116 Degrees and Counting

[Jerry Kluger]

I recently had a business trip to Las Vegas and decided to play some afternnon golf after I left the office.  Twilight rates begin at 10:30 AM in the summer so I played Dragon Ridge, Revere at Anthem and Paiute at an average cost of $40; the only trouble is the temperature range was 112 to 116 degrees.  Anyone who tells you it is a dry heat is a liar and watch out when you catch the humidity from a hole with water on it.  I was wondering what the most uncomfortable conditions others might have played under and do you think heat, cold, wind or rain is the toughest factor.

[Derrick Pina]

I have a real problem with moisture on my grips, which is caused by rain or excessive heat and humidity. Part of it is mental, I need to have a perfectly dry grip or I have no confidence when hitting. I play without a glove so that contributes even more to my problem, but I like the feel in good conditions with out one. Does anyone else here play gloveless?

[Rob Hallford]

Yeah, I play gloveless too.  Try the Winn Diamond Dry grips--they keep their tackiness if you keep them clean, even in high heat/humidity.  

Jerry:  how would you define most uncofortable?  Least enjoyable?  Hardest to score in?  Highest complaints/hour from playing partners?  I would offer that tough scoring conditions (windy, dry, firm/fast) can be the most fun.  I played Turnberry last year with a 3-4 club wind and had a blast.  Bring on the wind and rain (to some extent) keep away the extreme temps and humidity!

[A_Clay_Man]

Stadium Course, Pga West...120 degrees.

I've played in it all, Almost, I hope. The opposite extreme was the day the Pro's quit at Pebble, but us Pagrovians went forward. The freezing rain on the back of your neck was definetly "the worst". But every face that completed the tournament and found their way to the clubhouse, to turn in the scorecard, had a huge smile on their face as the first blast of warmth caught that same face.

Playing in the 120 degree heat was less taxing. All one has to remember is to never ever leave the cart without a full cup of icewater. The instinctive need to conserve energy should cause a fluid effortless swing. Which translates into playing well.

So, in conclusion the heat ain't as bad the antithesis.

[John Foley]

I play gloveless also. Ditto the Winn grips. Switched this year and loved them. They are definetly the best I've ever played with.

Played in Palm Springs a few years ago and it was 108. It was tough, but impossible.

[Jerry Kluger]

I agree that wind can really make a course interesting just look what happened to Tiger under some very tough conditions.  The question is whether courses are designed to be played under those conditions or not.  When we go to Scotland or Ireland we are prepared for the conditions and accept that the course was designed with those conditions in mind but are all courses that usually experience those conditions really designed with them in nmind.  Take for example the Ocean Course at Kiawah where the wind is very often a factor and can arguably make the course unplayable. The heat was just something which I had never experienced before to that extreme and didn't make playing any more difficult except that it made it somewhat harder to breath at times.  

[Jeff_McDowell]

Adam,

I would expect such an opinion from a Californian  

I hate the heat, but can tolerate the cold. The worst weather conditions I've ever played in were on the fourth of July in Bismarck, ND at Hawktree. I walked (a mistake - hilly and long walks between holes), and it was hot and humid. I got a touch of heat stroke, and was out of commission for an entire day.

Cold is easy to deal with. Just have lots of layers.

I'm dreading this afternnon. It's sunny, hot and humid, and I have to stake a green. I know I'll get a touch of heat stroke.

I know I'm a wus, but what do you expect from a Minnesota Irishman.  

[Rick Shefchik]

Jeff --

With you all the way. As a fellow Minnesotan, it aggravates me that my favorite local tournaments -- club championship, invitationals, etc. -- are played during the month or so in the summer when you can count on temps in the 90s and humidity off the chart. We don't play golf that way five of the seven months of our season -- only when our score really counts.

Give me 38 degrees (though not much wind) anytime.

My club championship is tomorrow, and I've given in to age and heat. I'm taking a cart. I tee off at 10:15 a.m., and it will be 90 by the time we hit the back 9. I wish the judges in the Casey Martin case were forced to walk along side me.

[Dan Grossman]

I think there is a difference between which conditions are the most uncomfortable and which conditions are the hardest to score in.

Two weeks ago, I played golf in Scottsdale and it was 110 - 115 both days.  It was really uncomfortable.  That being said, it wasn't difficult to score because your muscles stayed loose, the ball was flying and my hands weren't numb.  

In April, I played in Oregon in the rain in 40 degree weather.  While not as physically uncomfortable, it was harder to play good golf.  Lots of layers restrict your swing, the golf ball doesn't go anywhere (in the air or on the ground), your muscles don't loosen up and you can't feel your hands.  You have to work much harder to keep your game together.  

[Joe Hancock]

Hottest Round: The Gailes in Oscoda, MI- 104f, and humid (Fun course, btw)

Coldest Round: Litchfield Plantation in Pawleys Island, SC It was a Pro-Am, so I had to play! 34f witha 35 mph wind, and damp. I was wearing wool ice fishing pants and couldn't get off the course soon enough!

Joe

[ed_getka]

Golf in Tulsa in August. By the middle of the FIRST hole my clothes were completely drenched. That was miserable.

[David Kelly]

Last summer I played Landmark North in 115 degree heat.  The course does not have a tree over 5 feet tall so there is no shade at all. I was the only person on the course.  On the 18th hole I teed off, picked up my tee and the next thing I knew I was walking off of the 18th green and getting into my cart. I played the whole hole in some sort of blacked-out state.

[D Moriarty]

My coldest rounds were at the Old Works in Anaconda, Mt.  36 holes in early spring, windy day, with the temp waffling between frozen rain and snow.  We had gloves, a bottle of scotch, and thermos of coffee, so it was a great a great day for golf.

On the hot side, I will take 115 in the Palm Springs any day over a hot, humid afternoon in the east.

[Craig Van Egmond]

David,

       Just played Old Works earlier this month, by the time we finished the round it was 105 degrees. I didn't realize it got that hot in Montana!

[JohnV]

The coldest I've been playing was in a tournament at the Oregon coast at Gearhart, just south of Astoria.  The last 4 holes were played in the snow (a major rarity at the coast in Oregon.)  By the time we got home there was 8 inches in Portland which was the most I saw in 23 years there.

The most humidity was last week in Philadelphia with Geoffrey Childs, Mike Cirba and Joe ... at Whitemarsh Valley.  I'm sure they've played in worse, but it was the worst for me.

The hottest was a day when the temperature in the shade in Portland was 105 and the course I was playing didn't have much shade.

The coldest I've ever been on a golf course was officiating at the 1998 US Mid-Amateur in Dayton, OH.  It was about 40 with a 20 mile per hour wind and rain.  We kept waiting for the greens to flood so we could suspend play, but they drained really well.  We eventually hid out in the evacuation vans and hoped nobody needed a ruling.

I also don't use a glove and have found that as long as you work at keeping your grips dry from the moment you arrive at the course, it is ok.  Even in the rain in Oregon in the winter.

[TEPaul]

Hottest I ever played in was a tournament called the Old York Rd Invitational in Philly about 7-8 years ago with the temp going to 104 but the so-called "heat index" (apparently what it feels like) at 129!

I don't mind heat at all but that round was a challenge as you sweat so much it was like playing in the rain. Just kept drinking and soaking my hat and did just fine. Somebody above said they were drained for a few days afterward and that was true with me after that day. That was the hottest day I've seen period in 25 years in Philadephia.

[Roger]

I played the European Club in high winds. It was so windy, there was only one other group on the course that day. The wind blew the plastic windshield on our caddy car, without which, we could not have played our round. It was great fun for 12 holes. Drives were going about 120 yards, and the wind knocked down-wind shots out of the air. Sixty yard bunker shots would shoot out over the flat, before being blown back just short of the bunker and sometimes back in. It started raining after the 12th and the cold drops hit us like bullets. Painfull. All in all, a great experience though.

[D Moriarty]

Craig, 105 is pretty hot for southeastern Mt, but obviously possible.  It is also possible to have the weather severly change, to the tune of plus or minus 30-40 degrees, during a round.

what did you think of old works?

[Dave_Miller]

Playing two weeks ago with Ed Baker and Golf's Most Beloved the temperature hit 103 on day one and 106 on day two with high humidity and we walked all 18 both days.

Ran was so tired he got a cart and did 18 more after the round on day two .

Played in Sun Valley in July in 1994.   The temperature was over 100 and it was hot but the humidity was low and it wasn't bad at all.

August anywhere in Phoenix is tough.  It does get humid as well as hot at that time of year.

Best

Dave

[Dave_Miller]

Jerry:

I almost forgot.  I can deal with the heat.  Forget cold and rain.  That just ain't fun.

Best

Dave

[Craig Van Egmond]

David,

         I thoroughly enjoyed the Old Works course. It was in excellent shape and  played fast and firm. I thought the Nicklaus team did a nice routing on a tough site. They had nice variety on the par 5's and par 3's. The slag in the bunkers even plays pretty nice, although I imagine in must be a pain for the super though when it gets on the greens, I know it was a pain to putt through. Definately a must play if you are in the area.

       What's not to like about Anaconda, a town with a 1000 people and 50 bars.  

[moggster]

What's 112 - 116 in degrees centigrade?

Here in Singapore it's probably 35 degrees celcius every single time you play golf and at least 70% humidity. Damn hot and wet which is fine when your with a woman but hell playing golf  (apologies to Robin Williams)

You do get used to it, though so these days I associate golf with sweating like a banshee. It is such an delight to go to temperate climates to play - you guys dont know how good you've got it.

[Dave_Miller]

Moggster:
35 Celcius is approximately 95 Degrees farhenheit give or take 1 degree.  With 70% humidity.  Sounds like anywhere south of Boston into the Mason-Dixon line most of the time.  

Heck 95 degrees farhenheit.  Seems like a cold wave

Best
Dave

[moggster]

Dave,

Does that mean 112-116 is close to 50 degrees centigrade - you would have to be nuts to play in temps like that - that sort of heat can kill pretty quickly.

35 degrees celcius is the minimum here during the day, official forecasts say 25-35 degrees every day of the year but I reckon the Singapore govt manipulates forecasts   so as not to scare off tourists. I reckon the actual temp range during the middle of the day here is around 35-40 degrees celcius-doesnt often get beyond 40% celcius - and  I took a guess on the humidity but if you have ever been in this part of the world you know it has gotta be pretty close to 100%!! i.e hot and steamy and thick!

Pretty good weather for growing all kinds of fungus - maintaining pure turfgrass strains is a little tougher!!

[Dave_Miller]

Moggster:

112-116 Farhenheit would be around 40 - 42 degrees celcius.  A quick rule of thumb is to double the celcius and add 32 degrees.  This will be off by a degree or two but will put you in the ballpark of the fahrenheit temperature.  

Cheers,
Dave