OK, so it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as “Singin’ in the rain,” but you get the picture. But as I look at the title now, I think to myself…nothing could be further from the truth.
I’ve mentioned before that I have certain weather conditions in which I will not play golf. One is when the temperature drops below 50 degrees. Also, when the temperature rises above 90 degrees, I’ll skip the round. Although I will consider playing in the excessive heat as long as I’m riding. But as Stinky Golfer Greg and I are making plans for our next round, I look at the weather forecast and see there’s a 60% chance of showers. But in my book, that’s equivalent to a 60% chance that I’m not playing.
I understand there are plenty of golfers who will play in any weather condition. There can be a hurricane blowing through and they’ll still be out there. But I’m not one of those guys, and I can’t understand the rationale behind it.
The funny thing is, I’ll go outside and play basketball in a light rain. I’ll throw the baseball around with the boys even if it’s drizzling a bit. As a matter of fact, I’ve even come to the point of argument to keep one of my softball games going in the rain! But when it comes to golf, forget it. I don’t want to play in any type of rain. I even start getting leery if there’s a chance of rain that day!
So what’s my problem? Why will I play basketball, baseball and softball in the rain…but not golf? The only reason I can come up with is…money.
See, all of those other sports cost me nothing to play. But golf? I have to drop a few hard-earned bucks every time I want to hit the links. So if I’m going to spend my money to play this game, then why wouldn’t I do it under optimal conditions if I have the choice?
Not to mention, the rain simply takes the fun out of the game. Trying to stay dry, dealing with an umbrella, wet hands and deteriorating course conditions all sound like a waste of money to me. It would probably be a different story if I was playing for free or being paid to play like a PGA Tour pro…but I’m not. As a matter of fact, it’s exactly the opposite – I’m paying them! I feel like I’m wasting the money that I could just spend another time, and I just can’t get past that feeling.
So as we get closer to our next day out on the course, I’ll keep a close eye on the weather and hope for the best. But as Stinky Golfer Greg already knows…I can’t make any promises.
Swing ’til you’re happy…and stay dry doing it!
I’m definitely a little weird in that I actually like to play in a little rain. I’m not talking stady downpour, but if it’s light intermittent showers and/or drizzle, I don’t mind at all. So long as I can keep my grips relatively dry and I’m not getting soaked to the bone, I’m happy with it. A nice side benefit is that the course is generally deserted and if I’m playing alone, I find it to be an extremely quiet, peaceful experience.
I’ve played in downpours that are about as heavy as it gets, and that’s not something I ever want to do again. But if it’s just some light showers, count me in.