it ’ s your SWING
with Don DeLorenzo
GOLFING IN THE ELEMENTS
It has been a very long time since we have had a real winter . So long that most of those diehard golfers out there have probably either outgrown or tossed out their rain gear . Let ’ s face it , we live in California for a reason … so we don ’ t have to play golf in the rain or wind or mud . But when you get cabin fever like many have this winter because the rain doesn ’ t want to stop , you may have to brave the elements if you want to go play the game you love .
The first order of business if you are going to play in inclement weather is to be prepared . Like anything you want to succeed in , preparation is the key . Before you go out for your round of golf go through the checklist of necessary items . Rain gear , umbrella , towels , extra gloves , hand warmers , hat , and most importantly a good frame of mind .
Good rain gear can set you back $ 250 – 500 but if you play a lot of golf this is just another part of your investment . GoreTex rain gear keeps you dry and warm and lets your body breathe so you aren ’ t sweating more on the inside than it ’ s raining on the outside .
Your umbrella will keep you dry but equally important it will keep your clubs dry . Position it over your bag so the rain doesn ’ t get in and get your grips wet . If your grips are dry you can play reasonably well . Hang your towel up under the umbrella from the supports . That is the driest spot around and you need to keep your towel as dry as you can . Pack an extra in your bag in case your first towel gets too wet . Drying wet grips with a wet towel does no good .
Keep a pocket hand warmer with you , so if it is cold as well as wet , you can keep your hands warm and preserve the touch and feel necessary to play the game well . The disposable type works great and you can even put them in your shoes to keep your feet warm . Make sure the shoes you have are waterproof . Playing golf with wet feet is about as miserable as it gets .
Lastly , make sure you have a hat of some sort . Keeping the rain out of your eyes is essential to being able to see the golf ball !
Now that you are prepared to brave the elements , let ’ s go do this . There are several things that you must remember to get the most out of your game when the weather isn ’ t cooperating .
The number one thing to remember is that if you are playing in the rain , the air is “ heavy .” The added moisture is going to cause the ball to “ drag ” more and therefore not go as far . Anyone who has played at higher elevations , like Lake Tahoe , has experienced the “ thin ” air , where your golf shots travel farther because of less drag . The opposite occurs when playing in the rain ; so use more clubs than you normally would when you are hitting your shot . The ball will travel up to 10 % less in wet weather .
You may even go so far as to change the type of golf ball you use . A lower compression ball is a bit softer and with the colder weather , it will be easier to compress that type of ball and thus it will go farther . You may want to look at golf balls
Rain Gear Men & Womens
Pocket Hand Warmers
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MARCH / APRIL 2017 gmhtoday . com