Impossible Conditions

[Phil Burr]

This Golf Magazine story today brought back memories of playing through late fall New England snowstorms or spring days in Sacramento Valley with 40+ mph winds.  I’ve never heard of such crazy scores coming from such a group of accomplished players.  Credit to everyone who finished and turned in a score.


Please share your stories of the borderline conditions through which you have persevered for love of the game.

https://golf.com/news/2-handicap-hardest-conditions-rustic-canyon/

[John Kavanaugh]

A couple of years ago we had a dry hurricane come through Indiana. One of my playing partners hit a high flop shot from down in a valley to an elevated green. The wind caught the ball and blew it behind him. We had a ton of fun. When we finished we learned that a couple of guys were killed on a nearby course when a tree fell. I almost said on them but I figured it didn't scare them to death.

[Tom_Doak]

The windiest I have ever played in was playing with the head professional at Shooting Star in Wyoming just before a huge thunderstorm crashed the party.  His normal 300-yard drives went about 220 into the wind; my best driver was about 180 on a par-3.  But we had to give up after the 14th hole, because the wind got so strong it was just blowing balls right off the green if the slope and wind were the same direction.


The most difficult to score, though, was probably my first round at Westward Ho! in December, 1982.  It was a brutally wet and windy day and there were not the sort of rain suits we have today; it got to be impossible to hold onto the club, or even to see clearly with all the water dripping off your cap/hood/scalp.  The reason it sticks out so clearly, though, is that as I was approaching one of the greens, I saw out of the corner of my eye the only other twosome on the course, and one player's driver whirlybirding into the Great Sea Rushes from the tee.  He hadn't thrown it in anger; he just lost his grip, and wound up losing the club! 

[John Kavanaugh]

My group did once finish a pro am in a driving rain thinking we couldn’t lose because everyone else was driving in. When we went to collect our spoils we were informed the event was canceled due to weather.

[Steve Wilson]

2016 Lou Duran and I at Royal County Down on the tail end of that year's BUDA.  We only went out  because we were playing with a member and so the green fee was 20GBP instead of 200+.  I determined I would finish and post a score on every hole.  I took several years off a caddies life as he hunted for balls, and I managed a 126 without any pars but one birdie.  I actually had a twelve foot eagle putt on a downwind par 5.  I seem to remember leaving the eagle putt short even in that wind.


Maybe the same year I played in the Millicent Bowl at Golspie with two kids from the golf program at the Highlands College.  It was a 36 hole day and I turned in 102 on each round.  The 11th ruined we as the wind was dead across the hole from the left.  First round I made 11 as I lost three balls before getting one in play and on the second round I got a snappy nine.  I salvaged that hole by using a iron to get a drive in play after losing the first two drives in the gorse and heather to the right.  I was on the verge of running out of balls.   The most remarkable thing to me was that I made more birdies (3) that day than one of the kids from the golf program.


Lou and I played in enough rain in Ireland in 2016 to qualify as amphibians.  In all my trips to the British Isles the weather he and I encountered was definitely the worst I have had to endure.  I'm sure he has notes on it, but I remember being absolutely soaked on at least four occasions, perhaps a fifth in a 13 day period. 


Worst conditions I ever finished in was caddying for a group of Americans in May at Golspie last year.  All I was doing was shoving a tricycle cart and trying to give my player course advice.  A steady drizzle worsened as the day went on.  Turned into sideways rain for awhile and finally sleet that was actually snow on Ben Bhraggie a few hundred feet higher up.  I have to hand it to them as they finished their round and headed to Dornoch for another 18.  I know I wouldn't have set out in those conditions nor would I have finished unless I had made the committment to "caddy."


I've been caught in some thunderstorms on this side of the pond that would have been more severe had I continued to play, but in those instances I was seeking shelter from the lightning.

[John Kavanaugh]

Lou loves a deal!!!

[Edward Glidewell]

The reason it sticks out so clearly, though, is that as I was approaching one of the greens, I saw out of the corner of my eye the only other twosome on the course, and one player's driver whirlybirding into the Great Sea Rushes from the tee.  He hadn't thrown it in anger; he just lost his grip, and wound up losing the club!

This happened to me once playing in the rain. Luckily my driver just went down the fairway where it was easily retrievable.


I was playing at East Lake last year and it started pouring on the 7th hole. We teed off on 8 before stopping and going in to wait out the rain -- that shot was on my mind with the water in front of the tee box; I was worried I'd lose the club again and throw it in the lake. Ended up hitting a massive slice over near the 5th green while just trying to make sure I held on to the driver.

[David Ober]

Back before everyone had a texting device, several buddies and myself would call each other before and after big qualifiers and tournaments, etc. In 2004, my buddy, Tom, played in an SCGA Amateur qualifier at Desert Dunes, out in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area, but on the OPPOSITE side of the freeway out there for those of you who know the area).


Here's our call, as close as I can remember it:


<Dave> "Hey, Tom, how'd you do in the qualifier today?


<Tom> "Dude, I shot 87."


<Dave> "Oh, no. What happened? Your chipping yips giving your trouble again???"


<Tom> "AND I WAS MEDALIST!!!!"


I will never forget that call as long as I live. 91 was second place.


These were good golfers. Very good. Not seniors, not mid-ams, this was the SCGA Am qualifier. Lots of high school and college players and top mid-ams and seniors ... and eighty-phocking-seven was medalist.


He told me that it was very difficult even to walk into the wind that day. Balls were getting blown off greens and 50+ yards down fairways. Wow.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Tom, I also had a testing day at Westward Ho! It was September 2007. I got there early in the morning and was first off. About 10:00 a storm moved in. It was raining sideways. I kept playing. I got to the clubhouse about 10:30 or there abouts. The clubhouse was empty as was the first tee. The asst pro at the time was Mike Wilson. He told me that no one was playing but that the course Edinburgh)as open. I then hatched my plan. When I turned 50 I walked 52 holes at Wentworth (18 on the west course and nine on and Sunningdale (18 on the new and seven on the old). I had turned 60 that March and wanted to play and walk 60 holes. I thought today was the day. The course is easy to walk and there were a few loops I could play. I played 5-10 a couple of times then played through 16 when I jumped over to 4 and played that loop a couple of times. I kept on playing until I got 61 holes in.


About one the rain stopped but the wind blew the rest of the day. The temperature never got out of the forties. There is an old Norwegian saying that there is no such thing as bad weather--only bad clothing. I was dressed warmly and stayed dry. One of my best days

[Thomas Dai]

The most difficult to score, though, was probably my first round at Westward Ho! in December, 1982.  It was a brutally wet and windy day and there were not the sort of rain suits we have today; it got to be impossible to hold onto the club, or even to see clearly with all the water dripping off your cap/hood/scalp.  The reason it sticks out so clearly, though, is that as I was approaching one of the greens, I saw out of the corner of my eye the only other twosome on the course, and one player's driver whirlybirding into the Great Sea Rushes from the tee.  He hadn't thrown it in anger; he just lost his grip, and wound up losing the club!

And afterwards you and your wet gear piled into a tiny Fiat 127 which then took quite a few days for the windows to stop misting-up on the insides?


Mr Arble and I and a couple of mates had an interesting weather experience at Harlech two years or so ago curtesy of Storm Callum ... yes we name storms in the U.K. these days. All sort of memorable fun with horizontal lashing rain, flooding and trolleys tipping over and/or being blown across fairways into bunkers. Same conditions the next day too but we commiserated ourselves with hot tea and huge slices of Victoria sponge cake in the cafe at the castle (highly recommended).


Atb

[MCirba]

I had a raining sideways, 50 degree F day on my first and only visit to The Old Course in 1985 where umbrellas were useless and using slick gripped rental equipment before rain gloves were invented was rather challenging, and I was the only person to play The Country Club (Brookline) in a rainstorm in some wonderfully Francis Ouimettish-third round 1913 emulation with only myself and a saturated caddie, but the ultimate to me had to be my 1,000th golf course on October 22, 2013 at Muirfield.

Overnight they had called for an "Amber Alert" which is quite different than in the States...there it means vehicles taller than one level could not cross bridges.   The wind that day was 50-60 mph almost consistently, with largely sunny skies with puffy clouds moving across them at an absurd pace.   I played with two GCA-ers who can weigh in if they wish, and after lunch we went back out and did it again, eschewing the traditional alternate shot as 1) there were only three of us, 2) our caddies had abandoned us to the elements, and 3) no one had energy or interest to look long for lost balls.   it was gloriously memorable.

[Tim Gavrich]

The last time I ever failed to break 100 was in a junior tournament at Newport National one October, with winds of 40+ mph. I think the winning score (first round of a two-day event had been cancelled the previous day) was 78. I shot 101.


Actually, the other day that stands out was also in Newport. This was another junior event, a match play affair one April, at Newport CC, where it was blowing, raining and about 36 degrees. Waves were crashing over Ocean Ave. while I hit the best 3 wood of my life on the par-3 4th, to about 4 feet (missed the putt but still won the hole). We got 8 holes in before play was called for the day. Have never been colder and wetter on the golf course, and there were Canada geese droppings everywhere, too. There were other matches where players stood on a tee and agreed to halve the hole then and there because of the weather.

[John Emerson]

Wow 😯

[Ira Fishman]

High School Conference tournament in spring of 1974 or 1975 in suburban Chicago. I do not remember the name of the course. Temperature was probably in the high 30s or low 40s but the wind was really blowing. It was freaking freezing. Your hands just stung like the dickens even if you made pretty solid contact. Into the wind, shots would travel may 60% or so of normal. Miraculously some kid shot a 73. I think he won by 15.


Ira

[Phil Burr]

Yale early November 2006.  A member sponsored me and no way was I going to bail.  Coming down the hill into 18 green our cart, without a tap or brakes or turn of the wheel, turned a perfect 360 and stopped in precisely the spot we would have chosen had we been in control.  A solitary light was on in the cart barn, where a single employee had waited for over two hours for us to finish as everyone else had quit.  Leaving the course we had to make at least half a dozen detours around roads flooded by the deluge.

[Rob Marshall]

This looks like it was fun.


https://www.golfwrx.com/642539/amateur-event-sees-24-wds-monster-three-figure-scores-and-a-12-putt-as-wind-wreaks-havoc/?utm_source=Front&utm_medium=Featured_Latest&utm_campaign=GolfWRX_OnSite&utm_content=unused

[Lou_Duran]

Lou loves a deal!!!

Well, your buddy Ward Peyronnin once called me a light tipper for putting $10 into a jar for a server who poured me a cup of jumbo and a glass of wine from a bottle I brought.  Of course, your family never got any "deals" building roads for various governments.     But I digress.


Mr. Wilson is being a minimalist in describing our Ireland trip which started with Lahinch in blustery conditions and ended mercifully 14 days later at Portmarnock in 10-20 mph wind but with a bit of sun.  It was quite an ordeal, 20 equivalent rounds in mostly difficult conditions.  Even in Texas no one believes I played in fairly constant 40-50+ mph wind.  And my $450+ FJ Gortex rainsuit was about as useless as a cheap Walmart windbreaker.  Come to think of it, we haven't traveled together since. 

[Mark Smolens]

Last day of a trip to Scotland in '91, our three ball at Southerness became two because a buddy decided not to join us (he stayed back at the B&B to drink tea with the owner -- I guess 15 rounds in 9 days had been enough for him). My pro/coach buddy Mike and I showed up 90 minutes before our tee time, expecting a packed lot because the members had an event that morning, and we weren't supposed to tee off until 10:30. Only three or four cars in lot, and 4 guys in pro shop drinking coffee. Raining so hard that cups filled with water, and winds steady at 30+, with gusts to I have no idea. The pro said when we walked in, "you lads aren't really going out there are you?" My response, "we didn't fly all the way over here to lay up."


Bought a Gore-tex bucket rain hat and off we went. Mike didn't have rain gloves, so I gave him one of mine. His umbrella -- stupid rookie choice -- lasted 20 minutes before launching into space. Most fun round I've ever played, filled with laughter and balls going everywhere. Didn't break 90, but Mike broke 80 in one of the best ball striking rounds of his life.


When we finished, there were no cars in the lot. We didn't know about the buzzer in the bar, but gathered a pile of coins from our pockets and I was pouring us a couple of pints, when the manager's wife came in, stunned at me being behind the bar, followed closely by the manager -- who sternly pointed to the buzzer. We apologized profusely, and quickly downed our beers. Three days of the trip had rain, but the last was amazing. Rain clothes were still wet when packed for the flight home. My club carrier, along with 9 days of dirty laundry had an incredible aroma when Canadian customs (we flew Air Canada) decided that my 9 days of beard made me a terrorist, and opened the case. Good time to have a bad sense of smell! Needless to say, that search didn't last long.

[John Emerson]

In 2010 I was at Champions Pointe Golf club in southern indiana when the remnants of hurricane Ike came through with 60mph sustained winds and gusts over 75+.  It was a beautiful day as well!  I remember watching a couple guys play the 9th and one was about 110-120 out.  The guy pured  a pwedge and it shot out about 70 yards then came backwards about half the distance.  Tornados and hail the size of tennis balls ensued over the following evening and early morning.  Town of Henryville was basically flattened and the hail alone killed a few people.  Craziest weather I have ever seen in my life! 

[Daryl David]

Linda and I played Deal on a bright sunny day in 2014. The wind was blowing so hard, there was no way you could keep the ball on a green or on the even on a peg.  We were alone on the course but we soldiered on thru the whole 18. There was a sizable crowd in the bar when we came in. We were given an ovation and a free drink for being as one member said; daft as shite”

[JLahrman]

A couple of years ago we had a dry hurricane come through Indiana. One of my playing partners hit a high flop shot from down in a valley to an elevated green. The wind caught the ball and blew it behind him. We had a ton of fun. When we finished we learned that a couple of guys were killed on a nearby course when a tree fell. I almost said on them but I figured it didn't scare them to death.

Was that 2008? I was living outside Dayton OH that and was playing when the remnants Hurricane Ike came up through the area. The day was bright and sunny but while we were on the back nine the wind picked up and was probably three clubs by the time we finished. By the time I got home it was shelter-in-the-basement time. Lots of damage in the area and a few people died, I believe.

[John Kavanaugh]

A couple of years ago we had a dry hurricane come through Indiana. One of my playing partners hit a high flop shot from down in a valley to an elevated green. The wind caught the ball and blew it behind him. We had a ton of fun. When we finished we learned that a couple of guys were killed on a nearby course when a tree fell. I almost said on them but I figured it didn't scare them to death.

Was that 2008? I was living outside Dayton OH that and was playing when the remnants Hurricane Ike came up through the area. The day was bright and sunny but while we were on the back nine the wind picked up and was probably three clubs by the time we finished. By the time I got home it was shelter-in-the-basement time. Lots of damage in the area and a few people died, I believe.

I believe so. Ike rings a bell. Doesn't feel like 12 years.

[Tom_Doak]

In 2004, my buddy, Tom, played in an SCGA Amateur qualifier at Desert Dunes, out in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area, but on the OPPOSITE side of the freeway out there for those of you who know the area).

Desert Dunes is a seriously windy place.  That's why there are all those wind turbines up in the pass there.


It had just opened when we were working on the plans for PGA West.  One morning the superintendent went out to turn off the irrigation system at the control boxes, because the water was just getting blown to mist, and when he jumped out of his new little pickup truck, the wind sheared the door right off the truck.

[Greg Hohman]

I have gone to DD a few times to take on the wind. No wind each time.


I went down with heat stroke at Woods Valley (Valley Center CA) and was removed from the course in mortifying fashion: tossed in a cart.

[David Ober]

In 2004, my buddy, Tom, played in an SCGA Amateur qualifier at Desert Dunes, out in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area, but on the OPPOSITE side of the freeway out there for those of you who know the area).

Desert Dunes is a seriously windy place.  That's why there are all those wind turbines up in the pass there.


It had just opened when we were working on the plans for PGA West.  One morning the superintendent went out to turn off the irrigation system at the control boxes, because the water was just getting blown to mist, and when he jumped out of his new little pickup truck, the wind sheared the door right off the truck.

Wow!


SCGA used to hold qualifiers out there on a fairly regular basis. Then the wind just got too bad too frequently and they gave up using it as a site.