The definition of cold varies from local. Additionally, the player themselves will determine what cold actually means and for my purposes, cold is when my hands require mittens to keep warm in between shots. That temperature does vary for day to day. The shot in my game that is affected most by cold weather is chipping around the green because my touch is drastically reduced due to cold hands. Additionally, my equipment does not perform the same and this change needs to be accounted for on all shots. Overall, playing in cold weather is a challenge for all players. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to counter the cold weather in order to shoot our best score on that day.
In my case, walking the course is a great counter to cold weather. It allows my body to warm up, I can apply the proper amount of layers to stay warm and I have hand warms that attach to my push cart that help keep my hands warm after every shot. If it is cooler than expected, I add a pair of lose gloves that fit in my ‘clicgear’ mitt hand warmers. These are a great accessory for golfers who like to play in cold weather.
The next thing I wear is a toque. If my head is warm, most of the time the rest of my body is warm. A toque is nothing unique and I think all golfers have on for days that require us to be a bit warmer than normal. If you do not have one and you want to play in cold damp conditions.
I think you get the idea that staying warm through many different ways is a must. If you want more ideas on how to play in colder weather, read my article called Golfing in Layers To Keep Warm. It will cover all the bases.
The actual golf shot is something of a different beast as well. We all know if it is cold enough, hitting our ball is like hitting a rock with our golf club. There are many different variations to successful contact, yet there is one universal aspect of playing in the cold that I have noticed. I have very little chance of putting spin on the ball. The ball pops off the club in a manner where lofting the ball during a chip is too challenging for my game. Therefore, when every possible I play a bump and run. It is the only shot that I find has the greater success of getting the ball close to the hole.
Additionally, I use a lowest lofted club as possible in order to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. This club selection will change depending on the distance to the green and location of the pin. Regardless of what you club you use remember that it will roll out vice stopping due to the lack of spin on the ball.
Lastly, your ball selection is very important. I use a Wilson 50 or Duo in the cold weather. I find it works best for my game and challenging conditions. They are easy to compress and have some forgiveness when miss hit. Overall, it is my ball of choice at this time for spring and fall golf. (On a side note, for those who actually read my review on the Wilson golf balls, I was not keen on the Duo. However, that view has changed and I will update my review in the future.)
Golfing in cold weather is challenging. All the factors can be mitigated if you really want loop any course. I know players in northern climes understand this concept as they try to extend their golf season on a yearly basis. Personally, I played in the cold often, but I am less inclined these days. Regardless, understanding how to play in cold weather will improve your overall enjoyment of golf.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
