Whether you like it or not, the weather will have an impact on your golf game. Especially this year, the weather as made its force known on so many golf tournaments in 2013, the strong wind afflicted Tournament of Champions in Hawaii to the thunderstorm at Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Tournament which forced a Monday finish. There was even snow in Las Vegas!
Weather can decide if you brave getting out of bed to play.
The fool-hardy, or determined golfer will play in any condition Mother Nature decides to throw at us mere mortals. The professionals are a more cautious, softer breed – but wouldn’t you be if you had thousands of pounds on the line?
Weather, especially in the UK, is a “mixed-bag” at the best of times. And it is the main topic of conversation throughout the land. So naturally, a plethora of cliches have made their way into the lexicon of the golfing fraternity.
Wind
Wind on the golf course will “sort the men from the boys”. Are you stood on the tee, looking down the fairway and the wind is all up in your face? Then this hole is “playing longer into the wind”. You could imagine that it is a “par-6 in this wind”.
Any wind stronger than squally (Beaufort Scale 4) can “play havoc” with your swing as it becomes less predicable where your shot will end up. Remember it is far windy “up in the air than on the ground”.
“Sustained winds” or the weatherman’s favourite “prevailing winds” are particularly cruel, especially on a Sunday morning after a heavy night out.
Particularly bad weather is often described at “inclement”.
The Beaufort scale is a rating of the wind force, from 0 (no wind) to 12 (blowing a hooley). See table below.
Cold / Snow
The rule for winter weather is that it is always measured in degrees Celsius and the summer, hotter weather is in Fahrenheit.
You can afford to “club up” in winter as the ball doesn’t go as far in cold air.
Rain
“Rain hit” golf comps become a drab affair, more so after a “deluge”. Downpours and Persistent rain where a constant threat in 2013. However, big, dark, ominous clouds are a perfect opportunity to Instagram and share with everyone that doesn’t care.
The instrument used for measuring the velocity of rain is the puddle-ometre. Simply find a puddle, rate of intensity that the water is bouncing determines how heavy the rain is.
Rain on the “putting surface” make it harder to “gauge the pace” of them.
However, when the sun does put his hat on, the greens will quicken as they dry out.
Fair weather golfer will only be seen on the course between May and July before their golf clubs hibernate for the long autumn/winter.
Sun
Hot weather is rarity in Scotland. However the sun put his hat on at Muirfield for the British Open. The heat baked the greens, they were like concrete.
It is important to “take on fluids” in warm weather. Warmer, thinner air allows the ball to carry further. A softer spin ball will help to “hold the green” on the dried out greens.
Enjoy your golf, whatever the weather
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