Summer Golf - How Not to Lose Your Cool

Losing your cool on the golf course - most amateurs can't help but get frustrated at errant shots or lost balls but they can stop themselves from getting overheated in the summer sun.

"Hot town, summer in the city" was the first line of the great Lovin' Spoonful song and the lyrics apply to golf too as the sun and high temperatures can be brutal of golfers. Four hours without protection or hydration can make for a very uncomfortable round and might have you carted away in an ambulance for heat exhaustion. And, don't forget that prolonged exposure could lead to melanoma.

Being a golfer who plays the game in a warm, southern clime, namely Myrtle Beach, I have adapted to the summer sun and will share a few tips on staying cool in this blog. Keep this list handy this summer and you may get through the round unscathed.

1. The Most Important Reminder - WEAR SUNSCREEN...on your exposed body, face, and lips. The American Dermatology Association recommends that you get a broad spectrum which covers both UVA and UVB rays. Also, don't get sunscreen lower than an SPF 30.

2. Cover Your Head and/or Face: wear a hat or visor. For people who are losing their hair, a hat would be better if you are not wearing any sunscreen protection. A hat/visor shades your face from the sun and helps block eyes from glare.

3. Protect Your Eyes: Don't forget the UV Sunglasses.

4. Stay Hydrated: freeze water bottles the night before - they stay ice cold for about 3.5 hours.

5. Bring a battery operated fan to help keep cool.

6. Bring extra gloves and change them out when your gloves get damp - this tip will help you maintain a good grip so you'll hit better shots.

And, no matter how hot it gets, have fun and don't lose your cool!

What tips do you have to stay cool on the golf course? List in the comments section of this golf blog and tag us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

How to Deal With The Heat of Summer #Golf

It's another scorching day on the golf course with a temperature expected in the nineties and a heat index at fifty-five percent or more.

Although you're trying your best to focus, sweat is dripping into your eyes and you're seeing two balls on the green (and both of them are yours!) "It's not the heat," your golf buddy laughingly says after your stroke, "it's the humidity!"

You were not chuckling as your golf ball rimmed the cup.

What do you do next?

First, step into the shade and wipe off that sweat; although it cools you off, it's hampering your vision and your mental attitude. Next, take a sip or two of water - H20 will help to re-hydrate you.

Here are a few more tips for beating the summer heat out on the golf course:

1. Keep a clean towel with ice bucket handy for dabbing face and neck.
2. Wear a hat - a visor will still allow in the sun to burn the top of your head.
3. Use sunscreen - the burn you receive when your buddy takes away your glory with a birdie to your par should be the only type of suffering you should do around the pin.
4. Bugspray - Heat usually promotes bugs, stingers, biters on the golf course - you may not even realize you are getting bitten, allowing those bugs to hang on and really hang on to clothes and skin.
5. Freeze a couple of bottles of water the previous night so that they defrost slowly over your round.
6. Bring at least one additional golf glove for sweaty palms.
7. Wear a moisture-wicking shirt.
8. Try to get out for an early morning or twilight tee time - the sun doesn't agree with everyone.
9. Bring your mind to a cool place. Think cool thoughts while standing in the shade and focus your mind on your next shot - visualization will keep you in the present and not thinking about the sun's rays.


What tips do you have for dealing with summer heat on the golf course? Add your comments to our golf blog and tag us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


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