Playing golf during the rainy season

If you are in Thailand during the rainy season (like now), there is a good likelihood that rain may come into play during your round.  What might start out as a hot day might be host to a sudden rainstorm in a relatively short time.  The good news about rain storms in Thailand is that they seldom last very long.  It would not be unusual for a storm to end in 30 minutes or less, after raining buckets of water during that brief period.

To prepare for this kind of weather, here is what I recommend that should be included in your golf bags this time of the year.

dual canopy umbrella from Mizuno

An Umbrella.  Without saying, an umbrella for golf in Thailand is a must all year round, but during the rainy season, its a necessity.  Make sure that its strong and if possible, have a post and materials that are non conductive.  I like the umbrellas that are wind resistant, which have a vented upper portion that opens to relieve the pressure of a sudden gust.

A raincover for your golf bag.  These can be purchased cheaply at most golf shops in Thailand.  Some are as simple as large plastic bags, but the better ones are made so that access to pockets and clubs can be accomplished with relative ease during a downpour.  A wet bag takes a long time to dry off and most bags are not waterproof!

Towels.  You can't have enough towels, especially dry towels, during a wet round.  You will find your grips will need to be wiped down often as well as your hands and face.  I usually carry one large towel and 4 or more smaller towels (about 15 X 30 inches).  Keep them in plastic bags in your side pockets until you need them.  For those living here, Makro or the weekend market has towels for sale at decent prices.

The Aqua Dry Bucket from Callaway

A rain hat.  Many golfers just use a regular hat in the rain.  In Thailand, that hat can be soaked in just a few minutes and become a heavy, wet, mess on your head.  A good, breathable hat is recommended and forget the mesh...it will leak like having no hat at all.

Zero Restriction Stealth 1/2 sleeve

Rain clothing.  I am mixed on this one, preferring shorts on almost all occasions.  With shorts, I find that while my legs may be wet, I can wipe them off quickly and feel comfortable in a hurry.  With rain pants, it takes a while to put them on, take them off, and I tend to overheat in them.  I do recommend a lightweight,  rainproof, breathable, short sleeved windshirt.  I especially like the Goretex windshirts made by a variety of companies.

Shoes.  If you can, purchase water resistant, breathable, shoes.  In most cases when the rain is not too heavy, water resistant is enough and it will keep your feet and socks dry.  When it gets really heavy and there is high water, even waterproof shoes will be useless when you have to dunk your entire foot into the water.  Just make sure you completely dry your shoes before taking them out next time or they will rot and smell horrible.  If a golf course offers shoe rentals, it might be a wise expense to rent a pair if there is a chance of rain or if you think you are going to get your shoes wet.  This is especially important if you are playing the next day or two as part of a tour.

These are supposed to be 'rain ready' ..by HJ Glove

Extra gloves.  Your gloves will get wet and likely no longer provide any traction if they get soaked.  Its important to carry a least 2-3 gloves for the round and keep them dry until you absolutely need to use them - then quickly put them away to keep them as dry as possible.  I haven't found a glove that performs as well when wet despite the claims of them being 'all weather'.  

Plastic zip lock bags.  Use these for your phone, wallet, or other things that you want to keep dry.  They are cheap and can be easily packet in any pocket.

Playing in the rain is rather pleasant in Thailand.  Its usually cooler and most of the courses are in pretty good shape.  When it does get heavy, most courses will make you seek shelter at one of the many food/drink huts located throughout the course.  Many golfers just take a break, have a drink, and wait for the storm to end.   For me, I know its time to quit when my balls leave a rooster tail during my putts.  Until then, its a bit of fun in the land of smiles.

A very important note, which I saved for last, is that the danger of being struck by lightning on a golf course is very high during thunder storms.  Thailand if often subject to violent thunderstorms during heavy rain and its not advisable to be in any open area during such a storm.  At the first sign of lightning in the area, I recommend that you should cease play immediately and seek the safety of one of the shelters on the golf course.  Some golf courses, like my club, will send vans to evacuate golfers if they think there is potential danger to those playing on the course.  Better to live and play another day than to be a crispy critter with a golf club in your hand.