Playing in the rain
Do you enjoy playing in the rain?
I know my kids enjoy it. Splashing through puddles and feeling the rain hit your face are just a couple of reasons they enjoy the rain. Golfers, on the other hand, aren’t necessarily as fond of the wet conditions.
So how do you golf in the rain? Regardless of what you try, the rain is always going to present a greater challenge than you’d have in drier conditions. However, here are a few tips to help you play better in the rain.
KEEP YOUR GRIPS DRY This is the greatest responsibility you have for playing better in the rain. If your grips become slick, you will have no chance of consistently swinging the golf club.
CARRY EXTRA TOWELS On rainy days, ask the golf course staff to provide you with a few extra towels for the round. Do your best to keep these in a dry spot so that they can be used to keep those grips dry.
HIT ONE EXTRA CLUB The rain will settle into the dimples of your golf ball, as well as the grooves on your clubs. This will result in a reduction of spin created on your ball, thus causing the ball to fly a shorter distance. Often times, a reduction of spin can create greater distance on shots. This is commonly referred to as a “flyer.” However, the wet conditions will offset this effect. By hitting one extra club in these conditions, you will be able to make a more controlled golf swing while maintaining better balance throughout your swing.
PUTTING IN THE RAIN Use those extra towels to keep your golf ball as dry as possible once you reach the putting surface. It’s a good idea to place the ball back down on the green just before you are ready to putt. This will give the rain less time to affect your ball.
These are just a few tips to help you adjust to playing golf in the rain. Fortunately, we don’t deal with these conditions often in Southern California. However, I hope you will not feel better prepared when the rain clouds appear.