What are the worst conditions you've played in?

[David Miller]

The thread about the wind got me thinking about the worst conditions I've ever played in.  Two come to mind:

-Played a par three in York, PA in a snowstorm with a few inches on the ground.  Was about 15 degrees out.  We had to clear our paths to the hole on the greens.

-Complete opposite experience.  Played Lions Muni in Austin in the middle of the afternoon in 107 degree heat.  Just brutal.

What about yall?

[Jfaspen]

Played 18 in 33 degrees, rain/snow (depending on the elevation) with 20 mph winds..

My friend and I played The Tribute, a course in Northern Michigan in 2:15, set a course record for playing time (they normally tell groups to take 5hours)

Jason Topp and I played 36 in 112 degree heat about a year ago in Palm Desert.  It was hot, very hot.. But very doable, esp with all the bottled water.

[Jordan Wall]

In a practice round for a big tournament this past Tuesday I played in 45+ mph constant winds.
The course was about 200 yards from the ocean (err. Puget Sound) and the wind was STRONG.

There was a 152 yard par-3, downhill 50 ft., and I hit 3-iron short of the pin.
The last hole is 345 yards, slighty uphill, and my tee shot was pin high.
Shot the best 84 of my life.




BTW, there was minimal wind for the tournament, go figure.

[Brock Peyer]

I was in high school in Kentucky, my favorite Uncle was flying in from Oregon and my Dad had planned to keep me out of school for the three of us to play golf.  A late winter ice storm hit, school was cancelled and we still played.  For some reason there was a guy in the shop (it was a state park course, if that justifies him being there).  By the end of the round, we had to use one club until there was too much ice on the face and my Uncle got frostbite on his foot.

2nd worst was this Spring, on an annual buddy trip to Pinehurst, we played our first round in a 43 degree heavy down pour with 15 mph winds.  We waited out our noon tee time until 3 pm to get it in before daylight but it was terrible.  I have never worn so many clothes, two hats and went through probably 10 gloves.  Somehow, one guy shot 78.

[Dan Herrmann]

All time stupid for me - I played 18 at Coatesville CC (Findlay-PA) in a cart when the heat index was 140F.

I'll never do that again.

[cary lichtenstein]

114 degrees in Scottsdale....really stupid

50 mph wind at Ballybunion with dieways rain...really really stupid

In the eye of a hurricane...realy really stupid

10 degrees on my back porch hitting old balls into the lake...really really stupid

[JohnV]

10 degrees on my back porch hitting old balls into the lake...really really stupid

Shouldn't that be ONTO the lake?

Played Pumpkin Ridge the first year it was open when it started snowing on #14 and by the time we reached the 18th green there was about 1/2" on the green.  The drive home in my Porsche was a lot of fun too.

The worst weather I've experienced on a course was an official at the 1999 US Mid-Am at NCR.  It was about 35 degrees, raining sideways and their damn greens were so good they wouldn't puddle up so that we could suspend play.  Sat out there for 8 hours, although I must admit a bunch of us got in the evacuation vans for the last 4 houras and listened to a Penn State/ Ohio State football game on the radio.

[Steve Pozaric]

This St. Pat's, we had a tournament and it started snowing.  Huge flakes covering up the tops of the drivers and had no hope of following the ball.  Still finished the round.

Years ago, played in Del Rio, Tx and it was 114, but a dry heat.  Every summer, play in St. Louis, upper 90's and high humidity. Pretty miserable.

[RJ_Daley]

Jeff F., that Jason Topp must be a foul conditions magnet!  I played probably my most extreem conditions rounds with him in the other 4some (the only others on the course) at Sutton Bay in 38*/38MPH, intermitent sleet.  I've played in lower temps, but not with that kind of wind and sleet.  Jason was kind enough to take my photo at dinner that night after playing 36 in that stuff.  Windburned and swollen/chapped lips and cheeks is not real photogenic!

I played on the hottest day recorded in Madison, WI, walked 18, dehydrated and produced a kidney stone that evening. that might count as worst on the other extreem.

[Joe Hancock]

....having 6 pints of Guinness before 9 a.m., and having tendinitis in my right wrist......    

Joe

[Russ Miller]

In college I played the New Course at St. Andrews in poor conditions, but it was an incredible experience.  There were  very strong winds, it was about 50 degrees with a light drizzle.  Playing in weather like this in the states would have been ugly but in Scotland it felt right.  And the Highland Games were going on somewhere in the vicinity so we could hear bag pipes playing periodically throughout the round.  With the weather, the bag pipes and playing at St. Andrews (New), I really got the Scottish experience.  

[RJ_Daley]

I can't remember when I felt more alive!  

[PThomas]

at MPCC it was so windy once that several of the flagsticks were blown out of their holes

and Palm Springs during the summer

[David Miller]

By the end of the round, we had to use one club until there was too much ice on the face and my Uncle got frostbite on his foot.

I played on the hottest day recorded in Madison, WI, walked 18, dehydrated and produced a kidney stone that evening. that might count as worst on the other extreem.

These two have to be the winners so far!

[Andy Troeger]

I can't beat the winners, and I actually did not even play, but I hosted a high school tournament last year in Indiana when the temperature was 98 degrees with a heat index of 117. Some of the kids were pulled from the course and the day was just miserable...worse than any cold/wind/rain day I've encountered (but then again on most of those days I simply don't play golf).

[Mike Benham]

In the past 12 months I have played in +100 degree heat, 39 degrees with wind, rain and hail, and with Huckaby ...

[David Ober]

118 degree heat in Palm Springs one day when I was 20. Fainted on the 4th hole.

40 mph sustained winds in my club's Member/Member one day. Shot 74 and my partner shot 79 and we won by 15 shots. :lol:

[Martin Del Vecchio]

I can take the heat; it's the cold I can't stand.

46 degrees and raining at tee time, 43 degrees and a downpour on the 14th tee.  I over-swung, hurt my back, hobbled in, and haven't been the same since.

I didn't quit because it was an "important" tournament.  Oh, how I wish I had quit after 9...

[Michael]

Played at "Gitmo" cuba at the Navy course in July...it was like playing golf inside your oven.

[Jim Franklin]

The second time I played Cypress Point the wind blew steady at 30 MPH, rain sideways and around 50 degrees. Someone from the shop came out when we were on the 10th hole and said no one else was playing on the peninsula, but we could continue if we wanted. When he said peninsula, he meant Pebble, Spyglass, no one was playing anywhere. By the time we got to #12, our bags were so heavy that one of our caddies could not carry both so we took turns carrying them. Then we finished #14 and the proshop told us we had to stop as it was too dangerous to play 15-17. At least I had seen them before and since .

[Jim Bearden]

The second time I played Cypress Point the wind blew steady at 30 MPH, rain sideways and around 50 degrees. Someone from the shop came out when we were on the 10th hole and said no one else was playing on the peninsula, but we could continue if we wanted. When he said peninsula, he meant Pebble, Spyglass, no one was playing anywhere. By the time we got to #12, our bags were so heavy that one of our caddies could not carry both so we took turns carrying them. Then we finished #14 and the proshop told us we had to stop as it was too dangerous to play 15-17. At least I had seen them before and since .

Sounds like a typical day to me.

[David Stamm]

PGA West Stadium, 108 degrees.


30 mph winds with rain blowing sideways at The Badlands in Vegas.

[Kirk Gill]

Played a family tournament at the Estes Park Golf Course, and when it began snowing, we didn't really think much of it. At one point, my friends father mentioned to me that my hair was sticking out straight from my head, and we all started to notice a decidedly "electric" feeling in the air. We boogied on back to the clubhouse, and just in time, as a major thunderstorm broke out right over the course. We hadn't noticed any lightning, just the fact that I looked like I'd stuck my finger in a socket. First and only thundersnowstorm I've encountered.

Played Lake Valley GC one late afternoon, and decided to finish even though it was dark. My friend and I both hit nothing but nine irons tee to green on the last four or five holes, and we'd simply listen for the ball to land and walk towards where we thought we went. Did not lose a ball, and scored decently, considering.

[Gordon Oneil]

The worst weather I've experienced on a course was an official at the 1999 US Mid-Am at NCR.  It was about 35 degrees, raining sideways and their damn greens were so good they wouldn't puddle up so that we could suspend play.  Sat out there for 8 hours, although I must admit a bunch of us got in the evacuation vans for the last 4 houras and listened to a Penn State/ Ohio State football game on the radio.

John, I believe you're talking about the first round of stroke play.  I guess you answer that for me, the college football reference obviously makes this the Saturday of stroke play.  I also believe it was 1998.  1999 was Old Warson.

Remembering that I'm from South Florida, those were certainly the worst conditions I've played in on this side of the pond.  You can't imagine the feeling in my hands, both that day and the next few, after playing in the cold rain, holding a freakin' umbrella the entire day.

I knew it was going to be an especially long day on the 10th tee (1st of the day) when my NCR appointed caddy showed up.  He turned out to be a great, great ROTC college kid, just without much of a golf background, AT ALL.  It started to rain REALLY HARD as I teed off after a delay of several hours in what was supposed to be the first group of the afternoon.  Piddling around on the tee as we waited for the fairway to clear, I asked ROTC John to please get my umbrella out.  He genuinely replied, "no thanks, I've got a jacket."  Priceless.
If that didn't convince me that this was his first loop, after my drive, which I'll tell you about in a minute, he picked up my bag for the first time and carried it down the first fairway, LIKE A RIFLE, STRAP DIAGONALLY ACROSS HIS CHEST, CLUBS DIAGONALLY ACROSS HIS BACK.  Not standard, unless you're in the ROTC.  

Now on to the golf course.  I showed up Thursday for the first of two practice rounds to what could have been the poster child of USGA course set ups.  Firm, fast and very dry.  The South's 3rd presented the first chance to see a drive hit the fairway (drive on 1 blind, 2nd a par 3) and when mine did a very large plume of dust flew up, took 2 or 3 hard bounces and ran right though the fairway into the gnarly rough.
I played the 10th of the North the next day, which turned out to be the first hole of the tournament on Saturday for ROTC man and me.  A 385 yard par 4 that drops severely from an elevated tee down to a fairway with a bunker right in the middle.  In the practice round I carried the bunker easily and my ball ran to within 65 yards of the green.
On Saturday, you couldn't sniff that bunker.  Playing right into a pretty stiff breeze in the cold rain, my pretty well hit drive plugg'ed in the middle of the fairway.  I think I had 135 or so and ended up playing the hole driver/six iron.  Quite a difference.

I don't think we got more than 6-7 holes in before dark.  I've never rooted for the Canes or Dolphins more than I rooted for that sun to set.  It was cold, it was windy, it was raining so hard that the wind couldn't blow it sideways.  When darkness finally came, I was grateful for that and my new GustBuster umbrella.  No other one would have made it off of the first (10th) tee.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the other UM-OSU game and the hot toddies that afternoon, John.  We really missed you out there!

[Mark Arata]

2nd round of the day, last year's Kings Putter at Stone Eagle.......

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