British Open ’09 – Rainy Day Play
The weather ALWAYS plays a factor on a golf course, but especially on a links track like Turnberry. Calm, dry days allow players to take more risks and concentrate on ball-striking, which can be difficult because of the different turf and soil conditions found on a links course.
But crank up the wind or throw in some sprinkles of rain and it’s back to square one. Golfers are forced to play conservatively, and an errant shot can be much tougher to come back under bad conditions.
So here are some tips to remember the next time you’re caught in the elements:
Rainy Day Play
- Keep your grips and clubheads clean and dry. Make sure you’ve got a towel or two in your bag, and wipe everything down after each shot.
- “Sweep” the ball. Hit the ball cleanly with more of a sweeping motion; your club head will tend to dig or catch in wet grass otherwise.
- Club up. Wet weather means heavier air, so your shots won’t go as far as they do normally. Club up one or two clubs until you get a feel for how the ball is flying.
- Greens will be slower. Wet greens will slow your ball down considerably, so add some muscle to your chips, or try to land them closer to the pin than normal since they won’t as much. Same goes with putts.
Blowin’ In The Wind
These tips are for playing into the wind.
- Club up. Strong winds may need more than one club up, but watch for sudden gusts or calms that can throw you off.
- Choke up. Grip the club with a short handle and try for more of a punch shot. The low trajectory will save you some distance and increase your control, which should keep you in the fairway.
- Stay smooth. Don’t try to overpower the wind, keep your swing speed steady.
For a crosswind, adjust your aim to the appropriate side. Clubbing up isn’t a bad idea, either.
For playing downwind, remember to club down! You might want to try teeing your ball a little higher on your drives – getting the ball into the “jetstream” can add up to 30 yards to your drives!
– Scratch The Caveman
Rock Heads: Add your bad weather tips in the comments below! What’s the worst weather you’ve seen on a golf course?
The most important thing I’ve found is to keep my hands WARM and DRY. Golf is hard enough without losing your grip or not being able to feel your fingers!
hi, are you gonna be getting anymore of the stanzonian adidas shoes? looking for a 10W. thanks
*** Response From Scratch ***
Hey Jim, Sorry to say I don’t have any more Adidas Golf- Stanzonian AT Shoes on order right now. That doesn’t mean they’ll never be back, but I just can’t promise anything right now.
Have you looked at the Adidas Powerband Sport shoes I have at $29 right now?
-Scratch The Caveman
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