I can’t tell you how many times someone has asked me if I can “hook them up” with the virtual paper bag hat. I even had one guy offer box seats at a Cubs game if I were to somehow get him the gorilla headwear before his buddies got it.

Come on now. I have morals. I tried to get him it but he never called back.

The point of all of this is that, for many, the clothing they wear is almost as important as what clubs they use. The fact that you can dress your golfer up like a giant disgrace, or play it cool if you so desire, is part of the fun in Golden Tee. This is your virtual freedom and millions of you take full advantage of it.

The process, however, of getting all these wacky clothing items into Golden Tee year after year is a much more complex process than you might think. We have artists at IT that are given this task and it requires months of time and thought. Have you ever thought about where that giant beekeeper headgear actually comes from? Well, I have. And if you haven’t by now than maybe the thought has just crossed your mind. Either that or you are LONG GONE from this blog.

I sat down and chatted with IT artist Mike Sanchez who was given Golden Tee clothing duties for the first time in GT 2011 just to find out much more about a process many of us really know nothing about. Here’s what Mike had to say about the design process, the clothing in GT 2011, and what promo codes you can expect to see in the coming months.

AK: Mike, thanks for taking this moment to fill in the GT public a bit more about the process of getting all the wacky clothing we all know and love into the game. So you are “the guy” when it comes to designing and implementing clothing into the game?

MS: No problem, Adam. Glad to do it. Well, in some ways I guess you could say I am the guy for 2011, but this is an enormous team effort.  The process begins when Brian (Jandula) and Jim (Zielinski) come to our team first with a list of ideas that they’d like to see in the next game. After that they pretty much give us the freedom to research and add some things we’d like to see in the next installment.

AK: For GT 2011, were there any particular ways you’ve decided to go that might be different from past years?

MS: I personally wanted to add in some shirts that kind of match the times. There are some designer tees in there along with some various clothing items that fit what people are wearing. With that being said, there still is a giant focus on adding in plenty of the crazy items people have grown to love over the years. That stuff is fun to make but also can require a lot more work on our end. Still, it’s well worth it.

AK: How long on average would you say it takes you to make a standard virtual shirt?

MS: On a good day, and we certainly have or fair share that don’t work out how we want, creating and getting a shirt ready for Golden Tee can take anywhere from a half-day to an entire day. Hats can take a lot more work, because the geometry usually has to be built into the game if it’s different from anything we’ve done before.

AK: Wow. Well, I’ll appreciate you guys much more when I wear my ridiculous gear now that I know what goes into the process. Speaking of the process, can you give us some more details of some of the ridiculous additions in 2011? What are a few of your favorites?

MS: We’ve added a mummy costume into the game this year which I have no doubt will be an absolute hit. On top of that there is some new hunting-type gear, a bunch of fun random items, and my personal favorite, a shirt with a pocket watch. I guess I’ll leave the rest of it up to the players to earn once the game comes out. We don’t want to spoil all the fun.

AK: The request I get on the Golden Tee Facebook Page more than any other is the clamoring for new giveaway clothing items. We did a handful of items a little while back, including some holiday gear. Please tell me we will be able to get some new items in Golden Tee 2011?

MS: Yes, giveaway clothing items are back in 2011. We’ve created more Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s stuff plus we’ve added Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day also into the mix. This on top of the virtual Salute shirt that is being featured now for those that donate to the PCC.

AK: Mike, thank you so much for the time. Can’t wait for 2011!