Is It Ever Too Hot To Play Golf?

I live in the northeast of the U.S.A. – where it is seldom too hot to play golf. A rather pleasant place to live, weather-wise. At least it usually is. But this month we have been experiencing some serious heat… and unlike our friends in Arizona where the heat is dry (at least they tell me so) the heat here on Cape Cod is wet. Soaking wet. It only takes a few minutes in the sun to start dripping with perspiration.

I almost always walk the golf courses I play. Though it’s fun to ride around in one of those little carts, I find them noisy and distracting — and occasionally dangerous. (One of the courses I play has a few holes with major 45 degree hillsides. Yikes! You have to stay off those hills with a cart or you will tumble for sure.) But when the heat hits the mid 90s as it has this week, a golf cart is the only way to travel. Saving internal energy for the game instead of pushing a 10 lb. golf trolley is the way to go.

So the issue begs the question: Is It Ever Too Hot To Play Golf?

Yesterday I decided the answer was Yes! I was all dressed for a round, and intended to drive to the course after a business meeting. I was about 45 minutes away when I realized, playing golf on a hilly course in 95 degrees with the humidity hovering around 100% was nutso! And I turned around and went home to an outdoor shower and a cold Gin and Tonic. Was there any choice really?

But what if your choice is to play in the heat? What should you bring along? What should you wear? Here are just a few things that will keep you safe and cool.

  • Sunscreen! – be sure to put it on 30 minutes before you go out, that way it really soaks in. There is no such thing as total sunblock but you can find some really good products on the market or online that will go a long way to keeping your skin from absorbing too much harmful UV rays and turning you into an early prune.
  • Wear A Hat!
  • 51kGJGUkhzLWear Protective Clothing that breathes- One great product we’ve tried is the line of Eclipse Sun Sleeves
    … you see a lot of the golf pros, especially the women from Korea wearing these to protect their skin against the harmful rays of the sun. They work!
  • Water! – Lots of Water. This goes without saying. Bring twice as much as you think you might need. You don’t want to get dehydrated.
  • And don’t push it. If at any time you feel lightheaded … QUIT! The game is not worth your losing  your cool! or your health.

Do you play in the heat? What’s your best advice? Leave your comment in the space below.

  6 comments for “Is It Ever Too Hot To Play Golf?

  1. Linda Bartosik says:

    Great post and great advice about the heat! I did the same thing when considering a 4:00 Bikram class!!! Lol!

  2. Christina says:

    Hi Pat,
    Great post. Glad to see your personal concern about hot golf days. Since I am prone to sunstroke. I play very early in the morning, and then only 9 holes. These days it’s even too hot in the late afternoon – unless you have a strobe light after 8 p.m. Then watch out for mosquitoes!!

    • Pat Mullaly says:

      Best time to play these hot days is at 5 in the morning… but the course isn’t open yet… either that or very late afternoon, but around here the “no-see-ums” will drive you crazy at dusk.

  3. Irma says:

    I much prefer to use a cart when it’s really hot. It helps with the energy expenditure and you can drive to shade inbetween your group’s shots.

  4. Marge says:

    Pat,
    Sure was “HOT” late yesterday at SSCC. My golfing partner brought ice cold compresses , applied to the wrist and neck now and then kept us a bit cooler.

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