Golf In The Elements: Advice, Tips and Tricks

[saevel25]

5 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

For those of you who walk and carry your own bag and play in the rain occasionally, what do you do with your umbrella when you are not holding it?

My bag, and your bag to , should have a nice umbrella holder on the front near the stands on the bag. 

If I am at a green or something I'll just lay it on the ground while i hit.  

 

[Buckeyebowman]

I'll be the first to say that I detest playing in the rain. Light rain is annoying, but anything heavier than that, I'm outta there! Go get a raincheck! If the rain is too heavy to play baseball, it's too heavy to play golf.

That being said, I have rain gloves, a bag cover (which I spray with ScotchDry), a good umbrella and good rain gear. Still, I'd rather play in dry cold than wet warmth.

David Feherty wrote a fascinating, and hilarious, essay contrasting his performance as a bad weather caddy with that of Bruce Edwards, Tom Watkins' longtime bag toter. Nobody played in the crap better than Watson, and much of that was due to Edwards working his butt off to keep his man dry.

Feherty then described caddying for Gary McCord in a charity event where they encountered some rain during a round. McCord hits into a greenside bunker so Feherty trudges in their with the umbrella, towel, a couple of wedges, and the rake. Trying to handle all that efficiently made him look, as he described it, "like a monkey standing up in a hammock, trying to make love to a set of bagpipes!"

[DaveP043]

16 hours ago, bkuehn1952 said:

Not windy:  I leave it open and place the umbrella so it covers my stand bag or just stick the handle in the bag like a club.

Windy: I collapse the umbrella and lay it on the ground.

This is exactly the way I do it.  At some point, everything WILL be wet, so rain gloves AND good grips are a must.  My Iomic grips are really good when they're wet, as long as I have rain gloves.  I haven't played in bad weather with the Pure grips yet, but I hope they're as good.

[Mr. Desmond]

20 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

Bumping this thread with one specific question for one specific group of people:

For those of you who walk and carry your own bag and play in the rain occasionally, what do you do with your umbrella when you are not holding it?

My umbrella has a pointed end that I stick into the ground. If the ground is too wet or you don't have this umbrella, it's on its side. If it's windy, it closes. It's always a PITA.

[DaveP043]

11 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

My umbrella has a pointed end that I stick into the ground. If the ground is too wet or you don't have this umbrella, it's on its side. If it's windy, it closes. It's always a PITA.

Not that this is responsive to @Golfingdad's question, since he asks about those of us who carry our own bag, but the best way to deal with it is to have a caddie.  He hands you a club with a dry grip, you hand him the umbrella, hit the shot, and he hands you the umbrella back before the ball hits the ground.  Even when I've been in Scotland or Ireland I've taken a caddie for less than half of my rounds there, so the rest of the time its been a PITA..  If you have all the gear, good waterproofs, including a hat, and good grips and rain gloves, its almost easier to leave the umbrella in the car.  That sucker can get heavy!

[Mr. Desmond]

15 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Not that this is responsive to @Golfingdad's question, since he asks about those of us who carry our own bag, but the best way to deal with it is to have a caddie.  He hands you a club with a dry grip, you hand him the umbrella, hit the shot, and he hands you the umbrella back before the ball hits the ground.  Even when I've been in Scotland or Ireland I've taken a caddie for less than half of my rounds there, so the rest of the time its been a PITA..  If you have all the gear, good waterproofs, including a hat, and good grips and rain gloves, its almost easier to leave the umbrella in the car.  That sucker can get heavy!

Agree - waterproofs, goretex shoes, gloves, and a goretex bucket hat with a wide brim in back -- Galvin Green makes a funky looking but effective hat. I'd leave the umbrella in the car and bring a squeezable towel.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Mr. Desmond

[Golfingdad]

56 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

My umbrella has a pointed end that I stick into the ground. If the ground is too wet or you don't have this umbrella, it's on its side. If it's windy, it closes. It's always a PITA.

But if it's raining at all then now the inside of your umbrella is wet ... Unless you're saying that you close it up, strap and all, every time?  That does seem like a pita. :)

[Mr. Desmond]

22 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

But if it's raining at all then now the inside of your umbrella is wet ... Unless you're saying that you close it up, strap and all, every time?  That does seem like a pita. :)

If you're walking, I'd forget the umbrella -- waterproof up - packable goretex for layering, goretex bucket hat, gloves and shoes, and a good towel that squeezes out water - probably someting artificial. I apply Nikwax to my bag in hopes of waterproofing it. Just don't have enough rain to put out for a waterproof bag yet -- but I'm sure that day will arrive.

[DeadMan]

So, it looks like there's a chance that I might have to play in some cold rain this weekend for a tournament. It's pretty rare to play in rain here, so I'm pretty lost when it comes to gearing up for it. Normally, if it rains here, it comes in the form of a thunderstorm, so it's fast . Here's my list; what am I missing?

• rain jacket
• rain pants
• rain gloves
• umbrella (I use a push cart with an umbrella holder)
• ziploc bags to keep stuff dry
• extra towels

I'm going out to buy a rain jacket tonight since I don't have one yet - any brands I should avoid? Because it doesn't rain here very often, I'm not looking to spend hundreds of dollars on the top of the line stuff. I'll probably be going in the $50 or less range, so any thoughts for stuff around that would be appreciated.

As a repayment, I'll tell you what you need if you want to golf in cold temperatures (layers, winter gloves, and a beanie, and make sure you walk).

[saevel25]

On 3/9/2016 at 3:31 PM, Golfingdad said:

 But I find it tricky when I'm playing without somebody to hold my umbrella, because when the time comes to set it down, I don't know where to put it.  Set it on the ground and the towel gets wet and dirty.  Try to perch it on the bag and the slightest bit of wind might flip it off and send it tumbling down the fairway.  A different set of problems arise if you're riding in a cart.

Feel free to discuss these questions, and anything else you desire under the umbrella (pun very much intended ) of "bad weather golfing."

I've played in some downpours before. When that happens I pull out the Foot Joy rain gloves. The best piece of rain equipment to have. 

A good jacket is nice. I don't ever wear rain pants. As for my umbrella, if it gets too windy I just fold it down part way and lay it on the ground when I need to take a shot. I never had an issue with the inside of the umbrella getting wet doing this. 

I also tend to wear hats more often when it rains as well. 

Accuweather app has a 2 hour prediction on weather. It's pretty spot on. That is nice to have to know when or how long it's going to rain. 

 

[ppine]

My Dad lives on a golf course north of Seattle.  People play in the rain a lot.  What really helps is a golf cart with a heater and side curtains.  Light Goretex rain gear helps some people.  Many wear gloves on both hands. Wear a hat.

It is partly mental.  The ball will not carry, but will stick on the greens.

We played in cold weather as kids in Maryland.  We just put on a lot of clothes and went out there.  The courses were vacant. We could play fast to keep warm.  Now I do not play golf unless it it warm enough to get by with a light fleece jacket.

[DeadMan]

Good stuff, thanks. I actually really enjoy the challenge of playing in bad weather. Possibly my best round last year was when I shot +5 on 9 holes in a 20 mph wind on a course I don't like. I was really proud of my score that day. It also helps that this is a team event, so I don't have to be as sharp. One bad swing won't cost me too much.

[Avalanche]

On 4/7/2016 at 2:39 PM, bkuehn1952 said:

Not windy:  I leave it open and place the umbrella so it covers my stand bag or just stick the handle in the bag like a club.

Windy: I collapse the umbrella and lay it on the ground.

My hope is that if it is raining enough to need an umbrella, that I am wearing rain gear.

Or you could collapse it, stick it down in your bag with the collapsed umbrella covering your clubs, and lay your bag down so it doesn't blow over.  

===========================================  

On a different note, I play in Illinois where it *does* rain a lot.  Went out for a few holes before church on this past Sunday.  It had been sprinkling off and on all morning and there weren't any golfers out on the course right then.  The assistant pro looked at the weather radar and said I had about 15 minutes or so before the next rain clouds blew in.  He said if I wanted to squeeze in a couple holes he'd come out with a cart and get me when it started to rain.  Sure enough, when it started to rain just 10 minutes later, he came hauling out in a cart to fetch me.  Now THAT'S what I call service!    

 

[jamo]

When it does rain, my main strategy is to stay at home, because there's always tomorrow.

A few times during the summer I've decided to go out and play a round during downpours or at least steady rain. Frankly, as long as it's warm, I haven't bothered with a jacket, or rain pants, or an umbrella, or a special pair of shoes. I keep my valuables in the valuables pocket (which is a pocket inside a pocket), I rotate my towels (keeping them dry when not in use).

The clubs are going to get wet no matter what. You're going to get wet no matter what. Learn to love it.

The only thing I can recommend is a good pair of gloves. A while ago I got this freebie glove from an Australian company called Vision Golf. They appear to be still around but it doesn't look like they still make the glove. It's nylon, like a regular golf rain glove, with little dots of rubber all over the palm for grippiness. It's not meant to be a rain glove, but it works better than the dedicated glove I have.

A hat helps too.

[mchepp]

So in moving to Portland, the past 2 years I have made a study of what works best to play in the rain. I play once a week. There are some weeks in November, December, and January where it is too cold/raining too hard to play. It is just better to give up. That said, I have played in the last year probably 50% of my round where at some point it rained, a couple of times really hard. Here is my listing of what you need.

1. A good umbrella with wind vents. Don't skimp here, buy a decent one. I walk with a push cart and I can just stick the umbrella onto the handle and walk dry. I can also get ready to hit the shot and get ready under the umbrella. The wind vent is key because if the wind comes up your umbrella is basically a sail. 

2. Extra towels. You don't need to go crazy here. If they get wet their useless, but a couple extra ones are nice.

3. Rain Jacket. Again, best not to skimp on the jacket. It needs to keep you dry and allow you to swing. If it fails at either of those two things you won't have any fun. I have a FJ, a Nike, and an Adidas Gore-Tex. All are pretty good. Find a good one.

3. Rain gloves. Essential. 

4. Bag Cover. The bag covers have a hood which can come up and cover the clubs when the rain comes. I love mine. Non-essential but I have found that I really like using mine.

5. Waterproof Hat. I use a Titleist StaDry hat. It is waterproof and the water streams off of it. Cloth ones absorb the water and then start this slow drip off the bill which bothers me while putting. Some like bucket hats, whatever tickles your fancy, just ensure it is waterproof.

6. Waterproof shoes. Not much to say here but wet feet are a great way to have a miserable time.

7. Rain pants. These are non-essential. Many guys go without. I think this is a place where I recommend skimping. Buy a cheap pair and use them only if its cold.

8. A good attitude. It is easy to get down about the weather. 

 

[dave s]

Boy, oh boy.  NE Ohio can be pretty brutal the first couple months of the golf season.  March - May it can still snow.  League night temps can drop like a rock after 6pm and it's not uncommon to finish a nine with temps in the high 30s.

#1 thing for me is keeping warm.  Check forecast for low temp at 8pm.  If it's going below 45, here's the clothing getup:

Bottoms:  Lightweight long johns under a pair of long pants.  Ankle socks, then warmer wool blend crew length socks. My winter golf shoes.

Top half:  T-shirt, then an UA Heat Gear Mock turtleneck, a golf shirt, (don't ask me why ... you're not going to see it!) then a zip up to the chin Nike or Zero Restriction tight weave quarter-zip top.  A wind-proof jacket if it's 45 or colder.

Hat:  I have a couple of Northface beanie caps that reach down the back of my neck.  I have a couple of longer knit hats if I think it's going to rain.

Outer Layer:  The motto around here is this - if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes, it'll change.  During my league years, it's rained, snowed, sleeted sideways into my ears, hailed on us ... you name it.  My FJ rain suit has a permanent spot in the bag.  It's rain- and wind-proof and really adds a flexible top layer to keep me dry.  I have winter golf gloves.  Plural.  One for each hand.  The only thing I don't have is down-filled mittens (some guys actually do!) to keep my hands warm between shots.

Sadly, my league plays rain/shine/cold/snow ... as long as the course is open on a league nights and carts are allowed on the course.  If you don't show, your opponent wins all the points.  And as a person who literally DESPISES being cold, shooting 50 in an effort to battle crappy weather in April, May and half way through June isn't fun.  Isn't fun at all.

If the weather isn't good and its cold, I'm not going to score well.  Keeping warm is my #1 concern at that point.  We'll still get to play, drink a couple of beers have a few laughs and get warm later.

dave

[jamo]

2 hours ago, mchepp said:

8. A good attitude. It is easy to get down about the weather. 

Honestly, I think this is the most important one. Parts of it are going to suck. Embrace it. 

[DeadMan]

Really good stuff, thanks all. I'll be sufficiently prepared.

Now that I'm going out and spending money on rain gear, the weather forecast will definitely change, and it won't rain. Right? RIGHT!?!

It is funny, though, I've played in just above freezing conditions when there's a bit of snow flurries multiple times. I've played when it's 40 degrees and there's a 30 mile per hour wind blowing. By most people's standards, I'll play in crazy weather. But there's really been only one other time where I've played in the rain, and it wasn't that cold of a rain. And 45 degrees and rain does not sound like something I want to golf in, somehow. I mean, it can't be that bad, right?

Of course, one of the tournament chairs is a Scotsman. I really hope they don't leave the weather decision up to him.