All black on a golf course is the outfit for the days when you want to think about nothing except the round. Nothing clashes, nothing needs deciding at six in the morning, and it is the most flattering thing most of us own.
The two things that go wrong are heat and flatness. Black absorbs sun, so this is a spring, autumn or evening outfit rather than a July one unless the fabric is genuinely technical. And black with black with black has no depth, which is why every outfit below has either a texture change, a sheen difference or one deliberate accent. The old money list takes the same restraint into a warmer palette, and the cold weather edit is where black earns its place properly.
One dress code note: a black polo is fine everywhere, but head to toe black reads as severe at some very traditional clubs. Our guide to the best golf apparel covers the alternatives.
A black polo with black trousers and nothing else. The purest version, and it works entirely on the trousers hanging properly rather than clinging anywhere.
Matte black trousers with a top that has a slight sheen. The texture difference is what gives an all black outfit depth, and it only shows in daylight.
All black with gold hardware at the belt and the shoes. Gold against black is warmer than silver and it is the accent that photographs best in low light.
A black vest over a black long sleeve. Two black layers with different weights, and the difference in weight is what stops it looking like one garment.
A black sleeveless dress with a black cardigan over the top. The cardigan turns it into a lunch outfit without changing anything, which no jacket manages.
Black trousers with a black long sleeve sun shirt. Maximum coverage and maximum protection, best kept for a morning round rather than an afternoon one.