Golf Advice: Handling Tough Playing Conditions

The sad reality is that not every round of golf is played under beautiful sunshine in perfect conditions. If you play golf for long enough, you are sure to play some rounds where the weather is less than ideal and you are forced to make adjustments to your game in order to record a good score. One of the skills that you will want to work on in your golf journey is the ability to persevere through bad conditions and still be able to play close to your best golf.

Use the tips below the next time you have to deal with some difficult weather on the golf course.

• Pick safer targets. When the weather is causing problems during your round, the first adjustment you should make is to pick more-conservative targets to keep your ball safely away from hazards and other trouble. It will be difficult to be as accurate as you usually are with your shots, so give yourself a little extra margin for error. For example, if the hole is located on the side of the green close to a water hazard, aim your shot to the safe side of the green and focus on playing safe instead of trying to get the ball close to the hole.
• Hit lower shots. This tip is especially useful when it is windy, but it can help in the rain as well. Instead of launching the ball high into the air like you might do normally, consider hitting some lower shots that stay closer to the ground and don’t have as much chance to be affected by the elements. Practice your low shots on the driving range before you head out to the course so you are comfortable with them, and can execute them when necessary.
• Be patient. Golf is a game that requires patience anyway, but that is even truer when the weather conditions are difficult. You will probably hit some good shots that don’t end up that good because of the conditions, so you need to be mentally prepared to deal with that frustration and move on with the round. When you let the conditions start to affect your mental state on the course, you will soon begin to make poor swings and the round can really get out of control. Bring your patience to the course when the weather gets bad if you want a chance to post a good score.