Playing Golf in the Rain – Best Tips for Staying Dry & Scoring Low

If you are a die-hard golfer, a little rain isn’t going to stop you. Playing golf in the rain is sometimes easier than in the wind.

The key to playing great golf in the rain is making sure that you are prepared for the conditions.

Here are the best tips for playing golf in the rain, how to prepare, and some drills to keep your head in the game when the skies decide to open up.

Golfing in the Rain (Key Takeaways)

If you are heading out right now to play some golf in the rain, here are a few quick tips to get you started.

• Do everything possible to keep your hands dry when you can’t use rain gloves that provide a superior grip regardless of the condition.
• Dress in layers and make sure the outer layer is a waterproof material.
• Use soft spikes as opposed to spikeless shoes to ensure you stay stable and grounded throughout your swing.
• Keep an umbrella and two extra towels in your golf bag.
• Remember that the ball is not going to roll all that far; play an extra club and hit your chip shots so they land a little closer to the hole.

12 Actionable Tips for Playing Golf in the Rain

Playing golf in the rain could increase your score by a shot or two. However, the playing field is leveled when rain starts to come into play.

If you can stay the toughest person out there and keep your strategy in line, you can come out on top.

1. Wear Rain Gloves

Rain gloves work better the wetter they get. Keep rain gloves in your bag for any time you run into a situation on the golf course.

Unlike your standard design, you wear a glove on each hand to keep your hands dry and optimize your grip. This will keep your grip pressure light, allowing your arms and wrists to operate effectively.

Your wrists are a vital aspect of the golf swing, so making it easy for them to function should be a top priority.

2. Wear Waterproof Clothing

Waterproof clothing may not improve your golf swing mechanics, but it will keep you warm, dry, and comfortable to avoid distraction.

Your golf bag has a large side pocket that is a perfect place to keep a rainsuit and all of your rain gear.

Make sure you have both pants and a jacket, and that they are not just water-resistant but also waterproof.

3. Stabilize Your Setup and Motion

Take a slightly wider stance, grip down a fraction, and make a smooth 80–90% swing to maintain balance.

Minimize lateral motion; prioritize solid, ball-first contact. Shorten the follow-through a little to control the trajectory and keep your footing.

You can practice this beforehand with Hackmotion. The delicate sensors track your movement so you know when you are in the correct position.

You can develop your optimal swing and then make minor changes to adopt your rainy day swing.

4. Carry 2 Dry Towels

Dry towels are imperative during a wet round to keep your hands, gloves, and grips as dry as possible.

Carry at least two dry towels to ensure a rainless option is always available. Don’t make the mistake of taking one towel that can get soaked very quickly and won’t have a chance to dry.

Besides the towels for drying grips, hands, and gloves, ensure you have a dedicated cloth to wipe clubfaces and keep the grooves clean and dry.

In rainy weather, mud, dirt, and sand will accumulate on your clubs quickly. Make sure to wipe them down before each swing to see the best results. Even if you pick up some debris on your practice swings, wipe that off before taking your shot.

5. Take More Club

Take a little more golf club when playing in the rain. Depending on the amount of rain (and factoring in any wind), you will need about 5 to 10 yards extra.

If you’re 164 yards from the flag and usually would hit a 6-iron on a clear day, you may want to hit a 5-iron or a choked-down 5-iron to guarantee that you won’t come up short.

In addition to taking more club, ensure you have a flat left wrist at the top of your golf swing and a little more flexion at impact. Compressing the golf ball through impact will increase total distance and help you reach your target.

6. Increase Your Putting Stroke Tempo

The saturated greens after a rainstorm are slow and require more power than usual for a putt of the same length.

For example, you may use the same length backstroke for a 15’ putt on a wet green as you do for a 20-footer in dry conditions.

You can use the Hackmotion system to optimize your putting stroke both on rainy days and sunny days. The app comes pre-loaded with drills, and the system will recommend which ones will work best for you based on your practice results.

Use the tempo feature to adapt to slower or faster greens by adjusting your power during your warm-up routine.

7. Use a Double Canopy Umbrella

Using an umbrella is ideal for keeping you and your golf clubs dry.

A double canopy umbrella with over 68” coverage keeps your clubs, bag, and spare towels dry. In addition, it shelters your face from direct raindrops, which is annoying and can cause discomfort.

The best feature of a double canopy umbrella is that it fights against inversion and withstands higher wind speeds than its single canopy relatives.

8. Favor Simple, Low Trajectory Shots

Play knockdowns, three-quarter swings, punch shots, and bump-and-runs that fly lower and are less affected by wind and rain/moisture in the air.

Avoid high, floaty wedges and delicate flops that depend on high spin and perfect friction. When in doubt around the green, choose the simplest shot that gets the ball on the ground early.

9. Know Your Relief Options

Temporary water (standing water not in a penalty area) generally offers free relief, know how to find and drop at the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole.

On the putting green, if temporary water interferes with your line, you may take free relief by placing at the nearest point of complete relief. Many courses adopt preferred lies (lift, clean, place) in wet conditions, check the Local Rules before you start.

In bunkers with standing water, free relief is available within the bunker; if none exists, you can take back-on-the-line relief outside for one penalty stroke.

10. Wet Bunker Technique

When you do have to hit out of a bunker on a rainy day, expect firmer, heavier sand with less “splash.” Use a wedge with less bounce or keep the face more square. Enter the sand slightly shallower, expect a lower flight, and plan for extra roll-out after it lands.

You can use Hackmotion to ensure you get proper wrist action in the bunker. Your wrists are quieter with this type of sand shot. It will play more like a chip shot since your clubface will be square at impact.

11. Pre-Shot Efficiency and Pace

Decide the shot and club while you’re under your double canopy umbrella, step in, take one rehearsal, and go – don’t linger in the rain.

Keep rain gear organized so you’re not digging through soaked pockets. If you use a push cart, an umbrella holder frees both hands for quick, dry club changes.

12. Safety and Post-Round Care

At the first sign of lightning or dangerous winds, stop, no score is worth the risk.

After the round:

• Dry clubs and grips.
• Remove clubs from your bag and leave them out overnight.
• Clean grooves.
• Open your bag pockets to air-dry the bag.
• Remove insoles and stuff shoes with newspaper (or use a boot dryer) to pull out moisture.
• Reproof rain gear periodically with a durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment.

Drying right away will help prevent mold and prepare your gear for the next day, especially if you already have a tee time.

FAQs

How do you hit a golf ball out of wet rough?

You hit a golf ball out of wet rough by minimizing contact between the clubhead and the grass prior to impact.

When the clubface catches wet grass, it slows your swing speed and momentum, resulting in weak contact and a loss of ball speed and distance. In addition, maintain higher levels of speed through impact.

How do you hit irons on wet fairways?

You hit irons on wet fairways by setting up with a forward shaft lean, shallow the shaft on the downswing, and strike the ball before the turf.

Make sure you have a slightly flexed lead wrist at impact. This approach boosts your compression at contact, accelerating ball speed and producing a towering launch.

Is it worth playing golf in the Rain?

Yes, it’s worth playing golf in the rain and learning how to deal with the situation. Playing golf in the rain changes your club selections and strategy.

If you end up playing in a golf tournament and it starts to rain, you will want to have at least some experience with playing in the rain.

Final Thoughts

Playing golf in the rain enhances the challenge of the sport. More club is required on every shot to boost carry distance, while waterproof clothing is essential to remain dry, comfortable, and relaxed.

You can use Hackmotion to monitor and improve all aspects of your game when playing in the rain or any climate. The advanced system identifies your movements and suggests drills to address your specific areas of weakness.

The Hackmotion system is like having a professional golf coach at your side at all times.