Besides the changes in temperature, cold weather will have a few key impacts on your golf game and perhaps your score. If you are aware of these effects you can make adjustments and still score well. Golf Digest did a great article back in 2018 on this you can Read Here.
The key factors that cold weather will affect are the golf ball itself, the distance it will carry in the air, and how much it will roll. Here is a quick breakdown of what you can do to adjust your game to combat each of those factors.
The golf ball itself will become harder. Once the temperatures drop below 70º, the golf ball at its core becomes harder. This will affect the overall impact of the golf ball from how much it can be compressed to how far a ball will fly. One way you can compensate for this is to play a lower-compression golf ball. For example, if you play a Bridgestone B XS you can play the Bridgestone B RXS which is designed for slower swing speeds so the golf ball can be compressed more. Another option is to take an extra club to adjust for the distance difference.
Colder air is also heavier and will affect the distance a golf ball will carry in the air. This is especially problematic when combined with high humidity like we get in the New Orleans area. Heavier air doesn't allow the golf ball to fly as far. As with a harder golf ball, you may have to take an extra club or two to make up for the distance. The distance you hit a full 8-iron may become a full 7-iron. Another option you could also do to make up for some of the distance loss is to play up a tee from where you normally play.
Lastly, the colder air also makes the soil softer. This means you will not get as much roll on the fairways and not as much of a bounce on the greens. This means you will have to play more of a full carry to your target. Let's say you have a 160-yard shot to the green and the golf course you play normally you play it for 150 carry expecting a bounce. When the air is colder and the greens get softer you can now play that same shot nearly the full 160-yard carry.
When you consider all these things together you can do what is necessary to adjust your game to combat the effects of cold weather. Unfortunately, there is no exact science as to how you can adjust your game but once you understand the effects of cold weather you can figure out how to make changes in your game and adjust accordingly. Also, remember to stay warm and wear the proper outerwear, like the Golf Nola Mens Layered and Womens Layered sections in our shop.
Comments