How weather can make or break your golf game
Sun, rain, temperature and wind can determine a golfer's gameplay and sway the outcome of a golf game.
Golf in the elements
Rain, wind and even the position of the sun can have a huge impact on a round of golf.
Peaceful greens set the stage for some of the fiercest competitions in golf – and a major player in this setting is none other than the weather.
"In golf, the elements are always in play," said Kevin Roth, sports meteorologist for Rotogrinders.com. "It's always outside, and that means if it's windy, if it's raining, if there's lightning, if there's snow, all of these different things, the temperature, all matters in how the outcome of the game is."
Here are some of the ways weather can impact your golf game.
The sun
Camilo Villegas of Colombia warms up on the driving range against the rising desert sun before he started his second round of The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 22, 2010 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
(David Cannon / Getty Images)
That warm, life-giving star can do more than be a beaming spectator. According to Roth, the sun's location in the sky is key as it will cause the grass to lean toward it.
"That will cause your putt to go in just a slightly different direction than if the sun was on the other side and the grass was leaning slightly the other way," he said.
In addition to the direction of the sun’s rays, the amount of sunlight can impact the gameplay, as well. Roth said hot, sunny days can dry out the already smooth golf course, reducing friction and making it easy for balls to roll right off of the greens.
Rain and lightning
Rhys Davies of Wales lines up a putt under the rain during the Round Four of the Volvo China Open on April 18, 2010 in Suzhou, China.
(Victor Fraile / Getty Images)
One weather element that can positively affect the game may be a bit surprising – precipitation.
"The best weather for professional golfers is actually light rain because it causes the greens to slow down a little bit," Roth said. "So, you're hitting these approach shots onto the green, and a ball that would normally skip right off the green sticks instead."
While light rain can be beneficial to play in, heavy rain can lead to water pooling and ponding on the course, causing games to be canceled. Games may also be canceled due to lightning strikes during a storm, particularly because the golfers are holding metal clubs in the air, Roth noted.
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"A little bit of rain is great. A lot of rain or thunderstorm is very, very bad," he said.
Temperature
Danielle Kang plays a shot during the final round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club on January 24, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
(Sam Greenwood / Getty Images)
Before the ball even hits the green, it sails through the air, putting it at the mercy of air temperature and elevation.
Warmer air and air at higher elevations can help a golfer driver the ball much farther, due to the air being much thinner, according to Roth. For example, if a player is counting on a big drive, hot temperatures of 80-90 degrees can help them hit their ball a figurative mile.
Colder air and air at lower elevations, however, is denser and creates more air resistance on the ball. Roth said athletes have to adjust their gameplay and count more on their putting game to make things happen on colder days.
Wind
The flagstick on the 18th hole bends in the wind during a weather delay during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at the Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 8, 2014 in Pebble Beach, California.
(Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)
Another variable that golfers have to consider is the wind.
"Wind is the biggest factor of all as far as how weather impacts golf," Roth said. He noted that while the wind may impact every stroke, it impacts longer drives the most since the ball is in the air for a long time.
Even a 5- or 10-mile-per-hour wind can play a significant role when the drive is 300-yards long, meaning players must factor in the direction and strength of the wind.
USA's Collin Morikawa checks the wind direction by throwing grass into the air during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on August 1, 2021.
(Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP / Getty Images)
Players must also take into account that the wind can vary depending on the time of day they tee off.
According to Roth, the general pattern is that in the morning, winds tend to be a little bit lighter, and then in the afternoon, as those winds in the upper atmosphere start mixing to the surface, you see stronger gusts down at the surface.
"To some degree, the outcome of the tournament is decided based on when you're teeing off just as much as it's decided by who's playing the best golf," he said. "If you get the wrong side of the weather draw, you're not going to win. Period."
Weather on par
Justin Thomas of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning during the final round of the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club No. 3 on August 18, 2019 in Medinah, Illinois.
(Sam Greenwood / Getty Images)
"Golf is great because the weather has a huge impact on it," Roth said. "It's maybe the number one sport where weather matters, and if there's one that competes, it's baseball."
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Competition aside, good weather can simply make for an enjoyable golf game.
"You're out in nature. There's birds chirping. It's just a wonderful little getaway," Roth said.
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