Rainfall affecting your game of golf? If you live in the United Kingdom, then the chances are that it is! But more than leaving you feeling soggy, rainfall can impact a number of aspects of your golf game, making it harder to improve your form and hit those personal bests.
The good news is that there are things you can do to ensure you’re fully equipped for all weathers – including torrential rain. So, if you’re an all-weather golfer, read tips for playing golf game in the rain:
How can rain impact your golfing game?
We’ve all waited months to return back to the green due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so a little rain isn’t going to get in the way – but the truth is it can have a huge impact on how you play.
Whether it’s light rain that soaks you through or a heavy downpour, persistent rain can change the conditions in which you’re playing meaning that you should know what to expect in order to best prepare:
1. Reduced grip
It goes without saying that good grip is crucial in a golf game, whether that be between your feet and the ground or between your putting hand and club. However, when things become wet the ability to grip as well becomes compromised, making it harder to keep a good hold on the club and ruining your footwork.
2. Distance
Are you known for your long shots? The humidity caused by rain means that there is greater resistance in the air affecting how far your ball will travel during flight.
Likewise, wet fairways and greens can reduce how much your ball rolls when it hits the floor – so these are important things to consider too.
3. Control
Golf is certainly a game of control, but wet and slippery conditions can impact the trajectory of the ball as it travels. Clubs and golf balls have dimples to ensure contact is close and clean, but if heavy rainfall has filled these gaps with water, then it reduces the grip, thus causing the ball to slip and impacting how it flies.
4. Concentration
Focus is imperative if you’re going to beat your peers and improve on your own personal goals, but a downpour, whether heavy or light, can serve as a massive distraction.
Preparation is the key to success…
Like with most things – failure to prepare usually means preparing to fail – but the steps that are outlined below aren’t anything arduous or revolutionary, helping you to make all the difference with minimal effort on your part.
So, let’s jump right in:
- Never forget your waterproofs – we’re talking both pants and jackets that can easily slip over your regular clothes once the rain starts to fall. Don’t be forgetting those all-important waterproof golf shoes either!
- Hats – it may be spring, but relentless rain can leave you feeling chilly which can then affect how well you play even further. A hat will help to maintain your body’s core temperature whilst keeping your face protected from the rain and make it easy to play a golf match.
- A golfing umbrella – it might seem obvious, but a regular umbrella just isn’t going to cut it if you’re on the open green and it’s blowing a gale and raining heavily. A proper golf umbrella is sturdy and strong and will help to keep you and your equipment dry. Wind and rain is a very hard combo to deal with for a big umbrella, so make sure your umbrella has a best-quality, strong structure, ideally with those drains that help stop it blowing inside out in more powerful gusts.
- Towels – not one, not even two – but several towels will make continuing your game of golf more manageable, despite the weather. Remember, you will need dry towels to wipe down your equipment, ideally between each hole – so the more the better. It can be almost difficult to make a proper swing if your grips are too wet, so a supply of dry towels is very useful. It’s another use for the trusty carrier bag. Hanging one from the underframe of your brolly is also the best idea.
- Bring extra -Staff more golf balls just in fact your match gets as wet as the weather. A backup scorecard is another great plan just cause the first one starts to disintegrate.
- Allow for less run – When the golf ground is wet, the golf ball won’t run as far. We know, but this requires to be factored into how you play. Less run off the tee may mean you can take more club on holes where you would usually hold back. Approach shots are more hopeful to stop dead on landing; chips and pitches are more hopeful to grab; and putts will be more passive, meaning they want to be hit extra tight and will therefore take less break.
- Waterproof golf trolleys – electric golf trolleys have been designed to do the hard work for you. They work in all conditions, so when you’re trudging from hole to hole in the rain it can help you to stay organized and get from A to B quicker.
- Cover your clubs – Regardless of whether you’re riding in a cart or strolling, make certain to cover your clubs, either with the rain fly on the golf cart or the rain hood that accompanied your golf bag. You have a battling opportunity to score well with dry holds and a dry clubface.
Are you ready for all-weather golf?
If not – now you know what to do about it. After all, we’re sure after the year we’ve just ensured that you want nothing more than to get back on the green doing what you love, so it pays to be prepared for inclement weather.
And remember what they say – proper preparation prevents poor performance – so be sure to check out Clarkes’ Golf Store for any and all of your necessities before hitting the green.
Read Also:
5 Things to Have in Mind When Booking Your Next Golf Holiday
Nicola Holder