloud Terry Wide Leg Pant. Lighter, softer, and still layered enough for the wind on the back nine.
The full women's golf edit runs on one idea: clothes that move from the course to dinner without a change of plan. We stock a few units per size, so if your size is listed it is genuinely there.
Common questions
What is the dress code for Presidents Cup spectators? There is no enforced code. Medinah is a private club hosting a public championship, so the gallery skews smart-casual — knits, quarter-zips, tailored trousers and clean sneakers all read correctly. Athletic wear is allowed but will feel out of place.
Can I bring a purse to the Presidents Cup? Only a small one — nothing larger than six inches by six inches. Totes, backpacks and camera bags are all prohibited. A clear bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 is the alternative.
How cold will it be? Chicago in late September averages a high near seventy and a low in the mid-fifties. Expect a thirty-degree swing between the first shuttle and the afternoon, plus wind on the open holes.
How much walking is involved? Several miles. Parking is a ten to twenty minute shuttle ride from the entrance, and the course is a long loop. Choose shoes on comfort, not on the outfit.
Are chairs allowed? Yes, portable chairs are permitted, but they must be taken off the course each night and chair bags are not allowed through the gate.
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