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Golfing In The Elements: How Weather Affects Golf And How Tagmarshal’s Golf Cart GPS Can Help

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The weather plays a major role in golf, and golf cart GPS has emerged as a powerful way to help golfers navigate this. Golfers often say that a bad day on the golf course beats a good day at the office. And while the “bad day” usually refers to the end result of a round, it may often describe what the weather was like during that round. Nonetheless, we think that most golfers would agree with the adage and would rather choose to be on the links in dire conditions than in a cosy space taking care of life’s most tedious responsibilities.

As if golf wasn’t already challenging enough, adverse weather conditions can add another layer of difficulty to a round. Depending on where you play, the unpredictability of the weather can significantly affect the outcome of your round. In this article, we take a look at the major weather aspects that can influence how the golf course, golf ball, and player perform, as well as how modern Tagmarshal technology can help mitigate those influences.

Weather and Golf Cart GPS: Factors That Can Affect Your Round

When it comes to the elements and golf, a few major weather factors can have a notable impact, not just on the course conditions, but on the way the golf ball reacts and performs and, ultimately, the net result of a round. These factors are:

  • The temperature
  • The wind
  • Rain
  • Fog and low visibility
  • Humidity

Let’s take a look at each of these factors in more detail:

Temperature

Whether hot or cold, extreme temperatures can have a great impact on several factors. For instance, in harsh cold conditions, air is far denser than it would be in pleasant weather. On warmer days, the opposite is true, and the ball may fly further than what might be considered standard. This means that, if all other things are considered equal, the ball will not travel as far on cold days and might travel further on warmer days.

golf cart gps golf course sunny

In cold temperatures, the compression and spin rates of a golf ball reduce as well. A lower compression further affects the ability of the ball to travel, while reduced spin rates make it harder for a player to control the ball around the green and on approach shots. Taking this into account while playing, and adapting your game accordingly, or playing a different ball in such conditions to diminish the effects, can result in better round scores.

Wind

The wind on a golf course plays a crucial role in every player’s golf game. And while it may be a seemingly obvious factor, amateur players often tend to neglect taking the wind into account – or at least not as much as they should. Not only does wind affect the distance that the ball will travel in head and tailwinds, but it also affects the direction that the ball will go, as well as having an impact on shot shaping.

A player’s putting is also susceptible to being affected by mild or strong winds. And while the break and slope of a green will have the most influence on how the ball rolls, the wind can undoubtedly affect the roll of the golf ball as well, especially on faster greens. The wind will push the ball in whichever direction it is blowing, naturally, which means that it will make downhill putts faster, uphill putts slower, and putts with breaks more severe.

Rain

Rain affects numerous facets of both a player’s experience and the golf course during a round, from ball flight, distance, and club performance, to the turf and rest of the course conditions like the bunkers and the greens. As far as playing goes, rain presents as an extra obstacle between the ball and the target, thereby negatively impacting ball flight and distance. Furthermore, a wet club and a wet ball can lead to reduced friction at impact, resulting in decreased spin, making shot shaping and ball control a whole lot more challenging.

Wet conditions also present physical hardships, such as wet golf grips and slippage on the turf when making the swing. This can lead to inferior ball striking and reduced strength, which ultimately may require taking an extra club in such conditions. Wet greens require more testing, as water on greens will naturally make them slower while reducing the amount of break compared to how it would be in dry conditions.

Fog and low visibility

For players, foggy conditions on a golf course can be one of the most frustrating weather adversities. Not so much because it has any effect on ball behaviour, but the lack of visibility and spatial awareness turns almost everything into a guessing game. While this can impact player confidence and accuracy, it also results in the pace of play slowing down as players take longer on their pre-shot routines, decision-making, as well as keeping track of where their golf balls end up.

golf cart gps fog

It is in these conditions that golf cart GPS technology, like 2Way Screens, provides an accurate course or hole overview, as well as precise measurements to the pin, hazards, or any part of the green or hole. If things really get bad, the Tagmarshal two-way communication system is another tool that can be utilized between players and clubhouses to ensure direct reporting should there be an emergency.

Humidity

Humidity is an often overlooked weather factor that has just as much of an impact on a golf course and its conditions. Humidity and moisture go hand-in-hand, and therefore, if the humidity is high, greens will be moist and can turn soft and slow, affecting the pace of putting and, again, the breaks of putts. Humidity can also cause sweaty hands, which leads to a deteriorated grip and also makes control over the club trying.

MANAGE PACE OF PLAY EFFECTIVELY IN ANY WEATHER

General Tips For Playing In Harsh Conditions

If you’re an avid golfer, it is almost inevitable that adverse weather will affect one of your golf rounds sooner or later. And while playing golf in tough conditions may not be ideal, there are certain precautions on and off the course that you can implement to still have a decent round, but more importantly, still get the most enjoyment out of it.

A good place to start is to anticipate what to expect on the day and prepare accordingly. A quick weather search beforehand will let you know what to expect on the day of your round. Should rainfall, cold temperatures, and/or windy conditions be expected, gearing up with layers or wet-resistant clothing would be advisable to stay warm, comfortable and dry during the round.

In windy conditions, know that headwinds will shorten shots, and tailwinds will lengthen them. The general rule of thumb is to add an extra yard for every mile per hour in a headwind, while halving the distance in a tailwind. For example, in a headwind of 10mph, add 10 yards to the distance of a shot. In a tailwind of 10mph, subtract 5 yards from the total distance of the shot. Another strategy for playing in the wind is to keep shots on a low trajectory so that the wind will have less time and, thus, effect on the ball.

In rainy weather, it will always be a good idea to carry extra towels in your golf bag to dry yourself, your clubs and grips off as much as possible. Be aware that rain will reduce the distance that the ball will travel, but at the same time, there will be reduced spin that might partially negate the effect. Wet weather means softer greens that will make the ball sit down more and roll slower. So, it ultimately becomes a tricky balancing act of managing all the variables. We didn’t say it would be easy, but it can still be a fun day out.

How Tagmarshal’s Golf Cart GPS Can Help

Tagmarshal boasts unparalleled technology that assists both players and golf courses alike in harsh weather conditions. Our innovative golf cart GPS technology helps provide better player experiences and provides crucial data to courses that can be used to make future decisions. These include Geofencing, 2Way Screens, two-way direct communication, and an industry-first, in-house innovation, WindTag.

Geofencing

In harsh, rainy and wet conditions, courses can go through extra wear and tear in high-traffic cart or pedestrian areas. Wet and soggy turf and paths can lead to ruination quickly when countless carts repeatedly frequent the same areas. It is vital that course maintenance and turf protection become top priorities for golf course managers.

golf cart gps geofence

Geofencing is an ideal Tagmarshal golf cart GPS technology to combat and avoid such damage in sensitive areas before it even begins. As a superintendent who knows their golf course, you would know which areas of the course would be susceptible to the most distress. The geofencing feature allows you and your team to set up geofences around specific parameters, which render them prohibited and, thereby, keep carts and players from going into unwanted areas at certain times or in certain weather conditions.

2Way Screens

While Tagmarshal golf cart GPS technology is primarily aimed at assisting golf clubs and superintendents in managing their pace of play, amongst other things, it also pivots as an ally for players taking to the course and seeking to play better golf in harsh weather conditions. Tagmarshal’s 2Way screens provide a premium on-course player experience like no other, with a range of features that aim to enhance every part of the player’s round.

golf cart gps 2way screen

When fog or rain is high and visibility is low, the golf cart GPS systems equipped with HD touchscreens provide players with precise yardages and course layouts, whether it’s from the ball to the pin or from the ball to any other point on the hole, making course management effortless and approach shots simple. Added benefits include the ability to self-manage pace, live and uncomplicated scoring, as well as food and beverage ordering in advance for the turn or after the round straight from the golf course, cutting down valuable time and increasing pace of play.

WindTag

WindTag is Tagmarshal’s novel, industry-first, golf cart GPS technology that is changing the way amateur players approach playing in the wind. Known as the “invisible hazard”, wind has a significant effect on how the golf ball flies, and the weekend or casual golfer tends to approach this aspect of the game with plenty of guesswork. WindTag has been designed to aid players in windy conditions by supplying precise and accurate information.

golf cart gps windtag courses

WindTag provides players with hyperlocal, real-time wind speed and direction on every single green. In addition to assisting players with the exact pin location, WindTag offers up-to-the-second shot recommendations that account for the combination of wind around distance, club, trajectory, and target. For instance, the system might suggest clubbing up on a 150-yard approach shot when facing a strong headwind, or adjusting aim 10 yards left to compensate for a steady crosswind. This ultimately helps players make smarter and more confident decisions quickly, which can also aid in speeding up play.

Pace Of Play

Taking all of this into account, it’s easy to see why adverse weather conditions are one of the most influential factors on the pace of play of a golf course. Whether it’s fog, rain, or next-level humidity, the elements pose unique challenges that can slow players down or cause bottlenecks that complicate course operations. In circumstances like these, golf cart GPS technology like Tagmarshal becomes an invaluable tool to have as part of your golf course arsenal when weather conditions turn rough.

golf cart gps product pack

Many players and golf courses may default to the belief that adverse weather hurts the pace of play, but it most certainly does not have to be the case. By leveraging the tools that Tagmarshal’s golf cart GPS technology offers, such as geofencing, WindTag, real-time data, and 2Way Screens, golf courses can better anticipate, respond, adapt and recover from weather disruptions with greater efficiency and in real time.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a golf club manager or superintendent experiencing heavy delays whenever the weather turns up, it’s time to look into how Tagmarshal’s golf cart GPS systems will help you get the most out of your course and the players on it during adverse weather conditions.

Get in touch with us today and get a more in-depth look at how Tagmarshal will help you manage your pace of play and increase your revenue in rain or shine. 

Achieve optimal results at your course today


ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 10 billion data points from more than 75 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 700 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 40 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $40-$60 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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