Beard Poll

I am not sure if it is true in other sports, but those playing golf are increasingly looking rather Rastafarian, or more correctly, like Sikhs. Very heavy and thick beards conceal the faces of many players. Often when they win, they are accompanied by women who are very attractive, although I realize it is risky to use such an adjective. The question under consideration is: "Are attractive women attracted because of the beards or the prize money?" 

At this point I was going to paste bearded images of various golfers next to their clean shaven ones and let you vote, but that is too time consuming. So do your own image searches of golfers such as the Canadians Graham DeLaet (pictured above) and Adam Hadwin, and some non-Canadian ones like John Rahm and Max Homa and see which you prefer. Some samples are offered below.

At some other point I was also going to speculate about the popularity of beards, but there is no need to do so. The Wikipedia entry about Beards covers just about everything. There is even one for Playoff Beards, which suggests that superstition is involved and you will learn from the bigger beard Wikipedia essay that religion is as well, which makes sense.

What I can offer is some older material which you will not be aware of and, from which, perhaps some new conclusions about facial hair can be drawn. Maybe it is more than a hipster fad. In any case it will be easier to get rid of beards than tattoos.

Pogonologia; or, A Philosophical and Historical Essay on Beards, Jacques Antoine Dulaure, (1786) 

“A man without a beard would be much less surprising now-a-days, than a bearded woman, which proves how unnatural our tastes and customs are.” 

Of fashion -- Of bearded chins -- Of some shaved chins -- Of bearded women -- That long beards are salutary -- Of false beards -- Of golden beards -- Of whiskers -- Of the beards of priests -- Of the people that wear beards -- Conclusion.

Beard Shaving, and the Common Use of the Razor, an Unnatural, Irrational, Unmanly, Ungodly and Fatal Fashion Among Christians, William Henry Henslowe (1847) 

From this book one even learns about the "Drag Issue."

“The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man; neither shall a Man put on a woman’s garment; for all they that do so are abomination to the Lord” Divine Law

And for those of you who prefer poetry:

Rhythmical Essays on the Beard Question, W. Carter, (1868)

PREFACE .

In taking upon myself the responsibility of writing this small book on the BEARD QUESTION , I beg to say it is not done ignorantly . For nearly sixty years I have laboured to remove the grim vestiges of barbarity from the human face divine . I cannot be accused of selfishness , for at an early age I wrote a direction for personal or self - shaving , so that no man , however poor , could have an excuse for wearing his beard , except in idleness , or groveling animal conceit . As a question of health , I maintain that men had better health fifty years ago than at the present beard - growing period . They were noble - looking , fine specimens of humanity . At that time all had clean , well - shaven faces . It is only within the last twenty years that the cry has been raised about a clean shave destroying health , which , from nearly sixty years ' practice , I know to be a mistake . When the mental grandeur of the face is enveloped in the rude untutored animalism of savage life , health is destroyed . Instances have come under my notice of persons dying , young and old , So covered up with animal filth that you could scarce see that they had a mouth . I never knew a man suffer in health through shaving ; the practice is conducive to health ; it leaves him free to enjoy the blessings of heaven unencumbered ; and he has an exquisite pleasure when he can take the fresh air without the annoyance of a mass of grim hair interfering with his breathing organs . It may be inferred that health is promoted by a clean shave from the fact that , when disease came into the faces of the Jews , Moses ordered them to cut the beard and shave the face , that they might be cured . It is admitted that prevention is better than cure ; and in order to keep the face free from disease , shave , wash , and be clean . It is a lamentable fact that some medical men , to accommodate the whims of their patients , recommended some to wear beards ; and others , reckless of consequences ….

The Poems follow:

Note: All of the above books are in the public domain so don't buy the ones offered on Amazon, etc.

For the bonus, see William Empson's "neck beard"

and read my earlier post about him.