Do Golf Courses Close When It Rains?

A little rain doesn’t matter to diehard golfers; if golf courses let them, they would play through a hurricane!

But yes, golf courses tend to close for the rain only sometimes. Most golf courses have to asses how bad the rain is, and they typically close the course in stages.

In this post, you will find out the stages of closure, how much rain it will take, when golf courses close, and how to play golf in the rain. 

Enjoy!

When Do Golf Courses Close For Rain?

Golf courses do close when it rains under certain conditions. It has to be either heavy rain or if there is inclement weather over a few days.

In both of these situations, the ground would become flooded and too soft to play on. When the fairways or greens become this soft, it’s easier for them to get damaged. 

For example, the green will take damage by golf balls hitting it after a golfers approach shot which will leave a larger than usual pitch mark. Similarly, the fairway will get ripped up by golfers as the soft soil will produce larger divots than if dried. 

It’s important to note that although one golf course might close from the rain, another might decide to stay open. There are a couple of reasons for this.

The first being the management of the golf course may keep their course open to get the extra few dollars in at the expense of the condition of the grounds.

The second reason is that some golf courses have better drainage systems and won’t be as affected by the rain as cheaper golf courses.

How Do Golf Courses Close For The Rain?

Golf courses typically follow the same procedure when deciding whether to close the golf course. 

The first restriction a golf course will put in play would be only to allow walking, which means that golf carts and some motorized golf trollies will not be permitted.

This is because the tires under the weight of a golf cart or trolly can cut down into the soft soil and damage it. Also, the tires will find it challenging to grip some parts of the course, which could result in a tire spin that will ruin the ground.

The next restriction would be to close the golf course temporarily. For example, a golf course may close the course in the early mornings but will inspect the golf course again at 11 AM. 

Depending on the condition of the course at that time, they may close the course for the whole day or choose another time later in the day to recheck the situation. 

If the rain holds off and the drainage systems can get rid of some of the moisture, then the course could decide to open again.

Ultimately golf courses do not have to follow the above and can go straight to closing to the public. 

Will A Golf Course Give Money Back If It Rains?

Golfers will not be eligible for a refund if the golf course is open while it’s raining. 

If you start a round of golf and it begins to rain, or if it’s been raining all day before your tee time, they don’t have to refund you. Of course, some golf courses will be more understanding, but they are not required to do you any favors.

That said, you can receive a refund if the golf course has closed before your tee time. Sometimes, the course may have to be closed mid-round when the weather is terrible.

Typically they will work something out with you when this happens, but they don’t have to.

How To Play Golf In The Rain

Hit Your Putts Harder

You will have to hit your putts harder than usual to find the same success on the greens as you would on a typical day.

How much harder?

Well, that will depend on how soft the greens are; if it’s a light rain that comes down during your round, you shouldn’t have to hit it that much harder. 

On the other hand, if it’s been bucketing down rain for hours, you will want to hit it hard.

The reason this happens is that the water on the green creates additional friction against your ball as it travels through. 

Think about it have you ever tried walking through shallow water? It takes a little more effort on your behalf because the water is pushing against your movement.

Important to note that the same principle applies to chipping around the green. You’re going to have to hit it a little harder.

Aim For The Flagstick

As you know, the greens will be softer than usual when it’s raining. Your approach shots will hit the green and almost stop where it lands.

This is because the golf ball will sink into the green more, absorbing the force that would usually send the ball bouncing back into the air.

It won’t work if you typically like to hit a half-wedge shot to the front of the green and let it run up to the flag.

It would help if you aimed to land it around the flagstick, as the golf ball will not bounce or travel as much with the soft greens.

Wear Your Rain Gear

Every golfer should have some rain gear in their bags at all times. Playing golf in the rain can get old quickly if your clothes are soaked.

A good pair of rain pants and a rain jacket will make the experience more bearable.

Having a rainproof or standard golf hat is also a great idea to keep the rain off your face throughout the round.

The dryer you are, the better!

Keeps Your Clubs As Dry As Possible

Keeping your golf clubs dry for as long as possible while you’re playing is essential to playing good golf in the rain. 

The dryer your clubs are, the easier they are to hold onto, which will prevent any errors like the club slipping in your hand or, even worse, slipping out of your hand altogether, hitting off the tee box.

How can you keep your clubs dry?

First, you can invest in a golf bag with a rain cover or buy one separately. These covers will prevent the rain from flooding your bag throughout the day. Most golf bags come with these covers.

Secondly, you should use a dry towel to wipe down your grips before you put them back in the bag. It’s best to keep the towel inside your bag out of reach from the rain.

Lastly, ensure your hands are dry before using the golf club. Once again, use your towel, or put your hands in your pockets between shots to keep them dry.

Use Golf Rain Gloves Made For Rainy Days

Normal golf gloves worn on your weaker hand will work in the rain fine, but in exceptionally wet weather conditions, they can lose their grip as they become wet.

One thing you can do to prolong this is to take your glove off after every shot and put it in your pocket.

However, golf gloves are made specifically for wet conditions and usually come in a pack with a glove for each hand. This will double the grip during your swing.

Often these gloves are made from water-repellent fabrics meaning your hands should stay dryer for longer.

Do Courses Lose A Lot Of Money Due To Rain?

Absolutely, courses lose a bunch of money when they close due to rain but it’s not just a loss in green fees and golf cart rentals that hits them.

No they get hit hard by not selling any merch, clothes, clubs or equipment in the pro shop. Meaning they lose out on all them last minute purchases of golf tees and gloves.

Depending on if they have a restaurant or bar they also lose a bunch of foot fall leaving a tone of profit out in the rain.

Not only that but the bar or restaurant staff still have to get paid even if there aren’t as many customers due to the closure, so they lose more money there.

But where courses feel it the most is the cost of repairs and maintenance in the days after a heavy pour of rain. 

Just from the rain alone, they will have to deal with washed-out bunkers, flooded greens and backed-up drainage systems.

Then, depending if they let golfers play the day after, there will be even deeper divots caused by clubs digging into the soft soil, plugged golf balls, and crated-like ball imprints on the greens.

So the next time you think you’ve got it bad because of the rain, remember the clubs themselves have it worse.

Is It Dangerous To Play Golf In The Rain?

Playing golf in the rain is more dangerous than playing in dry weather. 

When it rains, it makes the ground softer and more slippery. This makes slipping on the golf course easier than usual, especially when using longer golf clubs that require a faster swing.

Due to the rain, the grips on your clubs will get wet, making holding onto your club harder than usual. So even though a club flying out of your hand won’t injure you, it could hurt one of your golf buddies.