Gatekeeper Resolutions Day 3: Tips For Playing In Bad Weather
Day 3! Regardless of where you live, winter tends to be less pleasant playing conditions than the summer. There’s cold, and less daylight, wind, rain, and snow. Today I want to talk specifically about playing in rainy or snowy weather, and how you can still play successfully.
First, buy good gear. Figure out your budget, save up, research reliable brands, and buy rain gear, shoes, and layers from an outdoor store. If you go to Wal Mart to get something cheap, it probably won’t last as long or perform as well. Think of this like a long-term investment in your comfort and performance, so that you can keep your core temperature and extremities warm and dry.
Second, reserve your foul-weather gear for foul weather. For example, I always have one pair of waterproof disc golf shoes that I break out only when it’s bad weather, until they begin leaking–then they go into rotation.
Third, plan ahead and prepare for the conditions. Wet conditions make footing a little unpredictable. Extra layers mean you might not have the same power in the summer. Simplify your gameplan. I usually take several discs out of my bag, so that I can put extra towels in ziplocs, and have space to take layers on and off. Have extra layers in your car to change into for the ride home or round 2.
Keep an umbrella over your bag, and the packcover on. The priority is to keep your discs dry, and to dry your hand before you’re about to throw. Have a couple towels in cycle–one for final drying, a damp one for initial drying, and (if necessary) one to lay on the teepad to prevent slipping.
When it’s your turn, abbreviate your routine. Get your grip set under the umbrella, then don’t move your hand. Know what you’re doing when you leave the umbrella, walk to the teepad or lie, and do the dang thing. The longer you wait to line up your shot, or shuffle your thumb around, the more likely that moisture will ruin your hard work. Accept that some throws might not be perfect, and that there’s a certain rain intensity where no amount of preparation can save you.
Once you’ve thrown, I recommend not marking your lie, since that’s more exposure time, and something wet you’re touching. If you have to, mark it with your non-throwing hand. Once you’ve thrown, give your disc one good shake and put it back in the bag. Save toweling until you really need it, because that dry disc isn’t doing any good in the bag. Even if you have a careful organization normally, I recommend ordering your discs from wet (recently thrown) to dry (not yet thrown).
Great! Now you know most of what I know. Go play in the rain, keep a positive attitude, and you “win” the game when you figure out how to change your normal routine to adapt to the conditions.
Written By Andrew Fish, PDGA 58320
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @fish58320
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