Golfing Tips for Playing in the Rain

Playing golf in the rain has advantages!

When playing golf in the rain, the golf course tends to be less crowded, and the new rain gear can keep you dry and on the course more of the time. Here are a few tips to get you around the course during inclement weather and a few hints on how to play a better round in this wet weather.

 

Tips on what to bring when golfing in the rain

1. Accessorize

You can’t play golf if you can’t grip your clubs. Buy a pair of rain gloves and keep them in your bag at all times. The wetter they get, the better your grip. They work! A rain-proof bucket hat is also a great addition.

2. Don’t forget your umbrella

There is a time and place for using that oversized golf umbrella. When it’s windy or you’re in a cart, it’s useless. But if you’re walking and there’s a pouring cloudburst, it’s a lifesaver. There’s a great debate within the golf industry: I swear by taking an umbrella to Scotland or Ireland. Others say they are useless and only add bulk and weight to your bag. You decide what’s right.

3. Spend big on the rain suit

Other than the driver, there’s probably no other golf accessory that will cost as much as a rain suit. Don’t go to the sale rack. The best rain suits – I’ve got both a Gavin Green and a Footjoy – never go on sale. Pony up the money for a good one with Gortex. They last a lifetime, and you’ll be laughing at your soaked buddy wearing the discount brand.

4. Waterproof your everyday gear

Not every golf bag or pair of golf shoes is waterproof. When you’re shopping for new ones, make sure you buy ones that repel water. Soggy socks are one of the big drawbacks of playing in the rain. A rainproof golf bag is a must for me, as I’m always carrying an expensive camera that I keep wrapped in an extra plastic grocery bag and hidden in my golf bag when bad weather attacks.

5. Bring extra

I stuff an extra towel in my golf bag for later in the round when my original is soaked and useless. I also take a few extra golf balls just in case my game gets as sloppy as the weather. A backup scorecard is another great idea just in case the first one starts to disintegrate.

6. Dry clothes for the 19th hole

Even with a great rain suit and shoes, chances are your pants and socks will still get wet. I always make sure I have an extra pair of dry socks and pants in my car or locker, so I can enjoy a pint at the 19th hole without feeling like a drowned cat.

 

Tips on how to play golf in the rain

1. Cover your clubs

Whether you’re riding in a cart or walking, be sure to cover your clubs, either with the rain fly on the golf cart or the rain hood that came with your golf bag. You have a fighting chance to score well with dry grips and a dry clubface. Invest in a good golf cart cover, this will not only keep you dry but can extend your season by keeping you warm as well.

2. Take a free drop

Casual water will eventually pool up around the course. Unless you’re playing in the U.S. Open, feel free to move the ball to dry turf. Don’t get greedy, though, and drop balls sitting in the rough back into the fairway. Nobody wants to be labeled a cheater by their buddies.

3. Avoid taking a divot

Water on your clubface and from the surface of the grass will affect whether you hit a shot with crisp contact. After wiping off your clubface, try to make a shallow swing that doesn’t take much, if any, divot. That should help minimize the water’s effect on the ball.

4. Adjust to wet sand and greens

Obviously, wet greens will roll slower than normal, so hit your putts a little firmer. I haven’t met a single golfer who doesn’t dread wet bunker sand. Michael Breed, the host of ‘The Golf Fix’ on The Golf Channel, says to “create some dig” by closing the face and slow the tempo down, so the ball doesn’t fly as far. Shots from wet sand tend to jump off the face and fly a little farther than normal.

5. Change your attitude

Ultimately, how your day goes depends entirely upon your attitude. Cranky and dreading the remaining holes? There’s no chance you’ll score well. Once you realize you need to grind out every shot, embrace the challenge and lower your expectations, you’ve got a fighting chance.

The rainy weather shall pass, and we shall persevere with our efforts here at Copper Hills to get the course dried out and ready for your next visit. If the wet weather persists, we are open to helping invent a hybrid golf boat.

Good Golfing