Beating The Heat

[Diane]

I played golf all Winter - as long as it was above freezing and not too windy - I was ok out there, but kept longing for Spring. Well, now it's Summer and I'm longing for the cold again. I can walk 9 in the heat, but I'm in a cart for 18 and even then by the 16th, I feel like I'm going to melt despite bringing lots of water, gatorade and PB&J sandwiches. Many of you live in places where it's even hotter and/or more humid. How do you cope with the heat?

[Walker]

I play early in the morning.

[BunkerBound21]

grin and bear it! i keep a small battery operated fan in the bag for the times in the cart waiting between shots. along with to frozen bottles of water, so when the melt a bit the water is still on ice. Wearing a very breathable shirt helps alot too.

[Golfaddict]

On Monday the high was 97 and it was the most humid day of the year. I always ride. I had no energy that day. I played terrible and I couldn't concentrate because of the weather. Yesterday I played 45 holes. It was 96 and humid. But befoe I went out for the round I had a good lunch and I was constantly drinking water. I also ate a hot dog during the day yesterday.

I usually wear light colored clothing too. I think you have to keep your energy level up and you have to make sure you replenish the liquids you sweat out. It also helps if you get used to it. When you're waiting find some shade!

Monday was the first day it was miserably hot with high humidity. I am accustomed to the hot temperatures. The humidity can just zap you though.

[stlcard_25]

I usually play in the evenings and although it's not as hot here as it is some places, I still prefer to walk at any time. I drink a large excess of fluid, carry something to eat and make sure I have a couple golf gloves...usually one is soaked through by the time I finish up nine holes.

[halk]

Played yesterday temps was 97º and humid made the turn at noon which seemed to be the hottest part of the day but was hotter when I finished. Just keep plenty of water on hand. I have found that drinking very cold water will do two things make you sick and cause thirst in just a few minutes after drinking. I carry water that is just barely cool somewhere around the 60º range. Also have giving up on the sport drinks the main reason they run my blood sugar up quite high and they also in my opinion do not quench thirst like water. Next time out on the course try water that is just cool in the 60 degree range I think you find that it will do more to quench ones thirst, BTW playing again tomorrow with the temps in the upper 90's. Hey here in the south if you wait for the cool you wait a long time in the summer just like now at 5:00pm the temps is 92º and very humid. When I go for my 4 mile walk at 7:00 the temps will be around 85º plus.

[Texas Wedge]

Play early when possible and drink lots and lots of water. I usually like to get a candy bar at the turn, too, but that's probably not of any real help to me.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by Texas Wedge

Play early when possible and drink lots and lots of water. I usually like to get a candy bar at the turn, too, but that's probably not of any real help to me.

Are you guys all very thin? I eat before I play. I bring a PB&J sandwich with me and I'm still starving when I'm finished. A candy bar would never be enough.

[Bulls9999]

Here in Oklahoma, it can be 100-107 for 30-40 straight days. You can roast your brain...I've tried hats vs. visors and still not sure which one is worse/better. Visors lets you head/brains roast in the sun while hats let your brains braise in the humidity under the cap....shade...when I walk, I'm walking along the tree line.

Funny, in my son's recent tournament, me and several parents were under trees off the green side of a par3 waiting for the group in front of my son's to clear (our kids were on the tee box waiting). After about 10 min, the group on the green was almost done...I'm watching my son and the other 3 kids all this time, standing in the hot sun on the tee box, and I say to the other parents: "I don't want to insult any of you about your kids intelligence, so I'll just talk about my own....if you look yonder at our kids standing in the sun for the past 10 min, can I ask how far away is the shade?....a tree was shading the slope leading up to the tee box and all 4 kids had been in the sun the entire time waiting. One other parent said, yea, I guess they have to get our age before they get the smarts to move 5 feet and into the shade. Drives me crazy to see my son wasting energy standing in the sun during a golf tourney when shade is 4-5 feet away. Do that for 5 min each hole and you'll be playing with scrambled eggs for brains by the 18th hole, especially since they have to carry their own bags.....arrrrghhhh.

Originally Posted by Diane

I played golf all Winter - as long as it was above freezing and not too windy - I was ok out there, but kept longing for Spring. Well, now it's Summer and I'm longing for the cold again. I can walk 9 in the heat, but I'm in a cart for 18 and even then by the 16th, I feel like I'm going to melt despite bringing lots of water, gatorade and PB&J sandwiches. Many of you live in places where it's even hotter and/or more humid. How do you cope with the heat?

[Golfaddict]

Most of the time I don't like to eat before a round, and I rarely eat during a round. But if it's going to really hot I will have a decent meal before hand. I am not thin, but during the summer months I try to cut back and lose some of that "poundage" that has accumulated over the winter. Presently I am down 10 pounds from the winter. I would like to lose about 10 more pounds.

There is only one problem. I have 2 vices, golf and food.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by Bulls9999

Drives me crazy to see my son wasting energy standing in the sun during a golf tourney when shade is 4-5 feet away. Do that for 5 min each hole and you'll be playing with scrambled eggs for brains by the 18th hole, especially since they have to carry their own bags.....arrrrghhhh.

Bull - I'm curious - did you ask your son later why he didn't move into the shade? Or suggest that next time, he might want to?

[C-Tech]

This is my first summer in Tucson and everyone said it would be brutal for a first-timer like myself. Honestly, the heat here isn't accompanied with humidity, so it isn't nearly as bad as the heat I had to put up with in Arkansas.

The courses here do a thing they call the "wave" starting from 6 to 8 every morning on the weekend. They send groups off on both front and back tees during those times and then they don't have any more tee times available until after 10. I try to go out early if I can, but I have noticed that the courses have been watered early and when the sun hits the course, the humidity goes up dramatically. I spent a week on vacation and played every afternoon around 3:30 which is supposed to be in the teeth of the heat.

All I do is slow down. I ride a cart because it would just be suicide not to with my health difficulties, but I still try to move more slowly, keep to any shade available, drink Gatorade and water liberally, and keep a towel with a wet end. I also always wear headgear (usually a hat) to provide extra shade. I wear light colors in light fabrics that breathe. I actually don't think I have ever had trouble here although I have seen the marshalls bring in a guy from a northern clime who tried walking a desert course in the midday sun. He didn't look real good.

As far as eating on the course, during a round... I normally put a couple of apples and/or bananas in my bag for consumption during a round. Sometimes I will add some peanut butter crackers to that as well. I need to keep my energy up and that helps without being too unhealthy.

[essurfer]

Heat never bothers me I guess Ive just become immune to the heat and humidty here. Its going to be 90 today and I am liking my chops to get out there. Even passing up surfing to go and play!

[JimSomebody]

On hot days (temps in the 90s): Light colors and materials. Lots of fluid replenishment (actually, I start hydrating before the round starts). And potato chips are a good salt-delivery system to restore what's lost via perspiration.

I might soak my cap with water, too.

[JungleJ]

Well I've never experienced "too hot to play" heat, but I've played in 90-odd degree heat.

1 - I drink a lot of water all the time, not just when it's hot. I run a lot away from golf so I am aware of the need to keep hydrated. I drink lots of water, and when golfing I will add Gatorade in there.
2 - I never drink alcohol during a round on a hot day, if ever. Bad news in the heat.
3 - I wear a cap or visor. I have a cap made of Nike Dri-fit material which protects the pate from the sun but allows the heat to escape.
4 - sunscreen is important.
5 - technical fabrics like Dri-fit or Coolmax are important too.
6 - I carry my clubs but I use a really light, small bag with the bare essentials packed.

I find that as long as I have had a decent meal before I play I can get round 18 without needing much more than liquid intake. If I am offered it I will have a candy bar but the sugar hit from that can be bad for your game. If I am organised enough I'll bring bananas and/or nuts along. Most of us have enough salt in our diets to not need to replace what we lose in a round during it.

[Bigvivec]

I play in the morning usually, still hot but not soooo bad...will play anytime of day though...I drink water before I play but rarely when I am...I have found shirts that fit well when soaking wet...all that dryfitweave stuff is all well and good but when it is hot and humid like it is here it is all for naught; something that fits well soaking is the best...I keep a towel or two handy, a few gloves, never wear a hat, always walk, use sunscreen and hate sunglasses...pretty much how I deal is that I just got used to being hot and sweaty and tiring easily...

I played in the mountains in the States a couple of years ago...what a difference when your body isn't overheated...I was a 15 handicap at the time and shot a +9 on a course that I never saw...dealing with the heat isn't easy, but it is just that...

[Wazmankg]

I live in Michigan.


I usually don't play when it's really hot (> 90). But when we get our occasional heat wave and I do choose to play, I ride and carry a lot of very cold water(sorry halk, it has to be cold for me). The only time I eat while I play is if the golf causes me to miss or delay a meal and even then it's some fruit or cookies... just something to nibble on. The heat doesn't really affect me or my game negatively.. I just don't like it.

[Darth Fader]

Originally Posted by Diane

How do you cope with the heat?

Easy live and play in SCOTLAND

[Bulls9999]

Diane, they think it doesn't bother them and that they're impervious to the effects of the heat, afterall, these are 16 yr olds full of vim and vigor .

But I think us 'older folks' know better....but they're all like that, although you see the occasional kid in these tournies who is seeking shelter from the heat often, but most just stay in direct sunlight like it doesn't affect them.

Originally Posted by Diane

Bull - I'm curious - did you ask your son later why he didn't move into the shade? Or suggest that next time, he might want to?

[C-Tech]

Originally Posted by Bulls9999

Diane, they think it doesn't bother them and that they're impervious to the effects of the heat, afterall, these are 16 yr olds full of vim and vigor .

But I think us 'older folks' know better....but they're all like that, although you see the occasional kid in these tournies who is seeking shelter from the heat often, but most just stay in direct sunlight like it doesn't affect them.

I noticed the other day playing with a couple of younger men ( mid 20's) that they stood in the sun and didn't even appear to be sweating. Perhaps our bodies cooling system is just better when we are younger.

[PA PLAYA]

Stay in shape, get out early, drink plenty of water.

I'm 2/3. LOL....