GolfDom Club Golfer,The Mental Side,Weather Playing Golf In Extreme Humidity

Playing Golf In Extreme Humidity


air air pollution climate change dawn

The weather sucks big time folks. Playing golf in extreme humidity is no walk in the park. It saps your energy like listening to your angry spouse. You get to the golf course at your usual time. You head out to hit a few warmup balls on the range. In no time at all, you are drenched in sweat. Your golf shirt is a wet sponge soaking up all that stinky perspiration. How does it get any better than this? There must have been good reason for golf to originate in chilly Scotland or Holland.

ode to the party hole at Aussie PGA RQ

Golfing In Hot & Humid Weather

Golf is no natural fit for hot and humid climates. Your grip slips in this god awful weather. Holding onto the club becomes a thing in this sticky atmosphere. So much wet heat rises up from all that grass beneath your feet. The bugs love it and hover around you in search of blood. The sun bakes down upon your head. The steam rises from the moist ground. The pernickety, finickity nature of golf doesn’t suit this set of circumstances. Perfection and the quest for it aint suited by hot and bothered weather.

Golf In A Hot Climate Is No Fun

Rage and frustration is only half a step away in this filthy humidity. Push, pull and stuff up a shot and fury bubbles up like lava in a volcano. A scorched earth policy is on the god damned cards. Miss a short putt and steam emerges out of your ears. Playing partners can irritate big time in this weather. One wrong word and the negative thoughts stack up like a 10 car pile up on the freeway. “I hate this f****** game!” 4 to 5 hours of torture in a pressure cooker environment. Golf in a hot climate is no fun at all.

woman holding yoke while carrying yoke on desert
Avoid the bunkers on hot days!!!
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

The Stench Of Failure In A Humid World

I can smell the failure in my shirt, as I trudge off the course. Every crucial missed putt coming down the stretch is embedded in the stink. The camaraderie is waning within this muggy four ball farrago. Flushed faces fume and splutter like overheated engines in summer. My water bottles are now empty within my golfing bag. The damp presence in its deep pockets a reminder of their passing. My feet hurt along with my pride. In the final huddle we gather to tally score cards. Another bitter reminder of failure we all have to sign. Eventually, there is talk of drinks at the bar to drown sorrows. “Hey buddy, there is always tomorrow.”

man walking carrying black and red golf bag on green grass field
Photo by Jopwell on Pexels.com

The goings on from this day on the golf course will fade from memory. Our imprints on grass and green last about 40 minutes according to this anal chap I used to know who measured such things. Nature will not remember me or my bad shots. Playing golf in extreme humidity is not for sissies, however. You have to try and pace yourself through the round. Stay hydrated. Carry plenty of water. Remind yourself that these conditions are the same for everyone. Keep your cool and don’t give in to rage. A few Stoic principles are very handy in this kind of weather. Find the shade where possible along the way. Change your glove to keep fresh and stop the grip slipping. Carry towels. Put up your umbrella to reduce the harsh effects of the sun. Breathe deeply to maintain your composure. Imagine your are in a cool climate. Fake it until you make it, especially on the greens.

Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The Stoic Golfer: Finding Inner Peace & Focus On The Fairway and several other titles on golf.

©GolfDom