November’s Tip of the Month Embracing the Elements: How Weather Shapes Your Game

BY RYAN WILLIAMS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

Sitting down to write this on the first rainy day of the season—and having played a few holes this morning—I was reminded of how dramatically our game changes as the seasons turn.

Let me give an example: on the 4th hole, it’s not unusual for me to have a short wedge of around 60 yards after a tee shot from the back tees when the weather is warm and the wind is helping. This morning, with a storm wind out of the southeast—the opposite of our usual prevailing breeze—I had just under 100 yards to the pin after a well-struck tee shot from the Green Tees.

Did my clubhead speed suddenly drop 20 mph, making me 50 yards shorter with the driver? Not likely. This example simply highlights how profoundly weather conditions affect distance. Great players understand they can’t fight Mother Nature—they adjust to her. It’s time you do the same.

Factors That Affect Ball Flight

• Temperature

• Wind

• Air Density / Humidity

• Playing Surface

Summer Golf

In summer, it’s hot—and that’s good for distance. The warmer the air, the farther the ball flies. Top 100 Coach Andrew Rice has shown that for players who hit it 250 yards (around 150 mph clubhead speed), every 10-degree change in temperature can alter distance by about two yards. Excluding other factors, that’s roughly a 15-yard difference throughout the bag from 30°F to 110°F.

No wonder golfers often feel like they’re swinging their best in the warmest months. The ball is livelier, and in many parts of the world—including ours—the grass helps too. Bermuda grass thrives in summer, offering a lush, forgiving surface that lets the ball sit up perfectly for solid contact.

Winter Golf

When winter arrives, everything changes. Bermuda grass goes dormant, leaving tighter—or even muddy—lies. The margin for error shrinks, and solid contact becomes more demanding. Golfers expecting the same 150-yard 7-iron they hit in July often come up short, even with good swings, simply because they didn’t take enough club.

Beyond mechanics, though, attitude becomes the greatest differentiator. One of our best players at Woodbridge, Russell Humphrey, is proof of that. He’s one of our most dedicated “mudders”—the kind of player you’ll find grinding in the rain when everyone else stays home. There have been plenty of days when it’s just Russ and me on the course, testing ourselves against the elements.

It might even be fair to say he enjoys those stormy rounds more than the calm, dome-like ones. And maybe that mindset explains his success—whether qualifying for the 2023 Senior Open Championship in Wales or capturing numerous titles in the unpredictable weather of Oregon.

Looking past the short-term discomforts of playing golf in adverse conditions can lead to long-term gains. Those who choose to play the ball as it lies in the wintertime will find their ability to handle different lies dramatically improves. Becoming more attuned to turf conditions, wind, temperature, and even mud on the ball only sharpens your skills.

Final Thought

Weather can change everything in golf—distance, feel, strategy, and attitude. The best players don’t resist those changes; they embrace them. So, the next time the wind howls or the temperature dips, don’t curse the conditions. Smile, adjust, and enjoy the game as it was meant to be played—outdoors, in all its glorious unpredictability.