A Golfer’s Guide: Swinging in the Rain
Unfortunately, not all of your rounds of golf are going to be played under the sun. If you are a serious golfer, there is a good chance you are going to play in rainy conditions from time to time. While you probably won’t enjoy it quite as much as you would on a bright, sunny day, golf in the rain can still be great fun. If you hope to play your best even as the raindrops fall, use the following tips to guide your approach to the course on rainy days.
- Take easier swings. When the course gets wet, the grass gets slippery. Even with good golf shoes, you can find yourself slipping during your swing if you try to go full-out at your shots, especially with the driver. Taking into consideration the wet conditions, back off a little bit and swing at something less than full speed. You can still hit good shots this way, but should have an easier time keeping your footing while the turn is damp.
- Keep your glove dry. Once your golf glove gets wet, you will probably be in for a long day. To everything you can to keep your glove from getting wet so you can keep a good grip on the club all throughout the round. If you normally keep your glove in your back pocket with half of it handing out, try putting it all the way into your front pocket to protect it from the rain.
- Be more aggressive. On days when the rain has been significant enough to soften the ground, you can be more aggressive with your shots knowing they won’t bounce too far when they land. This is especially true for approach shots into the green – take dead aim at the flag and you should be able to get the ball to stop quickly after it lands thanks to the softer conditions.
- Put extra importance on hitting fairways. When it is raining during your round, the rough is likely to be heavier and harder to hit from then during dry conditions. When you are getting ready to hit your tee shots throughout the round, think first about getting the ball in the short grass so you don’t have to deal with the wet rough. Even if that means taking less club and having a longer approach shot into the green, the trade-off is likely to be worth it.