TULSA, Okla. — Weather can impact our golf game in 3 main ways — temperature, wind and moisture.
Starting with temperature, hotter air is less dense, allowing slightly less resistance once a golf ball is airborne. That means, the hotter it is, the further a golf ball can go.
Over the course of the PGA Championship, we are seeing a big swing in temperature from 90 degrees to 50 degrees. Factoring in the temperature alone, there would be an 8-yard difference with the same drive.
When it comes to putting, a wet or drier green will affect how readily the golf ball moves. A damp course will create more friction and cause the ball to stop quicker than on a dry green.
Headwinds can cause an even bigger issue for distance for your drives. A 5 mph wind will slow down a 200-yard drive by about five yards versus a 30 mph wind, which could slow down a 200-yard drive by 30 yards. That’s a 25 yard difference for a 25 mph wind difference.