What do you know about colder temps!? But, yes, when playing in the 30s or low 40s, I’ll club up 1-1.5 clubs.
Do you club up for colder temps?
What do you know about colder temps!? But, yes, when playing in the 30s or low 40s, I’ll club up 1-1.5 clubs.
GenErr
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I definitely club up in the colder weather. The effect is exponential - my drive can be 20-30 yards shorter than normal leaving me 20-30 yards further from the green than normal. With the colder weather that extra 20-30 yards to the green could require 4-5 clubs more than normal to reach the green.
Yes, take more club - and remember the wind, too.
Put your golf balls next to your own balls - in your pocket so you always have a warm ball. If it's going to be cold, put your golf balls in the house the day or night before and keep them warm. I always keep 2-3 balls in my pants pockets to keep my supply warm during the round.
From Golfweek
Ball Selection
If you are playing in colder weather (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit), the ball's compression can make a big difference in performance. Generally, high compression golf balls will not travel as far as lower compression balls in chilly weather. Also, if it's cold, and you store your golf balls in a cold place, like a garage or your car, the higher compression balls will harden. That makes them less resilient.
Club Selection
If you're playing in weather where the air temperature is 50 degrees or below, you need to use more club than you would in warmer conditions. For every 10 degrees chillier, calculate about 2 yards of lost distance. So, if you hit a ball with an 8-iron about 130-yards when it's 90 degrees, you're going to hit it about 122 yards when it's 50 degrees. That's about a club shorter. In colder weather, you may need a 7-iron to hit the ball as far as you might with an 8-iron in warmer conditions.
Put your golf balls next to your own balls - in your pocket so you always have a warm ball. If it's going to be cold, put your golf balls in the house the day or night before and keep them warm. I always keep 2-3 balls in my pants pockets to keep my supply warm during the round.
From Golfweek
Ball Selection
If you are playing in colder weather (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit), the ball's compression can make a big difference in performance. Generally, high compression golf balls will not travel as far as lower compression balls in chilly weather. Also, if it's cold, and you store your golf balls in a cold place, like a garage or your car, the higher compression balls will harden. That makes them less resilient.
Club Selection
If you're playing in weather where the air temperature is 50 degrees or below, you need to use more club than you would in warmer conditions. For every 10 degrees chillier, calculate about 2 yards of lost distance. So, if you hit a ball with an 8-iron about 130-yards when it's 90 degrees, you're going to hit it about 122 yards when it's 50 degrees. That's about a club shorter. In colder weather, you may need a 7-iron to hit the ball as far as you might with an 8-iron in warmer conditions.
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Sure do. Typically when temps get into the low 50’s I find myself taking one more club.
Yes, for several reasons. Denser cold air, less responsive golf ball (and to a smaller degree club components), bulkier heavy clothes, and our bodies working less than optimal when it's cold and damp. That one seems to get worse as I get older.
I notice temp impacts on distances and make adjustments. We can get big diurnal temp changes, and that means I might start a round at 45F and finish at 80F. Distances change during the round, and the only way to play is to club up early and then start to adjust as the mercury rises.
Played everything today at least 1/2 less on 7iron down (normally 170 ). Full club less on hybrid to 6 iron ( 225 to 182 range ). That got me mostly pin high. Driver was down at least 20 yards. Temp range during the round.: 44 to 47 degrees
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In colder weather I club up 1/2 to a full club depending on clothing, wind and temps.
This for me... I think my club speed is slower in the cold temperatures, because. I can’t move my body as quickly. I also tend to get more stiff through the round, too. Today, in temps that never rose out of the 30’s, I didn‘t hit driver well at all the last two holes.
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Today our round started out around 50* and i was probably a half a club shorter than usual so I had to adjust a bit. By the time we were done it was getting closer to 40* and the ball was just dead off the club. I clubbed up about 1 1/2 clubs in my last shot and still came up well short. It definitely takes some adjusting, especially when the temps swing so quickly here.
Same here & I actually remembered to club up.
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That's about right accounting for the effect of temperature on the ball and club head. Think of a change in ball speed from these two factors. But often there are other factors like:
- Restricted swing from extra clothing
- The effect of temperature on your body (flexibility and capability of body to create swing speed)
- Wind (tends to be more prominent when temperatures are down)
- Rollout (variable depending on temperature and moisture)
- Changes in humidity (can also have an effect)
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Due respect to you I have some debate and or disagree (if I may) with both your points.
First the ball. A softer ball (in general) has a bit less speed anyway. But when its cold the softer core ball is also cold too. It too would be affected and since it produces a bit less ball speed anyway, and is also cold I am a believer it simply doesn't matter. Imo one should play the very same ball they prefer in warm weather. I believe the whole switching to softer core balls thing in cold weather is a misguided logic. Widely accepted by many folks but still misguided and not corect.
Ive also read but dont believe in the 2yrds per 10 degree analogy. I believe it has to be a percentage where as the loss is greater as the clubs get longer. It cant be the same with all clubs. A 90 yrd sw vs a 250 yrd driver would have to prove a parentage loss and not a specific yardage. From 80 degrees to 40 degrees with a driver there is (in my experiences) a whole world worth of more yardage lost than just only 8 yrds.
Short answer...
There is sooooo much that goes into it but yes I see about a clubs difference in carry between “I’m cold” and “I’m sweating like a pig”.
There is sooooo much that goes into it but yes I see about a clubs difference in carry between “I’m cold” and “I’m sweating like a pig”.
It is an excerpt from GolfWeek (as mentioned above)
It's okay, I am not that scientific ... just logical. Ask the guys at GolfWeek
When it's cold, I keep all golf balls in the house and put 3 in my pocket during the round to keep them warm.
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For sake of discussion.. But articles are written by people and often from opinion.
What is said is often said and imo it never made good sense.
Softer core balls are already a bit shorter ad they too would also be affected by the cold. The whole notion unless one can prove otherwise is just misguided logic and I've never seen one single article or test that ever proved softer core balls fly further in cold. Unless someone can show me I am wrong which I've never encountered i believe its always been a myth.
But it is interesting and is why I'm liking the discussion.
Softer core balls feel better in the cold. Meaning they feel like they were compressed similar to a firmer core ball in the summer. Also they're usually a much cheaper option and that's enough for me to use them in the winter, study or not. Also to piggyback onto your percentage take in post #40 @rollin , wouldn't that apply to ball firmness too? If hypothetically balls play 10% firmer at a given cold temperature wouldn't a 100 compression ball play 10 points firmer while a 50 compression ball only plays 5 points firmer? Also, wouldn't a softer (supposedly slower) ball slow down a little less than a firmer one that had a supposedly faster starting speed, assuming a percentage scenario?
I know the tour ball I play most of the year feels much firmer when it's cold unless I take steps to pre-warm them and keep them warmer similar to those @Desmond suggestions. I actually go a little further than he does with it. Those steps alone don't solve everything but they do help IME.
I know the tour ball I play most of the year feels much firmer when it's cold unless I take steps to pre-warm them and keep them warmer similar to those @Desmond suggestions. I actually go a little further than he does with it. Those steps alone don't solve everything but they do help IME.
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I’m not sure it’s a full club. But, I’m definitely not clubbing down under 55 degrees
I don't have a portable warmer or I might try that. Hmmm, maybe an insulated bag.
If you are going for a softer core ball and want to retain spin, one could play the softer compression ball within the same Tour ball family.
Absolutely. A week ago it was 41* at tee off and stayed in the 40s the whole time. I clubbed up on approach shots and routinely just barely reached the front of the green. I probably should have clubbed up 2 clubs but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
charley48
Well-known member
I don't club up. I just swing harder. 
Luchnia
You will never conquer golf.
Haven't noticed that I club up too much. If I am hitting a bit short I will deloft slightly so you could call that clubbing up I suppose. I don't think my yardage is that much different from 50-60 degrees, but might be worth considering my stats on those.
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my theory about ball travel in cold vs warmth being a distance loss percentage (instead of a set yardage) with shorter and longer clubs is not at all the same thing as suggesting ball cores are proportionally firmer. Thats two completely different unrelated notions. Besides when talking about and noting our distance loss in the cold we are talking about the ball we play.
But as a separate notion it doesn't hold much water anyway and one reason is different balls are made of different materials and different percentages of materials. So the affect or percentage of cold affect would vary by ball anyway.
The distance loss is mostly due to the ball traveling through what is more dense (cold) air than it is anything else. Its the same reason balls dont travel as far for all those playing at sea level vs those playing at 7,000 feet. Less dense vs more dense air. Changing balls does not change that of course and thats the main detriment.
Thats also why the loss is a percentage (not a set yardage) from shorter to longer clubs. A 260 yrd shot is flying through the more dense air a lot longer then a 120 yrd shot is. So the longer shot is meeting more resistance in its longer journey. A driver loss of distance in cold air should be many more yards of loss vs ones pw. It would have to be cause it has to fight through more of that denser air.
Nowadays there are top end high price softer core balls too. Think chrome soft or bridge BRX, etc....
In the end ....unless one can prove me wrong (and Ive yet to find it stated as any fact anywhere ever at all) ,...one does not gain back any loss of distance in cold weather by going with a softer ball. Its always nothing more than a misguided opinion myth and has no factual evidence at all. People who use softer core balls like CS or brx or e6 or whatever are also losing yardage in cold weather too.
And if this were any real truth to any of it then those normal softer core playing folks should do the opposite and should switch to harder core balls when it gets hot out.
This idea that one who might play perhaps a prov1 should switch to a cs or a Brx or even e6 or whatever in order to gain back the yardage loss is simply flat out wrong. It doesnt work that way and its not true. Ive yet to see anything more than opinion and never anything at all factually claiming this. If anyone can show me the proof otherwise,..Ill be glad to read it and give it a go at changing my thoughts.
The best thing one should do is play the same ball they always play. Unless of course losing them in leaves is the motive, But as for distace loss and playablilty etc.... play the same ball you always do.
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