No that’s real. It’s science. It’s not just your body feeling less than optimal.
Also for keeping warm, as a Nebraskan who grew up in South Dakota, if I wanted to extend my season I had to get creative. I found ways of keeping heat pads at the ready. Mostly on my joints to keep the swing free flowing, but anywhere to retain any sort of heat.
The hot hands packs are pretty awesome. I have used them in boots for ice fishing.
“ When the golf ball gets colder, it can lose a few miles per hour in ball speed, which can mean distance loss due to speed," said Snell. "[The] optimum temperature range is 70 to 90 degrees. At 40-degree temps the ball can slow down and be shorter by 5 to 10 yards
Love fall golf when bent greens can thrive
so a question about the golf balls. Is there a way to keep them warmed up while not using them, like a small pouch with one of the heating pads or something. Keep 2 of them warmed at all times and switch after each hole? Just curious.
You could probably keep one of the hot hand packs in your bag’s ball pocket and that should keep the ball warm. Would be interesting to test if it made a difference or not. At the very least it couldn’t hurt!
Fall golf is the best! I love in upstate NY so getting the same season changes as you. I have some tight fitting under armor from back in my running days I’ll put on if I really need to, not bulky so the swing stays relatively true to form
Keep those hands warm and I’m good. I bought this heated vest last year for hunting—I may break it out for golf this year.
Never thought of it before, but I always play wearing pants with multiple pockets, and keep balls in them - I guess they would warm up a little at that…
Fleece hoodie, with an oversized windbreaker on top of it all. And those insulated wind pants.
I like playing in the cold, less people on the course. My attire:
I played the entire winter last year except for two light snow days.
Sounds like you’re ready for golf in the arctic.
Nothing like semi blading your first iron shot with cold fingers. Don’t know what it’s like to play in snow. Coldest mornings here are frosty before nice sunny days and coldest day this year was 10 degs Celsius with a really cold wind. Wore my usual polo, jumper, and pants plus possum fur neck warmer, beanie and my jacket unzipped. Play all year round here.
Will check those out! You play in cold but not much snow area? My course last year didn’t allow play unless it was 42 degrees F or warmer outside.
Warming balls while playing is a USGA Rules violation!
DQ and you’re out!
Huh, never thought about this under rule 4.2
" (2) Deliberately Altered Ball Must Not Be Played. A player must not make a stroke at a ball whose performance characteristics have been deliberately altered, such as by scuffing or heating the ball or by applying any substance (other than in cleaning it)."
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules/rules-2019/rules-of-golf/rule-4.html
So don’t keep your balls with your hand warmers if you’re playing in a sanctioned tournament (or if you have really awful playing opponents who would try to DQ you at the end of your weekly money game).
We played in a St Pattys outing last year with snow on the last 4 holes. It was crazy but a great time
In high school (in NJ) we had the first tournament of the year (sometime around 2004 or 2005) in early April. It was snowing when everyone got to the course and there was a dusting like in the picture above.
Everyone warms up and the forecast is for more snow. They send everyone out to the course. I had to walk to #2 and by the time I was to the first fairway I was basically ice skating as my spikes had captured all the snow.
Get to 2nd tee (par 5) and somehow pipe a drive down the middle despite slipping. 2nd shot I’m going for green and I slip and top it 50 yards. Hit third shot to green, feels like a good shot but can’t see anything. End up missing the green and we could never find the ball (go figure - white ball, white snow, should be easy to find). Walk all the way back to the fairway to hit again. Finish up hole for 7 and as we walk off the green the tell us they’re calling it. No s&#&.
Ended up getting 3-4 inches that day. No clue what in the world made them think it was good idea to try and play when the course was already covered with snow. Wasn’t magically going to melt by the time we walked to the tee.
Worked for me though - got an extra day off from school for the rescheduled event.
Interesting question about keeping the balls warm. My friend and I designed a ball warmer and we were all ready to put it into production. It would hold two balls and have a USB power source (since most cars have USB nowadays, and most people have a USB power pack). Anyway we decided not to go into production because the rules (they think of everything) make it illegal to warn your golf ball. Curious to know how many people who are just out for fun would buy this and not care about the rule.
Side note, when it’s really cold out, like 40° or less I have women’s balls, they are a lot softer and doesn’t feel like a rock coming off of the face.
I figured out keeping the balls warm last winter while at the range and the ball felt like I was hitting bricks. Thanks for the awareness… for the spirit of the game. I’ll have the hot hands for my body and hands.
