How mad are golfers? golf above all else or do we have limits

After a tough old 2 weeks with most of my family having some form of illness, flu, cold etc (including me), I decided that my planned round last Friday was going ahead regardless.

Having left home at 8am in fog I did have hope when driving North and hitting blue skies but unfortunately by the time I hit Oulton Hall in Leeds the fog visibility was about 60 yards.  

We teed off at 10am as planned but by the 3rd had to resort to shouting to the group behind to give the all clear, which all other groups seemed to also do.

This got me thinking what is the worst conditions you would play in ?  

I've also played in torrential rain with 50 yard visibility and soldiered on for 4 holes only because the boss had paid, we did give up that day but the boss carried on!

Hi I played at Gleneagles in torrential rain and a driving wind earlier this year - just after the Johnny Walker cup - I hit a 7 iron that went 100yds straight then 50yds right at right angles, I've hit a slice I know the tradjectory!! It was wind related. After about 9 holes one in the group gave up but the rest of us battled on. I've since bought a footjoy raingrip glove and can report it does what it says on the tin - tested in portugal last week!!

On a Christmas break I'd arranged a game at Thornbury (Bristol) we arrived at 8:00 and Teed off at 8:15 in freezing conditions the fairways were thick with frost and as we putted the ball gained a coating of ice as it approached the cup on each green, needless to say all the puts came up short - I couldn't bring myself to take a full swing with the putter!!!

Darren,

I've got a weekend break planned this weekend at The Abbotsley Golf club in St Neots. The long range forecast is snow!!!!

Am I still going? ..........................Yes

Will I still play? ...........................If the course is open I'll be playing.

so to answer your question there's not much that would stop me from playing golf

Walked out of the clubhouse for a round a few months back and the rain was coming down that hard it was literally bouncing.

Still walked up to the first tee, already soaking wet.

Got a sh*t-on when we were told the course was closed for at least half an hour! Could easily have played in that! Spoilsports!

I know someone who got up at dawn, drove the best part of 4 hours (to just outside Exeter from Derby), played a round in ankle deep mud and driving rain and then drove back.  Wasn't me though, honest.

Although flying up to Glasgow and back for a round in a day was pretty cool.  Especially as the course resembled a gravel pit when we got there.

i was played in a fundraising game where we couldn't see the green on a 135y par 3 due to the rain

Played last Friday in the fog.

Speaking to the guy in the shop I knew there were no players in front of me so didn't need to worry about hitting anybody!

It was bad when I teed off at 8:15am, but I knew the fog would lift eventually.

Due to the fog I wasn't trying to hit the ball hard and ended up with a score of 80, ten over par (maybe I should play in the fog more often).

What was weird was having to walk down the fairway from my golf ball so I could see where the flag was on the green.  Then having to walk back to my golf ball to play a shot to the green, which I could just about make out.

Russ

Russ I too had one of my best striking rounds for a while.  Would have had an awesome score if not for the odd lost ball  only the other players I spoke to also said the same.  

So I guess the best weather for good golf is fog, stops you trying to smack it and to conservatively keep it straight and on the fairway!  unfortunately for me I was playing a new course and at times had no idea where the green was

Played the last 3 holes on my local course in total darkness once. Bats flying around above our heads. Only did it because I was on a good score. As other people have said on here you tend to be more conservative with your swing to keep the ball in play. As we knew the course very well we knew roughly where our balls would be so didn't loose any either. Wife took some convincing that I'd been playing golf in the dark though. LOL.

Teed off at Gog Magog in a snow blizzard. It started just after we had paid (albeit, using greenfree vouchers 2 for 1) so committed to playing. The snow ceased by the time we reached the 1st green. It was a bit fresh for a while but an unforgetable experience :-)

Yes I know at the 1st sign of thunder vacate the course....well we were on the 16th at Stockwood vale thunder had been threatening at a distance but as the 4 of us were lining up our putts on the 16th there was a massive clap of thunder overhead and as one person we released our putters. It was quite funny at the time and we stood  nervously laughing at what could have happened, Looking back obviously it was stupid, luckily there will be a next time to the right thing!

I hope you finished the round Lawrence? Surely that's just God's way of telling you to speed up!  http://www.golfshake.com/scripts/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/teeth_smile.gif" title="laugh" width="20" />

As a species we will play in any conditions!  I've played in all weathers, rain, high wind, sleet, snow, freezing fog.

The worst would have to be Wychwood Park last December.  It was the last of our society events, weekend before Christmas and as I pulled onto the car park it was -6.  Needless to say we played - and for free!  It was a laugh a minute, the permafrost made sure our drives were 300 yards plus each time.

I hit Driver , wedge into the Par 5 18, and missed my eagle

Cracking laugh though.

I would consider myself a fairweather golfer but I have continued to play in the rain with sopping wet shoes.  The first time was in France, but hey we were on holiday and we had a cart which counts and the second time was on the Twenty ten course at the Celtic Manor a month before the Ryder cup so it just had to be played - I'm sure we would have played regardless of the weather though!  Generally I check the weather before hand and if its not raining, snowing or gale force winds I will probably play as long as I can keep warm enough. I dont mind a bit of thunder either.

Yes, in answer to your question I guess we're all a bit mad.  Once you've taken the effort to kit up and get there and you're ready to play seems a bit tough to turn around and go home.

Check this out, any Golfshaker fancy posting a similar video ?

http://www.golfshake.com/news/view/2062/How_Far_Do_You_Go_to_Get_Your_Golf_Fix.html

A few years back, playing a Turkey Trot at Filey GC, we arrived on the 18th tee on a cold wet windy day. Out in the bay was a Fishing Cobble being tossed about by the sea, I said "They must be mad going out in these conditions". One of my playing partners, a Captain of a Fishing Boat himself replied "I think they will be thinking the same of us".

TheLyth

Check out the last part on Brampton Heath in this article, golfers out today after -7 !!

http://www.golfshake.com/news/view/2066/Support_Your_Local_Course.html