Tips for Golfing in the Rain

Few golfers relish the prospect of playing in the rain. Wet weather affects the playing conditions of the course, and may lower morale — there's nothing more miserable than struggling through a round feeling the damp seep through clothes and shoes. But with careful planning, playing in the rain needn't be a washout. To play your best, learn to adapt your game with a few simple techniques, and always set out properly equipped for a sudden shower.

Modern wet weather clothing is light and waterproof, and does much to keep you comfortably dry. Buy the best you can afford, and look after it carefully, so that you continue to enjoy your game whatever the weather. Have it with you whenever you play a round.

A few well-chosen wet weather basics should give you good service for years.

• Golf Umbrella. A golf umbrella is larger and stronger than a normal one. For extra protection on an exposed course, choose one with a sturdy frame — a weak framed umbrella is likely to collapse when the wind picks up.
• Towels. Keep a couple large towels in your bag. Use one to dry and clean your clubface before and after every shot. Grass, mud and water clog up the grooves so that you don�t make firm contact with the ball at impact, and your control over the shot is reduced. Dry and clean your ball on the same towel, after every hole and before you putt. Use the second towel to dry your hands and the grip as thoroughly as possible. If they are wet the club is likely to slip in your hands during the swing, and the clubface won't strike the ball squarely.
• Rain Suit. A good waterproof suit makes all the difference to a round in the rain — keep one in your bag at all times so you�re always prepared for a sudden shower. The best type of wet-weather suit lets air pass through, keeping you cool and dry. Beware of buying a cheap non-breathable suit, which traps the moisture in, leaving you hot and sticky.
• Golf Hat. As well as keeping your head dry, a peaked golf hat stops water running down your face. A hat makes for greater comfort and concentration — rain trickling down your face may blur your vision and put you off your shot.
• Rain Glove. A rain glove helps you grip a club comfortably in the rain. In wet conditions the rubberized surface of the glove gives a firmer hold than other materials, and stops the club from turning in your hands. If it starts to rain during a round replace your normal glove with a rain glove immediately. Never use a leather glove in the rain. Not only is it more liable to slip in your grip, but moisture ruins the glove.
• Bag Hood. Keep your clubs dry under a waterproof bag hood. This stops water running down inside the bag and making your clubs wet. Most new bags have hoods, or you can buy one separately from a pro shop.
• Waterproof Shoes. Waterproof shoes, either rubberized or lined with a waterproof fiber, stop water seeping through so you can avoid the dismal experience of playing a round with wet feet. For a firm footing in slippery conditions, check after every few holes that your spikes aren�t clogged up — remove excess mud and grass with a tee-peg.

As well as having the correct wet weather equipment you must also be aware of swing problems caused by wet conditions.

• Swinging in a Rain Suit. A normal swing is difficult in a rain suit. The extra weight and additional layers restrict the body movement. Don�t try to overcome the problem by forcing your swing.
• Maintain Tempo. The key is to maintain your concentration and tempo in the rain. This may be harder than you think. A wet fairway slows down the roll of the ball, so many players wrongly increase the speed of their swing to compensate for reduced length. This is often disastrous. When the course plays long, take one more club that usual and concentrate on keeping the same tempo as always. It's particularly important to play within your limits in damp conditions.

It's vital to understand the rules that apply to rain-affected areas of the course.

Casual Water. Excessive rain can cause small areas of the green, fairway and bunker to become flooded. These areas are described as "casual water" in the rulebook.

• Putting. If there's casual water directly between your ball and the pin when you are putting, you can reposition the ball — but not move it nearer the hole in the process.
• Landing in Casual Water. If your ball lands in casual water you can lift it out and drop it on the nearest dry area without penalty. In a bunker the nearest point of relief must be in that same bunker — and not the nearest dry point on the fairway or green.
• Losing Your Ball. If you lose your ball in casual water you can drop another one without penalty near to the point where you think it landed — providing your partners agree. You pick up a one-stroke penalty, as with a normal lost ball, if your partners don't agree that the ball finished in casual water.