Opinion & Analysis

The 10 Best Things about Playing in the Rain

Published

12 years ago

Apr 30, 2014

Peeling back the curtains on a golf day can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if the forecast is sketchy. If there are no puddles on the ground and no storm clouds looming above, most players experience a rush of relief and excitement. On the flipside, any hint of precipitation fills players with a sense of dread and a belief that the golf gods are conspiring against them.

If this sounds like you, read on. You can learn to love playing in the rain, if you focus on the positives.

No. 1: You Can Fire at Flags

When golf courses get wet, they get soft. Soggy conditions lend themselves to aggressive approaches, because the ball will stop wherever it lands.

If you know your carry yardages and can execute a proper swing (remember to keep your grips dry), you can take dead aim on most approach shots.

No. 2: Fast Play

A little precipitation is enough to scare off the vast majority of weekend warriors. When you elect to brave the elements, your reward will be a near-empty course and a sub-4-hour round.

No. 3: Easier Bunker Shots

A symptom of persistent rain is hard-packed sand. Happily for the foul-weather golfer, firm sand is generally more uniform and therefore more predictable than its powdery counterpart. You also get more “bounce” out of firm bunkers, making it easier to get the ball out of the bunker with plenty of spin.

No. 4: It’s Rugged

Fair-weather golfers are pampered creatures. They’ve been coddled by benign climes, pristine fairways and pretty cart girls. They exist in a sanitized bubble, only daring to venture out when conditions are totally in their favour.

Foul-weather golfers, on the other hand, realize that golf, like life, wasn’t meant to be easy. They are robust souls who don’t just thrive on adversity; they actively seek it. In their ongoing battle against par, they are prepared to fight on the golf course’s terms. They don’t allow distractions, like a little bit of water, to stand in their way.

In short, a rainy 18 holes is a cool way of getting outside your comfort zone.

No. 5: It Will Improve Your Game

Playing in the rain is a skill in and of itself. If you’re a tournament player, an ability to thrive in poor conditions could be the difference between a win and a missed cut.

Playing in the wet stuff can also help develop your ball striking. Soft ground and moist air makes the golf course play longer, so you’ll get the chance to hit more middle and long-iron approaches. Soft ground conditions also demand more pure contact, because the effect of hitting the ball fat tends to be amplified.

Perhaps the best benefit of wet-weather golf comes in the mental game. Rain can be a monumental distraction before and during your swing, so you have to work extremely hard to knuckle down and maintain focus. If you can execute your pre-shot routine and remain mentally locked-in throughout a foul-weather round, you’re well on your way to fulfilling your potential.

No. 6: You Can Justify Your Wet Weather Wardrobe

As a GolfWRX reader, you probably have an expensive rain suit stuffed in your golf bag at this very moment.

Given the price of wet weather gear, you need to play a lot of rounds in inclement weather (or else have a serious aversion to rain) for your waterproofs to be considered an economically sound purchase. The next time you’re considering playing in adverse conditions, think of it as a chance to get a better return on your investment.

No. 7: Wet Weather Rules Can be Used to Your Advantage

During and after heavy rainfall, many courses will permit players to lift, clean and place their ball through the green. Known by professional golfers as “lift, clean and cheat,” this local rule gives golfers a rare (and welcome) opportunity to improve their lie without breaching the rules of golf.

Similarly, if a golfer determines his/her ball rests in casual water, or that casual water interferes with his/her stance, that golfer is entitled to take relief under rule 25. You might be able to give yourself a better lie or an easier shot by invoking this rule during your round.

No. 8: Help with Green Reading

Like morning dew, the film of water deposited onto greens by light rain can cause putts to leave a trail. Green reading is relatively easy when the group in front leaves clues as to the direction and amount of break.

No. 9: The Scottish Experience

If you’ve always wanted to tour Scotland with your golf buddies, you can get a reasonable taste of Scottish-style golf by playing a round in the rain at your local course. It’s cheaper than a flight to the British Isles, often just as wet, and it will leave you better prepared for any future golfing adventures across the pond.

No. 10: Play More Golf

If you’re prepared to play in the rain, every day becomes a potential golf day. How good is that?

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Michael Forster

Michael is an avid amateur golfer, playing off a handicap of 7, with a deep passion for the game. He splits his time between Australia and the United States. He is a member of the New South Wales Social Golf Tour, which conducts events on a variety of courses in and around Sydney, Australia.

16 Comments

Pingback: Rain or Shine: Conquering Top Golf's Wet Weather Challenge -
Jason

Jun 5, 2014 at 12:57 am

So true Happyday_J. I love the peace and serenity you get from being out alone in the rain. One big thing I notice is that people who play in the rain in tournaments or club events don’t know how to keep things dry.

Here are a few rules I always follow:

1st – Never, never ever, never ever ever leave your umbrella not covering something (a dry towel hanging from it) or your clubs exposed to the conditions.
2nd – Carry two types of towels and multiples of them. Carry at least four hand towels to keep under your umbrella (one at a time) to wipe your grips dry, and two to three golf towels. Remember, Microfiber is best.
3rd – Carry multiple gloves. Only go to rain gloves when you absolutely have to.
4th – Have two to three really small and thin towels in your bag to wrap around your grips if needed. I’ve only had to do this less than five times in my life but it is a game saver.
5th – Get the best rain gear you can and treat it like a tux. The better you treat it the better it will treat you.

Jason
Shotcaddy on Kickstarter

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truth

May 3, 2014 at 3:28 am

im so tired of the pace of play complaints about a 5hr round…most of u that complain are middle aged men who are most likely playing golf so often to escape the family and life they hate deep down, the escape from the trap they have set upon themselves. So stop complaining about spending 5hrs at a place you have been waiting all week to escape to in the first place

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B.Boston

May 2, 2014 at 1:15 pm

#11: Meteorologists are often wrong. It could turn out to be a beautiful day.

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Ben

May 1, 2014 at 1:34 pm

11. You get to drink more bourbon to ward off the cold and wet weather 😉

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AJ Jensen

May 1, 2014 at 12:06 pm

Another footnote for #2: The golfers who DO brave the rain are probably just as hardcore as you are, so nobody ahead of you is going to burn five minutes looking for a ball in the woods

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ParHunter

May 1, 2014 at 9:41 am

#11 after playing through the rain and making advantage of the 10 point before the competition is cancelled because too many player gave up.

I remember one society competition in heavy rain. I was scoring well because you could hit your chips directly at the pin and it would just stop there (in the puddle).
We were determined to play the whole 18 holes however when we came to hole 15, a par 3 over water, all we could see was a flag stick in the middle of the water. No telling where the water hazard ended and the green started.

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Curt

May 1, 2014 at 12:38 am

Yup this list is exactly me! Just bought a new footjoy rain suit (which should last me years, should*) course is wide open, braving the elements and a nice coffee and baileys at the end of the tunnel!!

Reply Report comment
- ParHunter
  
  May 1, 2014 at 9:30 am
  
  I was disappointed by my short sleeve footjoy rain shirt. I normally use a Galvin Green jacket but that day I decided to use my new footjoy rain shirt as it was warm and it only looked like light rain.
  After 9 holes the whole shirt was drenched and was sticking to my body. Not a nice feeling!
  
  I hope the footjoy rain suits are better than the short sleeve rain shirts!
  
  Reply Report comment
paul

Apr 30, 2014 at 11:41 pm

I love to play after a nice rain. First thing in the morning when the sun comes up. The whole golf course lights up and looks amazing.

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Sky

Apr 30, 2014 at 11:18 pm

I agree with the bunker one. I love playing out of wet sand.

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Philip

Apr 30, 2014 at 10:20 pm

#11 – opportunity to work on your game and try shots your not to comfortable with and increase your confidence (helped my game immensely last fall)

Myself, having grown up on the north atlantic coastline – rain was the norm. Definitely nothing good about playing in the hot sun.

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chris mayfa

Apr 30, 2014 at 9:35 pm

#11
the first 10 dont apply because there is nothing good about playing in the rain

Reply Report comment
- Paul Austin
  
  May 1, 2014 at 8:35 pm
  
  Chris, respectfully disagree.
  We played 18 last Saturday morning in less than 3:30 walking with rain on the front nine. IMHO, that’s a wonderful pace of play vs 5 Hrs if it were sunny. Also agree with the point that the more you play in the wet, the better you are able to handle the different conditions.
  
  Paul
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Chris mayfa
    
    May 3, 2014 at 8:44 pm
    
    It rains less than 30/40 days a year here. So you do get used to dry golf.
    
    Saves you having to pack your wye weather gear
    
    Reply Report comment
Happyday_J

Apr 30, 2014 at 9:28 pm

great list, as a golfer who loves playing in the rain, I enjoyed this.

I would just like to add one thing to the list:

The peace and serenity that comes with playing in the rain. With a gentle rainfall, wide open golf course and playing by yourself. The sense of calm when you WALKING between shots, and the silence all around you, not a single noise but the sound of impact, its almost as if for a brief moment in time you have stepped into a Utopic world and all the troubles of this world no longer exist.

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Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag