Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
Growing up on Long Island, I couldn’t wait for those first few days of spring weather to get out on the golf course. Anything was better than hitting shots into the net in the garage. However, that first month or so of golf was always kind of a mess. The course is soaked, there is hardly any grass, mud can be a problem, and it’s not overly warm or dry. Sometimes, you’ll even run into temporary golf greens. Don’t let this take your excitement away; here are 6 ways to adapt your game to poor spring golf conditions. (FYI: none of them suggest you move to the warm weather!)
Dress in Layers That Don’t Restrict
Spring weather can be unpredictable. When you wear more layers, your swing is restricted, which can shave a few yards off of your shots. I’ve also seen golfers make some strange swing changes due to their clothing.
Dress in layers so you can shed them as you make your way through your round, keep each layer relatively thin with fabrics that don’t restrict your turn.
Don’t forget to put the rain pants on. If you hit behind the ball you may get covered in mud.
Play With A Lower Spin Golf Ball
Low-spin golf balls travel further. Golf courses in the spring are usually a bit wet from the winter weather. If you hit a lower-spin ball, you give yourself a chance for a few extra yards off the tee.
Some players also go with a two-piece or three-piece ball as opposed to the four or five-piece. When the course gets hard and dry in the summer, switch back so you can get the most spin on your shots.
Keep The Swing More Compact
Try to stay over the golf ball. Work on making swings where you hit the ball first and then take your divot.
One swing thought I’ve always used here is to make a turn with my head over the ball. Staying more over the golf ball improves launch, helps you compress the ball, and makes it easier to catch it clean when you are hitting from a slightly muddy lie.
Play The Ball Lower Around The Greens
Around the greens, you may want to play your golf shot lower.
When you play more of a chip, you can take a smaller swing, clip the ball, hit it about halfway to the hole, and let it roll to the hole. You won’t have to worry about clipping a 56-degree or 60-degree wedge clean from a tight early spring lie.
I take my 8 iron, 9 iron or pitching wedge and swing it almost like a putter. The risks of this shot are considerably lower than a big muddy flop shot!
Consider All Weather Gloves
If you don’t typically wear a golf glove, you may want to consider one in the early spring. As I mentioned, the golf course is usually wet and a little muddy, and you’ll end up with grass clippings, dirt, and even sand on your hands.
Hopefully, you have a great towel on the golf bag, but the all-weather glove is still a good addition to the game.
Some players wear the gloves on both hands, I think one is enough as long as it has some tackiness to it and your grips are still in good condition.
Get The Club Cleaning Thing Down
Finally, this is something you’ll have to be ready for prior to heading out to the course. If you want to play great golf in the early spring, your clubs need to be clean.
I’m not a huge fan of a muddy, sandy towel hanging from my golf bag. I’ve started using Club Scrub, which means I don’t have to get my hands dirty, but my clubs can get clean. At the end of a round, I throw it in the washing machine, and it cleans up well.
Be more conscious about how much dirt is on your golf clubs and how it impacts your game. We just did our own testing on this and found that you lose 3-5 yards and at least 2000 rpm of spin when you leave some dirt on the clubface.
Scores may be higher in the early spring, so if you can save a shot or two by having clean golf clubs, it’s worth your time.
Final Thoughts
Spring golf weather is better than winter golf weather. If you live in the Northeast or Midwest, you know how exciting it is to get these first few rounds of the year in. Go easy on yourself for the first part of the season. As the course conditions improve, so will your golf game. One last tip: wear your golf shoes from last year. Those fancy ones you just got for the holidays are for the summertime, not the spring!
