Golf Course Weather

Golf – a game of kings, knaves and variable weather

Globally, no game is as popular, elitist or much derided as golf. From the fair weather golfer in his or her outlandish clothing to the supreme skills of the world’s best golfers, golf is compulsive, demanding and infuriating to both players and golf widows and widowers! Good golfing weather is imperative to secure a good round.

Golf, an ancient heritage

The International Golf Federation claims that golf can be traced back to the Roman Empire – where the curse of variable weather wasn’t an issue. The Romans played a game called paganica was played using a bent stick to hit a leather ball. Strangely, though, the internationally recognised home of golf is Scotland – where there isn’t often ideal golfing weather!

Scottish roots despite the lack of golfing weather

Modern golf began in 15th century Scotland. Despite the appalling, variable weather, unlikely terrain and limited leisure of the average Scot, the game became so enthralling that Parliamentary acts were passed banning it. Golf was deemed by Scottish Parliament to interfere with both archery practice and farming. In 1500 some controls were removed and when King James IV became a keen golfer, the game became a popular passion.

In 1552 St Andrews golf course hit the 15th century equivalent of the headlines when a special charter was written to allow local people to play on the Old Course. Local people were being excluded by noble golfers who would push them off the greens whenever good golfing weather gave them the chance to play!

Then in 1603, James VI, by now the third in a lineage of monarch golfers, took the throne of England as well as Scotland and brought the game to London. The sport then spread rapidly world-wide including a golfing fan base from royals to rebels to the great unwashed.

Golf contests and weather rules

Many golfers see the game as a chance to relax in the great outdoors – especially with good golfing weather. However, golfing contests are hugely popular and taken very seriously – regardless of optimum golfing weather.

As golf is such a long game, variable weather can have a remarkable effect on the fortunes of tournament players. Golf committees spend weeks putting together rules to deal with these variable weather conditions. These special weather rules usually revolve heavily around governing when a golf club must suspend play during a contest.

Poor golfing weather, such as rain, suspends play if it is too severe to allow play to continue fairly. However, other severe weather can be much more dangerous – stormy weather and lightning, for example, are profoundly dangerous to players on flat greens. Swinging metal clubs over their heads makes golfers into perfect lightning conductors.

Golf – sport of the famous and infamous

Bill Gates has been a keen golfer since the early ‘90s and says his skills got better after his wife took it up too!

Michael Jordan, when contemplating his retirement from basketball, said of golf, ‘It's not my hobby, it's my passion. I'll be all golf and no basketball real soon’ and that turned out to be true – he plays incessantly regardless of the weather.

Bernie Madoff - before earning himself 150 years in prison for his Ponzi scheme fraud, Madoff was a regular golfer, apparently using it as a way to find and hook unsuspecting wealthy clients.