Learning how to play golf in the rain requires a different approach than in normal conditions.
The most important aspect is to keep both yourself and your clubs dry.
A round of golf usually consists of around 4 hours, so to get wet at any stage is both uncomfortable and impractical. Why impractical? Well once your clubs become wet, especially the grips, you will find you tend to unconsciously grip the club harder as you are afraid of the club slipping.A spare glove such as a TaylorMade Targa is always a handy additional piece of clothing to have in your golf bag. Learning how to play golf in the rain requires an understanding of how water affects your golf ball,club and equipment.
When playing golf rain results in a restricted swing in comparison to your normal swing
Normally this would be more fluid and relaxed. This will reduce both distance and cause problems with the return path of the club-head, or swing-plane, as you return to the ball during your forward swing. Of course this problem is also exacerbated by your golf-glove getting saturated. Again this will cause a tighter grip.
Waterproof Golfing Gear is a Must
It is essential that when you are playing golf in the rain that you have wet-weather equipment, including trousers,
jacket, hat and of course a study large umbrella. Also you will want to
consider a cover for your bag and trolley and a spare glove or two.
A decent hat such as the Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero Hat will help keep your vision sharp and allow water to run away from your clothing.
Rain and Golf Ball Flight
In dry conditions the dimples of the golf ball help create air-flow around
the ball and make it fly further. If it is raining then the water in the
atmosphere, and the rain that your ball hits as it travels will reduce this
aerodynamic capability. Therefore it will be necessary to raise a club to
compensate for this shorter distance. Say for example you hit a 7 Iron 170
yards, you will need to hit a 6 Iron or maybe a 5 Iron to get the same distance
in the wet. Pretty amazing really!
Change your Type of Golf Shot to Deal with Rain
Another point to consider during rain-play is how short the ball will carry
and the fact that your ball will not run as far as normal dry conditions would
allow. Your ball will stick quicker and stop shorter. You may have to consider
pitching shots up high and dropping the chip-shot from your repertoire, unless
you can re-adjust your distances very quickly during the round.
How to Putt on Waterlogged Greens
Putting too will present problems, depending if the greens are poor
draining. Putting across water on a green is like putting through syrup, you
will need to be more aggressive but also of course if you overshoot the hole,
in theory your ball will stop shorter which may be considered a bonus.
Turn on the Anger to Fight the Rain on the Golf Course
Indeed aggression is one of the major aspects in playing golf in the rain.
Always attack the pin and do not be afraid, playing short in this type of
condition is a sure fire way to score badly. Enjoy the round and try to smile
it will help you stay in a positive mental frame of mind and increase your
scoring opportunities.
