We all know that feeling when you wait all week long to play golf, and then it starts pouring.
This is an extremely frustrating thing to have happen, but sometimes you can still play golf.
Knowing the rules about rain on the golf course and the gear you should use to help you in the rain is essential.
Here is some very helpful information to help you through your next round in the rain.
Do Golf Courses Close When It Rains?
Golf courses often close when it rains.
The rain will have to be significant, and it will have to be creating puddles on the fairways and the greens.
The golf course closing usually happens in steps.
When it first starts raining, the golf course will implement a walking-only policy.
The walking makes sure golf carts riding through wet fairways are not going to ruin the turf.
Once the walking-only policy has been implemented, golf courses will decide whether or not it’s safe to have people on the course.
The weather radar will be continually monitored, and the golf course will take into consideration player safety and the safety of the golf course conditions as well.
Golf courses can become seriously damaged when they are played in poor weather conditions.
Most of the time, if there is going to be significant rain for the remainder of the day, then the golf course will close.
It makes more sense for them to send the staff home and come back on a better day than to wait to only be able to send a few groups out on a very wet golf course.
Do Golf Courses Close When There Is Lightning?
Golf courses have warning systems which will alert players to lightning in the area.
The lightning alarm lets golfers know it is time to put the clubs down and get off the golf course.
Most of the time, the system will allow golfers back out on the course when a twenty- to thirty-minute period of time has passed with no lightning strikes.
Lightning can travel very far, and it is a very high risk for golfers.
A huge part of being a responsible golfer is making sure you take lightning safety seriously.
Most golf courses will have lightning shelters all over the golf course, so use them to ensure that you are safe.
Do not worry about where your golf ball is or the fact that you were in the middle of a great round, but simply get off the course.
Sometimes storms with lightning in them are short, and you can get back on the golf course in less than an hour.
What Gear Should I Have for Playing in the Rain?
If the level of rain you are experiencing is not enough to make the golf course shut down, then you will want to consider having some extra gear in your golf bag.
Having the proper equipment and gear is the only way to stay out on the course in the rain.
It’s a good idea to keep an umbrella on your bag in case you need it when you head up to the green or if you are walking the course, so you will at least have a little protection.
Rain gloves are the most important golf accessory for the rain.
If you have rain gloves, you will be able to maintain a strong grip with your clubs even when the grips and the gloves get wet.
In fact, the wetter your gloves get, the better they are going to work.
Another smart thing to do is to keep an extra towel in your golf bag.
An extra towel is a great thing to pull out when the rain starts to slow down, and you can dry off some of your gear.
In the summer, you will be glad you had the extra towel when there are quick passing storms.
Most golf bags come with a rain cover to put over the top of the bag when it starts to rain.
It is a good idea to use this rain cover so that your clubs and the inside of your bag don’t get soaked.
Sometimes after a round in the rain, your golf clubs and bag can remain wet for a while.
What to Do After a Round in the Rain
When you get home from playing golf in the rain, it is a good idea to empty your golf bag and set it and your golf clubs out to dry.
Golf clubs left in a wet bag will rust, which will be a more significant project to clean up.
You will want to place a newspaper in your golf shoes as well.
The newspaper will work to get the water out of the shoes and make sure they don’t change their shape or size in any way.
Conclusion
Sometimes playing golf in the rain is going to be your only choice.
If the golf course remains open, just make sure you stay safe.
Keep your clubs dry and your hands dry, and you will be well on your way to a great round of golf.
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