RAINY DAY 1/2: Material Preparation
Written on th, by Eliot Cochrane
Golf: Stay Dry
Prepare, Adapt, and Enjoy Golf in the Rain
Every golf shop and golf fanatic has a calendar filled with pictures of golf courses. Covering different styles of courses from the traditional links courses, to the iconic holes at The Masters, and to the mountainous courses surrounded by cliff faces. Any time of day these pictures show the stunning beauty that makes us want to get out on the course as fast as possible.
But when it comes to our day on the course, the weather isn’t always so cooperative. It should be a given that a sport played outside means that you will have to make accommodations. Yet, there are golfers out there who will actively cancel their reservations because of a few rain showers throughout the day.
Of course, if a person paying to be there, and they feel that the value of a course is determined by the weather that day, this probably isn’t going to sway anyone’s decision. We each find value, purpose, and fun in golf in our each and individual ways.
This is an example to help those enjoy the game of golf in times of poor weather conditions. Some things covered will range from preparation, adjusting play style, embracing the challenge, and enjoying the experience.
Preparation
Proper Attire
This is a no brainer. If you are expecting to play in the rain, it is best to pack a rain jacket and rain pants. Staying dry starts with the core. A solid rain jacket that fits and is stretchy is ideal. There are essentially two thoughts for making rainwear.
Non-Permeable Rainwear
This is where the membrane to keep water out doesn’t allow anything to pass through. The membrane is thick and not permeated in any way. No water will get in, but also there will be no exchange of air so perspiration and sweat will become a problem.
This is really the only choice for days of absolute downpours with no breaks. These are often the cheaper options that can be sold at any store.
Semi-Permeable Rainwear
These are the jackets that commonly use membranes like Gore-Tex. They keep water out but do allow for an exchange of air inside the jacket too. This will keep perspiration and sweat in check while keeping you dry in the process.
Periodic or light rain is great for these types of rain wear. Where these types have a disadvantage is in heavy rain. The membrane can only resist so much before the membrane itself becomes saturated with water and becomes incredibly heavy and wet both inside and out.
Inner-Clothing
Much like clothing in winter, layering is very important too. Avoiding regular cotton is a must because cotton typically acts as a sponge and will trap the water. Wool is a great natural fiber alternative for fall and winter golf.
For most sporting clothes, synthetic fibers will be your best friend under a rain jacket. Materials like polyester, nylon, and spandex will help keep moisture away from the body to stay cool and dry.
Glove (+ Grip)
Your connection to the club is cemented with the glove and the grip. There are different grips and different gloves for different conditions and for separate feelings.
Gloves
A standard leather glove will be great for sunny days, but will become a slippery nightmare once the glove or grip becomes wet. Spend the extra money for a rain glove, and then also one more as a back-up.
Why a back-up? Sometimes it is just mentally refreshing that after the first 9-holes, with a rain soaked glove, drying yourself and putting on a fresh glove can make all the difference to get out there and feel confident.
Grips
Standard rubber grips will work in the rain to a certain extent. Adding a rain glove will extend their rain performance, but within the last 10 years there have been some really great grips that balance the feel of a soft rubber grip and the all-weather performance needed for rain.
Corded grips are rubber grips with a cloth fiber woven within the rubber to improve grip in inclement conditions. Half-cord grips have the cloth fiber woven within the top half only, and full-cord grips are throughout the entire length. Which is better is completely up the player and their own priorities.
Waterproof Golf Shoes
Running shoes inspired golf shoes are typically on show during the PGA. Companies like Nike and Adidas have great spike-less shoes that can be worn anywhere it feels like. Spike-less shoes have their time in sunny and hard conditions, but when it gets wet and soft, waterproof soft-spiked shoes are a must.
Spike-less shoes don’t have enough penetration into the ground material and will possibly introduce slipping and imbalance to the swing. Soft-spiked shoes will penetrate just enough into the ground to provide a stable platform in unfavorable conditions. Jumping for waterproof version will make rainy days that much better to keep feet dry.
Bag Preparation
Rain Hood
Most bags sold in the modern area are already waterproofed to an extent. Using synthetic materials, they may be resistant but not waterproofed. More often than not, that is enough to keep the clubs dry, but the biggest thing to put on is the rain hood. This is a small cover for the opening of the bag that can be shut during rain and opened to remove and insert clubs.
Towels
In the bag? Towels, towels, towels. Grips need to be dried before going in the bag. You may want to dry your hands and putter before putting. Towels are going to be an absolute must.
Umbrella
Most bags will have a spot for an umbrella to be tapes to the side. A regular umbrella might not be enough in both size and strength. Look into buying a golf specific umbrella to hold up to any winds on the course and wide enough to provide coverage for you and your clubs. An umbrella is also a nice place to tie a towel and hide your golf glove from the elements.
Weather Check
This feels like the easiest out of all the preparation. Just a double check on your phone to know what type of shoes you might need, when to expect the rain, and know if the course itself may actually cancel all play due to extreme rain. Who knows, you might get lucky that the weather changes in your favor!
Adjusting Play Style
Swing Adaptations
Slower / Shorter Swings
Many times rain gear can feel inhibiting during the golf swing. Acceptance that maybe you won’t hit it like usual is important. A shorter swing will result in lower ball speeds and distances in turn. Knowing this up-front and considering a little more club might be the correct option.
Stance
An upright stance provides a strong platform to generate speed around the center of mass of a player. It also provides a great post for the player to stand on post-impact. But a higher center of mass may be unstable on wet ground. To keep the center of mass lower, adapt a slightly wider stance that will drop the center of mass slightly and also provide a stable stance for the feet to not slip.
Club Selection
Loft Vs. Distance As mentioned in swing adaptations, taking a little more club may be necessary due to reduced rollout and ball speed. By taking more club, the flight characteristics of the ball will change too. With a less lofted club, the spin will be reduced and may become a knuckle ball that may drop out of the air.
A more lofted club will provide more spin on the ball, but may not maintain its usual carry. The additional loft will help get the ball off the ground which can be difficult in heavy rough. The rain will act as an opposing force on the ball in flight and a reduced ball speed may reduce expected carry distances.
On top of the club itself, a wet ball will actively slide on the face during impact. Instead of a crisp contact with the club face, the wetness on the ball actually creates even less spin. This is why wedges have the grooves that they have. To reduce moisture and get anything between the face of the club and the ball out of the way.
Strategy
Be Conservative
Often a common tip for any day on the course, it becomes especially important when dealing with a rainy day on the course. Instead of putting a bunker in range with a driver, maybe take a little less club with the goal of emphasizing accuracy over pure distance. Any hazards in the rain such as bunkers or long and uncut roughs will become an even bigger problem than on a sunny day.
Utilize Short Game
Reduced distances mean that maybe you will be just short of the green, or irregular club choice may have slight variances in accuracy. A strong short game will provide the chance to save par on days when a bogey feels like a win. During rainy days, more shots are bound to be less than ideal and a good short game can be just the thing to keep you mentally focused.
Green Reading
Putting maintains to be an integral part of the game of golf. We all want to have no 3-putts so knowing how the course will change during rain is important. Points to know are slower green speeds and typically less break in a putt. Any easy way to practice this when it’s not raining is in the early morning before the greens are cleared of the morning dew. The dew helps to simulate a rainy day and can be great feedback to show how a ball will react in rainy conditions.
Material Preparation Recap
The name of the game on a rainy day is…
STAY DRY
Every piece of rainwear, towel, and square inch of an umbrella should be to keep you dry. Getting wet can spell disaster for you mentally and physically. Wet clothes can make your golf swing feel foreign and will harm your plan. Whatever you can do, stay dry.
Part Two
In the continuation of this post, we will continue about mental fortitude and how to approach a rainy day of golf. Your biggest weapon in golf is the gray matter between your ears.