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Out of all the elements that go into the game of golf, weather is the least controllable. It can have a major impact on player performance depending on how fair or severe the weather is at a particular time of day, ranging from sweltering heat and high humidity to nearly unplayable winds or downpours.
In this article, we’ll discuss the impact of weather on golf players and tournaments altogether, including some of the best and worst types of weather to play the game in and some of the most unique weather they’ve played a golf tournament through to date.
Of course, no one will complain about fair or overcast days where the temperature is manageable on the course. But when days get sweltering hot, not only does it affect the player’s hydration levels, effectively lowering their stamina, but it affects the flight path of the ball as well.
Cold days can have the opposite effect on the player, making their muscles much less warmed-up to swing, letting the ball roll less far on the green areas, and creating a less enjoyable walking environment from shot to shot.
More often than not, the humidity has a larger effect on a golfer’s swing than just the temperature alone. Essentially, a higher humidity would mean there’s a larger concentration of water vapor in the air, which can directly push back or weigh on the ball during its flight, creating more spin than desired on shots. Many golfers also complain about how their grip worsens with the humid weather, most likely because of sweaty hands.
Most people may see precipitation as a major factor that affects your golf game, but normal golfers have probably encountered bad rain or snow at some point in their careers. When it comes to the downpour of rain (which most humans would consider miserable), the grass gets heavily affected from holding so much moisture in the ground that it could change how your wedge interacts with the turf.
Wet surfaces can oftentimes help keep shots on the fairway and prevent overshooting due to the reduced roll of the ball. The green softens as well, so putting it in these environments is different than on normal dry days. Rain doesn’t help the ball travel through the air either, as the ball constantly hits droplets during its flight path, leading to a less far shot.
The dreaded wind is probably the #1 most impactful aspect of mother nature that affects any sport with a ball. Depending on the velocity of the wind, your ball may take a completely different trajectory than imagined, especially if winds reach storm weather speeds.
Golf shots under heavy wind can turn a mild slice into a complete shank of a shot, yet on the contrary, you may be able to make your impossible bending shot around the trees as long as the wind is on your side. There are also other benefits and repercussions, like your ball may roll further down the green towards the hole due to the wind or away from it entirely.
Curious as to what lengths these professional golfers would go to, even in horrendous weather, to play the game? Most severe weather tournaments get suspended or delayed, but even so, that hasn’t stopped some from playing in unfavorable weather. Checkout the list of some of the most severe weather in pro golf tournaments ever played:
As you can see, weather plays a significant role in the game of golf, so make sure to check the forecast before making predictions for any upcoming golf tournaments!
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.