As the cooler temperatures approach at a not so glacial pace, I already dusted off my outer layers so I that was prepared for all weather contingencies. It is something I normally do around the first week in September. This year, my prep started about three weeks later than abnormally warm temperatures in September this year. As an example, the first three weeks in September hovered around 22° C (72° F), however now, the temperature is only reaching a high of 13 degrees Celsius (56 degrees F), which is a bit cool if I do not have the right number of layers on. Playing fall golf can be fun only if we are wearing the proper attire.
I realize that this article is a bit late for playing golf in my region, however four hours south of my location will benefit from my past experiences. Yesterday’s article mention that I am losing interest in playing golf moving forward, however the information is still valid.
After digging out my warmer layers (an absolute must), I also dig out gloves, toques, long underwear, etc. for those very cool mornings. I am sure some of your readers do not really worry about these cold at this moment, but you might in the future. The trick to preparing is ensuring the proper layer is ready for the proper temperatures.
One of the aspects that I overlooked in the past was keeping dry in the cool weather. At this time of year, the ground is soaked with dew in the morning. I takes until noon to dry out (if we are lucky) and because of this getting wet is definitely going to happen. It does not seem like much, but my feet, hands and pockets have a tendency to dampen as the round continues. To alleviate this annoyance, I carry an extra towel (usually a smaller one) for wiping my ball and hands. I find that using this extra towel definitely helps keep my drier.
Lastly, I always bring my shoes in the house to dry. The temperatures are so cool at night that if my shoes are wet from previous rounds they never dry. Hence, I have three pairs I rotate through the mix to at least start with dry feet. I can get away with two pairs if I am not playing everyday (which I generally do not in the fall).
Playing golf in the fall is all about keeping warm and dry. A little forethought on our part will help decide on what attire we need to be wearing and or carrying. It is not a difficult thing to envision, but does take a bit of time. For now, I am not really interested in playing, however if a warm dry day happens to show up….who knows, I might hit the links one last time in 2023.
The Grateful Golfer 