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Winter/Cold Weather Golf Questions

moosejaa

moosejaa

Mr. Inconsistent
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Just had a few questions about playing golf in colder weather, say anything under 50°F.

1. How much distance can you expect to lose, especially off the tee? Will you ever move up a tee?

2. Is there an increased chance of cracking the face on your woods when the temps get in the low 40s and below?

3. If you wear winter golf gloves, do they noticeably effect your grip pressure and feel?

4. If it's clear and calm out, what's the coldest you'll play in. I'll go as low as 35°.

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I played today at 40 degrees.

I saw no loss in carry distance using my standard B330s. I did lose overall driver distance due to wet conditions and getting no roll. In fact drives backed up often, but carry was usual.

I never worry about breaking a club. If it happens, new gear!

I will bring large fleece gloves to wear in between shots when my hands get cold, but remove them to take swings.

40 is about my limit. I will start slightly colder if it will at least reach 40 early in the round. If I have to start later and only play 9 than so be it.
 
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moosejaa said:
Just had a few questions about playing golf in colder weather, say anything under 50°F.

1. How much distance can you expect to lose, especially off the tee? Will you ever move up a tee?

2. Is there an increased chance of cracking the face on your woods when the temps get in the low 40s and below?

3. If you wear winter golf gloves, do they noticeably effect your grip pressure and feel?

4. If it's clear and calm out, what's the coldest you'll play in. I'll go as low as 35°.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

1) I usually lose about 1 club of distance with irons, but wedge distances don't seem to suffer too much. Between the cold air and the wet, soft ground I lose a bunch off the tee as well but harder to say how much...maybe 15-20 yards? Yes, we move up sometimes but not as a rule or anything.
2) Perhaps but there's no way of knowing for sure. I broke my old Bio Cell woods and my D200 driver - perhaps from playing/practicing in the cold a lot?
3) Yes, winter gloves will take your grip and feel and seriously hinder it. I usually use larger winter gloves and take them off for swinging but keep them on while walking/waiting
4) Coldest I've played in was -15 Celsius on a sunny day (roughly 5 degrees F). Ponds are safe to walk on and play off of at this temp.
 
1. No. If it's really cold, I expect the ground to be hard, so you should make up for any distance loss in roll.

2. I've never seen it happen

3. I notice a difference. Not from the type of glove, but from wearing two instead of one.

4. I once played in 22°F. If it's windy or wet, 35ish is where I think twice.
 
I take about 10 yards off my expected yardage. Weather combined with just not able to get as loose. Now around here winter usually means no roll off tee so I take that into account. Some courses are good with moving the tees up a box so no need to adjust. My home course is short at 6481 so no need to move up unless I am trying to mix it up. Not going to find me playing 6800 + in winter ever though.

Never have thought about cracking the club when it gets cold, use a softer ball if worried. At some point I am sure it is an issue but I doubt there is much higher chance at 30's and up.

I have winter gloves don't usually use them, Slightly different feel but I just put my hands in pocket to stay warm. All depends on the gloves, eventually they will be too thick to actually feel.

This year I think the coldest I have teed off in is 35. Will play pretty much any weather but you won't find me playing alone when it is 35 with 10+ mph winds, someone would have to suggest going. Pretty much if course is open I will play. Gets a bit silly if the greens are frozen and a wedge bounces 20 feet in the air when it hits the green.
 
1. How much distance can you expect to lose, especially off the tee? Will you ever move up a tee? Off the tee I see some but I use a lower compression ball so it's not too drastic and I don't expect to hit same distances as when it's warmer. With irons it's 1 to 1.5 clubs.

2. Is there an increased chance of cracking the face on your woods when the temps get in the low 40s and below? I haven't had it happen or seen it in 20 years of playing

3. If you wear winter golf gloves, do they noticeably effect your grip pressure and feel? I use Bridgestone or FJ winter gloves and I don't have issues with grip pressure

4. If it's clear and calm out, what's the coldest you'll play in. I'll go as low as 35°. No wind 40*
 
1. Two factors: First, increasing the amount of clothes you wear will restrict body turn and restricting turn restricts distance. Two, cold makes the ball go less far at about 1.5% per 20° temperature change. Between the two, the restricted turn hurts you more overall.

2. I swing over 110 mph and play golf in 18° weather all the time. My driver has never broke.

3. Yes. A good trick, if you're going to use two gloves is to increase the size of your grips as well. Helps you grip easier. I personally don't wear gloves 90% of the time, if it's 20° outside I use heat warmers in my pockets and keep my hands there till I need to hit a shot.

4. With no wind I'll play at 18°. I would play colder but anything less and most of the courses in my area won't let you on the course. They keep telling me I'll break the frozen grass or something but I keep telling them I walk very lightly.
 
1. I notice about 10-15 yards off the tee but don’t move up a set of tees.

2. I don’t think so.

3. I don’t play with a glove no matter what the temp

33 in American units.
 
moosejaa said:
Just had a few questions about playing golf in colder weather, say anything under 50°F.

1. How much distance can you expect to lose, especially off the tee? Will you ever move up a tee?

2. Is there an increased chance of cracking the face on your woods when the temps get in the low 40s and below?

3. If you wear winter golf gloves, do they noticeably effect your grip pressure and feel?

4. If it's clear and calm out, what's the coldest you'll play in. I'll go as low as 35°.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

1. I think I usually account for about a club less. I usually go to a lower compression ball in the winter and I have no problem moving up a tee when I'm not posting a score.
2. Never thought about it
3. n/a
4. I'll play until it goes below 40 degrees. I'll even wear shorts between 40-45 degrees if I'm walking and it's not windy.
 
ArmyGolf said:
1) I usually lose about 1 club of distance with irons, but wedge distances don't seem to suffer too much. Between the cold air and the wet, soft ground I lose a bunch off the tee as well but harder to say how much...maybe 15-20 yards? Yes, we move up sometimes but not as a rule or anything.
2) Perhaps but there's no way of knowing for sure. I broke my old Bio Cell woods and my D200 driver - perhaps from playing/practicing in the cold a lot?
3) Yes, winter gloves will take your grip and feel and seriously hinder it. I usually use larger winter gloves and take them off for swinging but keep them on while walking/waiting
4) Coldest I've played in was -15 Celsius on a sunny day (roughly 5 degrees F). Ponds are safe to walk on and play off of at this temp.
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Yes! You made my day! We visited the in-laws one New Year's Day and my duck-hunting FIL really wanted to go golfing, probably because I had brought my clubs and the forecast missed by 35 degrees F. It was a brilliantly clear 4F and a little windy. So I am not alone in that experience.

I think there is little risk of cracking the metal face on a club solely (as it were) due to temperature. The epoxies in the shafts would theoretically be more susceptible to cracking, but even they are not. All polymers have a temperature/range at which they change from "rubbery" to "glassy." The epoxies in golf shafts are already glassy at room temperature (or 4F), but even in their "glassy" state they are quite tough and unlikely to break. One thing for certain is that the shaft will play stiffer at lower temperatures. Noticeably so? Perhaps.
 
Funny you should ask.

I played yesterday and the temp was right at the 40* mark when we started. The bad was it started dropping about the 5th hole and keep going down to low 30s. Was playing my normal ProV1 and you could tell the difference as it drop and the ball got to outside temp. Loss of at least one club and 10 - 15 yards on the driver by the back nine. Just wore my normal glove on left hand, will wear a rain glove on right but forgot it this time. No real difference in feel maybe a little less ability to work the ball. By the 13th hole I was miserable and wish I had stop at the turn as the wind was picking up.

When I was younger I have played on frozen greens and sometimes with snow flurries in the air. I learned a lesson that at 62 I am never going out on the course below 40* and the sun shining ever again. I got to a point on the back that I really just could not swing the club to any degree of consistency.
 
I expect a touch of lose in distance, something about half a club. i suspect more of the lose comes from the wind of late fall and winter than the cold air. i never ever considered cracking the face of a club. I have only seen that happen once and it was during the summer!?? i find winter gloves to be way too bulky but i don't mind wearing a pair of titleist rain gloves. for me, they provide the perfect blend of coverage and comfort. in the 30's is not terrible but the stars would have to be aligned for me to venture out.
 
Through the use of Cobra Connect I can tell you that I lost 20-30 yards of carry during the winter months.

I've never fracked a club.

Winter gloves are fine - no issues for me.

Coldest...something approaching 30*


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One club distance lost
Move up one set of tees
Regular glove on both hands
Never too cold
an extra layer from the waist down, wool socks and hat.
 
Does anyone feel that playing in the cold with additional layers of gear/clothing leads to swing compensations or flaws that can be detrimental to your game in the long term? A part of me thinks that playing through the year is a plus and a part of me thinks my swing would get out of whack due to bulky or restrictive clothing. Any thoughts?
 
Coldest I've played was 27 degrees.

I usually go with 2 clubs more to gain back the ~15 yards I seem to lose in the cold.

I do wear gloves, and with the thicker pair, it's a bit unweildy, with the thinner pair, not that much difference. My thinner pair are actually cross-country ski gloves.

As for the clothing, I find that good quality cold weather running tights and undershirts allow much more movement in my swing
 
Beeez said:
Does anyone feel that playing in the cold with additional layers of gear/clothing leads to swing compensations or flaws that can be detrimental to your game in the long term? A part of me thinks that playing through the year is a plus and a part of me thinks my swing would get out of whack due to bulky or restrictive clothing. Any thoughts?
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I layer and keep away from really bulky stuff. Compression unders do wonders and make it so my typical 38 degree layering is usually just compression gear, golf shirt, a slightly thicker 1/4 zip. Doesn't feel a ton different from 45 degree days since the compression layer is only difference.


I mean there is no reason to go all out warm. You are not climbing a mountain or playing in weather that gives you frostbite in 30 minutes to exposed skin.
 
Beeez said:
Does anyone feel that playing in the cold with additional layers of gear/clothing leads to swing compensations or flaws that can be detrimental to your game in the long term? A part of me thinks that playing through the year is a plus and a part of me thinks my swing would get out of whack due to bulky or restrictive clothing. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I layer with a t-shirt, UA cold gear mock, golf shirt, lighter 1/4 zip and then a vest. I find the vests much less restrictive and keep your core warm. Don't lose much heat through your arms.

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Where are some of you playing when it’s under freezing temps? I live in Florida so it doesn’t happen often, but I’m the northern part where I’m from, it’s probably half a dozen to a dozen times a year when there is a frost delay any time it drops to freezing, and some days the courses will stay closed all day if they can’t tee off by midday.

Are different grasses more resilient to cold than others? I was always told that when you walk on frozen grass, it breaks and causes severe damage.


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dpgator33 said:
Where are some of you playing when it’s under freezing temps? I live in Florida so it doesn’t happen often, but I’m the northern part where I’m from, it’s probably half a dozen to a dozen times a year when there is a frost delay any time it drops to freezing, and some days the courses will stay closed all day if they can’t tee off by midday.

Are different grasses more resilient to cold than others? I was always told that when you walk on frozen grass, it breaks and causes severe damage.


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It depends on if the grass is wet I think. We have frost delays during the normal golf season. The grass doesn't always get the frost when it is really cold so some days you can tee off when it is 30 and others you can't when it is 40. Some courses also have temp greens in winter, I refuse to play on those though. Might as well just cut a hole in the grass at home and play. I am sure someone knows the exact reason but frost delays seem to not be 100% based on temp. Probably some humidity goes into it as well.

The grasses also matter a lot. Down in Florida bermuda is very very sensitive to cold. You can lose greens in winter with traffic when frozen. Up here we can lose bent grass in Summer. Once it hits 90 - 95+ they will often have to water for a few minutes in the middle of the day to keep from them getting ruined but bent doesn't struggle in cold like bermuda.
 
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