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What temperature/conditions make you take more club?

arydolphin

arydolphin

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I was thinking about this issue a good bit during my round on Wednesday. Front 9 was rainy and temperatures in the high 40s with a slight breeze. The temperature and wind would usually have me taking at least one extra club, but add in the rain and the ball was going nowhere. I finally adjusted by taking 2 extra clubs on my approach shots. On the back nine, the rain stopped and it warmed up a slight bit, I was able to play some shots only taking 1 extra club.

So that got me thinking about when the ball doesn't travel as far. From a quick Google search, it seems like 70 degrees is the baseline for distances, and anything colder than that can affect distances, but there's not a set formula for how much the ball is affected...in other words, x degrees less than 70 = y yards less than normal.

Based on that, I'm guessing it's a feel thing for most golfers. We're lucky that now we have the technology to know the temperature that we're playing in through a quick look at our phones, but that still doesn't totally solve the issue because the temperature isn't the only factor to consider. So how does everyone else approach it?

One more question: does anyone ever take less club when it's really hot? Last summer in South Carolina, I played some rounds in 100 degree weather, and overshot some greens. I thought I was just hitting the ball really solid, but maybe I was getting more carry because of the heat?
 
I would say 45-55 I'm taking an extra half club. Sub 45 and a full club.
 
#Cookie said:
I would say 45-55 I'm taking an extra half club. Sub 45 and a full club.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking Cookie, it seems sub 60 I'm looking to grab a longer club.
 
The only factors into more or less club (weather-wise) are wind and if the temp is below 50*. I will club up when it is cold, probably due to the tighter swing in the cooler temps.
As to your q regarding heat, I do not take less club when the temp is above 100. I have never noticed a significant carry distance difference between 80* and 110*.
 
60 for me and I look at taking an extra
 
Below 60 I switch balls and take an extra club. Then based on what I'm seeing I adjust if I need to take more than 1 club
 
Rain immediately makes me reach for a longer club, maybe two of the drops are big.

Some places I play get pretty constant breeze that can be typically 1-2 clubs as well.

Temperatures below 60 it's more a feel thing for me, but once it's in the 40s it's a full club.


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Would the fact that it is colder often coincide with wearing more clothes so not being able to swing quite as freely as well?

I know I don't tend to hit the ball as far when I am wearing more layers
 
I know here in NE as soon as it gets below 60 and the wind picks up, I club up.
 
I don't know why but I don't really club up for temperature itself. The only 2 conditions that make me club up are:

1) Wind
2) Dense air/fog
 
head wind - extra club
wet conditions (aside from rain) - extra club
50-60 degrees - extra club
< 50 I'm not out there.
 
I don't put a number on it but (given a day when wind is not any factor) I start thinking about it when in the 50's. I think the 60's and up is too close to call. But of course it also depends on how the ball striking is going that day too. I find there are days (even in good temps) where my irons may be traveling a bit longer or shorter than average and then an adjustment is needed. My problem is that I often wait too long before making the adjustment to club up or down after it already cost me a good amount of strokes.

But for temps alone, there cant be any set yardage per temp fluctuation but really just a percentage. And obviously longer clubs are proportionally more affected than shorter ones. Losing 20 yrds with the driver on a cooler day doesn't mean losing 20 with a 7 iron. I recall plenty days losing very countable average yardage with driver and other longest clubs due to colder temps and yet still using my (perhaps) pw and/or 9 iron for the same yardage as normal.

In the end I think it just comes down to feel and collective results. But one needs to gather that info quick enough before its too costly. But in general when its around 50 or colder you bet I will automatically club longer from the get go and/or also when wind is a factor. I take a best guess and then hopefully adjust accordingly but do so sooner than later lol. Of course swing flaws and inconsistencies of mid and higher cappers can also make things much more difficult to figure out. The less consistent one is striking balls, (even a better player having an inconsistent striking day) the harder to adjust for anything weather wise because there is no sound platform to judge from.
 
#Cookie said:
I would say 45-55 I'm taking an extra half club. Sub 45 and a full club.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much exactly what I have been seeing.
 
ArmyGolf said:
I don't know why but I don't really club up for temperature itself. The only 2 conditions that make me club up are:

1) Wind
2) Dense air/fog
Click to expand...

I never did either when I played in the cold when I was younger. Now I just stay home when it is below 50 degrees.........
 
Below 50 I don't play. Temps in the 50's I go up a club, maybe 2 depending how I feel about the shot. I ALWAYS hit 1 more club over water. A par 3 over water or an approach shot over water, always go up 1.
 
Sub 50* and I go to the Extra Soft and take another club. I just wish there was another club to take off the tee :alien:

JM
 
Each year it's tougher and tougher to play in the cold. I'm reluctant to play if it's less then 55. If there is any wind forget it, there'll be a nice day soon enough.
 
Cold air is more dense which creates more drag. The longer the ball is in the air the more it will be affected. High ball hitters are gong to have club up more than a low ball hitter. In to the wind and cold will make it 3x worse. As far as down wind goes I would say 5-10 mph behind and 40 degrees will probably fly close to 75 degrees and no wind.

As an amendment to that the landing angles will be different though
 
Based on my round last week, it takes me 7 holes :banghead: to figure out everything is short and I need to start clubbing up.
 
All this less than 50-55 and not playing talk is foreign to me. Played in 36* this week, granted I absolutely have to get out and hit balls. Hahahaha

Below 40, I'm taking a club and a half more, in the 45 range a club, 55 and up I play as normal.
 
I seem to be more affected with distance loss with woods more than irons in the colder temps. Under 50 it seems I need to add a club in my irons. On a par 4, it is really at least 3 because my drive is at least 20 yards shorter than it is in warm temps.
 
Just got back to Dallas and I'm breaking my temperature rule to head out for a round with my buddies. 40 and sunny right now - allegedly it will be 56 at some point - likely when I'm sitting on my couch sipping a beer.


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Cold and wind.
 
lets not forget that cold temps is usually associated with winter time golf and that of course also means different grounds conditions. Depending where one lives this could often mean a lot is wet and soft, or conversely extra hard and frozen underneath. Or in some places that could change to each extreme one week vs another. But point is this stuff also has a big affect on our distances and club choices in the cold weather montths.
 
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