The rainy season is approaching, and if you don’t have the necessary skills to cope, your scorecard may be filled with bad scores. That’s why golfers need to know the following secrets to have an enjoyable experience when playing golf in the rain. As an outdoor sport, golf is greatly affected by weather conditions. Playing golf in the rain can be an exciting experience if you have a waterproof sports jacket, waterproof gloves, and advice from famous golfers who have experience playing on waterlogged courses.
1/ Tom Watson: Use the flat swing technique
World golf legend Tom Watson, with eight major titles to his name, including five Open Championships, knows that playing in cold, rainy conditions is a highlight of the game. While most other players struggle to perform at their best in the challenging conditions of the British Open in July, Watson thrives. Watson advises golfers to adjust their swing technique for stability and accuracy. He suggests reducing the swing’s power slightly and focusing on keeping the club stable during the swing.
“On wet terrain, execute a flat swing to get the ball up without creating deep divots on the grass,” Tom Watson shares his rain-swinging skills. The flat swing technique in golf is used when you need to send the ball straight and low, primarily to get through the rough or when there’s strong wind. It’s a technique that ensures a stable ball flight and keeps it low to the ground after takeoff.
2/ Greg Norman: Keep yourself and your equipment as dry as possible
Shark Greg Norman advises, “If there’s any part of your body that needs to stay dry, it’s your hands. Once you lose your grip, you lose it all, so keep your hands in your pockets when you’re not playing. Also, make sure you keep the heads of your golf clubs dry to prevent water from running down the shafts.”
If you’re prepared with rain gloves, that’s great; otherwise, you can carry a small towel under your umbrella and use it to keep your hands dry. Using a towel helps maintain a dry grip, giving you more confidence in your swings.
3/ Golf Channel
Golf Channel’s swing instructions suggest that you’ll lose more clubs from the tee. In rugged course conditions, the grass tends to wrap around the clubhead, so you need to grip the club slightly firmer. A closed clubface won’t produce hooks or pulls. It’s important to remember that when both the club and ball are wet, each shot will have varying spin. You need to dry the clubface before playing because the club needs friction to generate spin for distance.
From the fairway, bunkers are easier to handle because the sand compacts. But around the greens, you need to play with a more upright clubface to get better loft and control. Watch out for water puddles on the ground.
4/ Doug Wade: Don’t swing too long like Phil Mickelson.
Top golfer at the Miami Valley Golf Club, Doug Wade, commented on Phil Mickelson’s excessively long swing at Quail Hollow, which led to a poor result. According to Wade, to maintain control, it’s best to keep your swings short and simple.
5/ Tiger Woods: Golfers should practice in various weather conditions
Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers in history and has played golf in all weather conditions. Woods advises golfers to practice in various weather conditions to get accustomed to the feel. He also recommends focusing on keeping a solid grip and adjusting techniques, like hitting low shots, to minimize the impact of wind and rain.
