The 'creepy' part is going back to the 1800's or so, asking the girl's father to date the daughter at all.

Prior to 18 I'd imagine this to not only be acceptable, but normal. It'd show guys these days would have some serious sack to put themselves in that position because from everything I've ever seen fathers tend to think they have to (or enjoy) scaring the shit out of the fellows to begin with.

It's far more likely that it becomes less of a 'shield' and more of an 'iron fist'. Like Voice says, it's one thing if the daughter asks for this or even enters into it willingly once she's old enough to understand.

It's quite another if it drives away anyone worth talking to. People are more busy these days, not less. You can ruin some potentially pretty good pairings with overprotective parenting making it just flat not worth the time.

I might be more understanding of all this if I wasn't an agnostic I suppose, or it's an age thing. I just believe there's better ways to build a relationship with a daughter and improving communication than just haul off making an agreement that all too often slips into some form of tyranny or just flat scares off suitors. So my feelings are mixed.