Can you play golf in the rain?

With how often it rains in the UK, you shouldn’t let it stop you from playing your favourite sport. Playing golf in the rain can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. We’ll go through how to prepare for golfing in the rain and give you some top tips on how to adjust your play to get the most out of a rainy round on the course.

Can you play golf in the rain?

The short answer is yes; you can play golf in the rain. However, this will depend on whether your local golf course stays open, which will be determined by the amount of rainfall and how it has affected the course. If the course you want to attend is open, there are several steps you should take to prepare for a round in wet conditions.

How does rain affect golf?

The rain can significantly impact both course conditions and how your ball behaves after every shot. This can include:

• Less control of the ball: As both your ball and the club will be wet, the club will have less traction when hitting the ball. As your golf ball is also likely to pick up more mud and water, both of these things together can cause the ball to act more unpredictably for each shot.
• Reduced ball distance: After hitting the ball, you’ll find it will likely not travel as far in the air due to increased drag, and it can ‘plug’ upon hitting the ground and not roll as it would in dry conditions.
• Slippery fairways: While you may have perfect form for your swing when it isn’t raining, the excess water on the fairway, on your ball, and the club can make you more likely to slip and make a mistake while taking your shot.
• Wet rough: Once the thick grass of the rough becomes wet, you may find that your swing speed is impacted by trying to push the club head over the grass, especially if it’s muddy.
• Waterlogged bunkers: The bunkers around the course can become more challenging to navigate should you need to get your ball out of the bunker. Once the sand is wet and compacted, the playing surface is entirely different from when you’re hitting your ball out of dry sand.

How to prepare for a round of golf in the rain

To make sure that you’re as comfortable as possible in wet weather, and that you minimise the effect that it has on your play, there are a few things you should bring with you to the course:

• Waterproofs and extra layers: To help keep you dry and warm without making you overheat while you play, you want to look for breathable layers and light waterproofs, such as a jacket and trousers.
• Rain gloves: As you might have guessed, rain gloves are designed for wet weather, and the grip they provide actually improves when wet to help you keep hold of your club properly.
• An umbrella: Investing in a good golf umbrella can help keep the worst of the rain off of you while you walk between holes or wait for your shot. You might also want to consider getting an umbrella or a waterproof cover to protect your club bag.
• Extra towels: Packing extra towels is always a good idea to help wick away any excess moisture as you play.
• Waterproof shoes: A good pair of waterproof golf shoes can help keep your feet dry, and if you purchase shoes with spikes, they can help you maintain traction on the wet grass, too.
• Club brush: Your clubs are likely to pick up more mud if the ground is wet, so keep a club brush handy to clean them off as you play.

5 tips for playing golf in the rain

1. Club up

In the rain, your ball will roll a shorter distance due to the ground being wet, so you may need to club up (for example, swap your 8-iron for a 7-iron) to mitigate the difference.

2. Adjust your swing

Practice a more controlled swing with a wider stance to avoid slipping. You may also want to grip your club further down to make up for your feet sinking further into the ground, and move your ball further back so that you aren’t sweeping it up off of the wet grass.

3. Brush up on the rules for ‘casual water’

The ‘casual water’ rule gives players free relief if golfers find their ball in ‘temporary water’, such as puddles. The rule allows you to move your ball to the nearest point of complete relief within one club-length (but not closer to the hole).

4. Hit putts with more force

Generally, the presence of water will reduce the speed of the greens, can cause your ball to hydroplane, and make your ball stray from its intended direction. To get the most out of your putts, it’s best to hit with more force and increase the length of your backstroke.

5. Swap your sand iron for a pitching wedge

Getting the ball out of sand is one of the toughest challenges a golfer can face, even more so when the rain compacts the sand.

A pitching wedge is better placed than a sand iron to overcome this challenge. The reason is that golf clubs are designed for normal sand, and a sand iron has bounce on its sole.

However, if the sand is compact, the last thing you want is a club with bounce on the sole, because it’ll strike the ground and bounce into the ball if the ground is hard.

You can either de-lock your sand iron grip to create more loft, or use a pitching wedge so the leading edge acts more like a knife, cutting through the sand in wet conditions.

Playing golf in the rain: FAQs

Do golf courses stay open in the rain?

Golf courses may stay open in light rain or if rain is sporadic. If the course becomes waterlogged due to prolonged or heavy rain, it will likely close until the weather improves.

Do golf courses refund when it rains?

Unfortunately, most golf courses will not provide a complete refund if it rains and the course has to close. However, you may be able to get vouchers back to be able to move your scheduled round to a later date. The best way to find out is to check the booking policy of your chosen course.

Specialist golf insurance through Golf Care

Whatever the weather, you may want to consider getting specialist golf insurance to financially protect yourself and your equipment while out on the course.

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