You and your friends have spent days figuring out a time and date that would be best to schedule a round of golf. The date arrives, and you open you wake up to a torrential downpour. You call your friends to cancel the tee time, but you eventually decide to carry on with your plans.
This situation is obviously not ideal for any golfer. Playing in rain is uncomfortable, inconvenient, and detrimental to your performance.
If you find yourself playing in the rain, here are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind:
Wear proper clothing
This tip probably seems like a no-brainer in rainy conditions, but some golfers will favor their typical playing gear in these scenarios, likely assuming they will become soaked to the bone regardless. While there is some logic to this way of thinking, it is ill-advised logic. Invest in some proper rain attire, including gloves with a strong grip and water-resistant spikes. You will thank yourself when you have made it halfway through your game and are reasonably less miserable.
Take a good umbrella
Most golfers understandably do not want another item to carry from hole to hole, but during rainy games, an umbrella is a key piece of equipment to have on hand. Make sure you bring a durable umbrella to defend against winds, as the wide-open design of most courses will provide you little cover during play.
Have a spare scorecard on hand
This is another tip that seems obvious, but will likely be overlooked by many golfers heading into rainy conditions. You do not want to make it to the sixteenth hole and discover that your scorecard has dissolved into an ink-stained ball of mush in your pocket. Have spare cards on hand–and keep them protected.
Consider how the rain will affect your club and ball
As Golfbc points out, “when the ball and grass are wet, the grooves of your irons will fill with water.” As these grooves collect water, you will have trouble producing backspin in the ways you could in clear conditions. This will lead to further shots, but ones that will be quickly displaced by the subsequent effects of the precipitation. There is not a lot you can do about this phenomenon, but it is helpful to keep it in mind as you play.
Accept your score
Furthermore, the sooner you realize your score will likely be lower than usual, the better. If you go into a rainy game with low expectations, you will be able to shield yourself from potential disappointment or self-doubt regarding your playing ability. If you are not happy with your score, just remember that the weather is probably the cause of it. Try to focus on having fun with the conditions–this can be a great way to counter the overcast, gloomy playing conditions you have to work with.
