Spring is a difficult time in my area. For the most part, we expect that warmer weather will increase our chances of our local golf course opening. But, alas that is not true. Starting tonight, we are expecting another blast of winter. It makes many golfers in my area sad because that will push back opening day at least a week. Unfortunately, that is part of the seasons in my area.
Continue readingweather factors in golf
Just Another Day On The Links
Yesterdays round started the same as all others. As my second round of golf in 2021, I am slowly starting to gain some control of my swing. I still have a long way to go, but that is the fun of playing and practicing….right? I played well, hit some good shots, scored well, and felt like it was a typical day. That is until the last two holes.
Continue readingDoes Your Pre-shot Routine Change With The Weather
This morning the blanket of white arrived and is likely to stay until April 2021. We are hoping for a bit of break over the next few weeks, but essentially Winter is Here!
That is okay, it was a matter of time and it is not unexpected. I did, however, feel a shift in my mood this morning. With the snow finally here and the waiting over, I realize that my morning routine shifted gears. I am not sure why, but the change in weather has changed how I look at things. As such, I am a little slower and less inclined to rush out of the house to the great outdoors. And of course, that got me thinking of my golf game!
Continue readingDrastic Changes In Temperature
Any golfer will tell you that they watch the weather; if they say they do not, then I would suggest they are pulling your leg. Changes in the temperature have a direct impact on how we approach each round. In fact, where I live in Canada, the weather can change drastically in the course of a round. But, the shift from fall to winter signals a change in thinking where golf falls down my list of things to do. I know it sounds sad, but that is the reality of living in colder climes.
Continue readingIt is Golfing Weather – Time to Suit Up!
Golfers are the best predictors of weather! Better than any groundhog, golfers can sense when the weather is going to cooperate before they hit the links! Some have the innate knowledge of weather by the way the grass leans as they load their clubs into the car and yet others have a divining rod that never fails. Regardless of what they use to determine the weather, it is always “time to suit up”!
Have you ever listen to golfers enjoying a libation at the 19th hole. They can recount every stroke, miss hit, and triumph of their previous round. They know the exact yardage of every shot, the distance of all hazards from their ball and the exact what time their playing partner coughed in their backswing! It is truly amazing the plethora of details every golfer can recount at a moments notice. But, this is nothing compared to their ability to predict weather.
How many of us have been on the links and noticed the weather turning bad. As the clouds start to roll in, (although we heard about it in the morning weather report as we drove to the course) denial of the obvious occurs and the weather predictions start rolling in. Golfers instinctively know exactly when the first drop of rain will fall. Their time appreciation is so exact, Swiss watchmakers use them instead of the world atomic clock!
At all times, golfers know the exact wind speed and direction. By tossing a few blades of grass in the air, golfers make a million precise calculations to determine the exact effect the wind will have on their ball flight. With this critical information, amateurs will compensate their aim by two or three yards! It is truly amazing.
The last important weather factor is temperature. Golfers know that a slight change in temperature will cause their game to improve or not. A couple of degrees is the difference between being too cold and stiff to swing a club or to hot and sweaty to effectively hold a golf club! So, selecting the exact tee time will correspond with the known variations in temperature is as much an art as a science!
Actually, all these weather factors are most important when determining when “it is time to suit up”! Knowing the weather will determine what to wear and this is important to playing great golf.
All golfers have an obsessive focus on the weather. By fine tuning their weather predicting skills, golfers feel they can gain that slight advantage needed to win their next match!
Personally, I think it is all a bit crazy, but it is fun to talk about. Knowing the weather is important because I hate being caught on the golf course without my umbrella!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 