Play Better in the Rain

Play Better in the Rain is a short golf blog post that looks at how to play your best when the weather is at its worst. Whether you are a fine-weather golfer or not, we all get caught out in the rain. But how can we all play better in the rain? The answer to this is… it’s simple, it all lies in the preparation. Preparation is the key to success for most things in life and in golf it is vital. Checklist for a rainy day on the course. Waterproof Suit. Make sure that you have packed your waterproof clothing into your bag. If it is forecast to rain, I will start the round already wearing my waterproof trousers. That way I save a few valuable seconds when the heavens open up. Bag rain hood I will also start the round of golf with my rain hood already attached to the bag. Waterproof Hat There is nothing worse than having a cold and wet head when it is raining. Making sure you have a warm bucket hat, for example, is important. We lose around 50% of our body heat through our heads. Don’t worry about how you look, worry about how you feel. Hand warmers Keeping your hands warm is vital when playing in the cold and wet weather. Winter mittens are great, so too are hand warmers in your pockets. Umbrella Still one of the best ways to stay dry when you are out on the golf course. Make sure that it is light enough, and strong, with built-in gust buster flaps. If it is wind-still, then an umbrella holder on your trolley is a great accessory. Gloves, gloves and more gloves. There are too many golfers trying to play 18 holes in the rain with just one glove. Make sure that you have multiple gloves with you. 1 glove should equal 3 holes. Hang up your wet gloves to the framework of your opened umbrella. Towel/s Take multiple towels with you. One to dry your clubs before and after every shot. One for your hands attached to the framework of your umbrella. Another couple of extra small towels in your bag to swap the others over after 9 holes. Shoes This may sound silly at first, but there are still plenty of golfers wearing summer shoes in winter. You can’t beat a good pair of warm, waterproof shoes. My tip, add insulation innersoles into your shoes. Make sure that you have some good thick socks on your feet too. In a nutshell, try to stay as warm and dry as possible. But what about out on the course, How should you adjust your game? Patience / slow down Most golfers tend to rush every shot when it is raining, trying to stay dry. The best thing to do is to slow down. Take your time when you are over the ball. Purposely try to slow your backswing down. This will make a huge difference. Use your wood rather than long irons If you are still a distance away, play a wood rather than an iron. You don’t want to dig into the ground. The sole of the wood will glide over the surface and won’t dig as much. Shot distance reduced – no roll Remember that it is raining and it is colder. Your shot distance will be reduced so take a longer club. The roll will be less as the ground is softer and wetter. Again, take another club. Take into account that your tee shots will land softer on a fairway. Your approach shots to the greens will tend to skid on the first bounce which will make the first bounce a big one. Chipping & putting Your shots will be affected by the rain and surface water. Make sure you carry your chip shots a little further than normal. Try to avoid a chip and run, go for a longer ball flight option. Putting will be hugely different. There will be less break in the putt and you will have to hit your putts a little firmer. Wet bunkers Most golfers fear wet sand. They tend to slow down in fear of sculling the ball over the green. The key here is to hit the sand harder. Don’t forget to be much more aggressive in wet sand. As long as you hit the sand, the ball will not go further. The added speed will just allow the club to enter the sand more. Rules of golf – Casual Water. Preferred Lies etc The rules of golf will certainly help you on a wet day. Check out the above situations in the official Rules of Golf book to know when to take relief. Remember that it is all in the prep before the round. Once out there, slow down and stay warm. What are your thoughts about Play Better in the Rain? Please leave a comment by filling out a Contact Form. To read more of my Golf blog posts, click here. Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay