Playing Disc Golf in the Rain

[zontar]

rarely start in the rain, but ALWAYS finish, even if it's a ridiculous downpour. I'm stubborn like that....

 

[Brockness Monster]

needs to be a 5th option

O I live in the American Southwest.....What is rain?

Having lived in Oregon, Rainy disc golf is better than no disc golf.

 

[thecandydan]

I use a Friction Disc Golf Glove, if it is a steady, soaking rain.

Tell me you know how to play in the rain without telling me you know how to play in the rain.

I'm surprised more people don't use friction gloves (I use Gorilla gloves) rather than trying to wipe discs on every throw.

 

[DFrah]

If I'm at home, I don't usually bother playing in the rain. I am generally aware of the weather each week and pick the best 2-3 days to go play after work, when possible.

If I'm on a trip, it's a different story. Gotta play the courses when I can, regardless of weather! Other than the rain jacket I don't have great gear for that though. Looking into these friction gloves now...

 

[Brychanus]

I play. I always was weird and actually liked being outside in the rain. There's a point where cold+rain isn't so fun, but I'm still fuggin' disc golfing.

I've become slightly more of a diva recently because it's more annoying than it used to be when my grip slips.

Speaking of which...

I use a Friction Disc Golf Glove, if it is a steady, soaking rain.

Would you recommend to a friend? Does it feel just as reliable as when you're dry? MORE reliable? Share your secrets.

I'm surprised more people don't use friction gloves (I use Gorilla gloves) rather than trying to wipe discs on every throw.

Same question to you, good sir.

 

[lee76007]

I pick my days to play away from the rain, and on a week where that may be difficult, I watch that radar on a picked day. Just a few weeks ago I saw a three-hour window to play a few rounds. Timed the start of my round with light showers that ended after a few holes barely wet. On a warm day if I start getting rained on, I'll stick with it unless its pouring then I get off the course, and I've only done that once in the three years I've been playing. I play Bayville in Virginia Beach on wet days, its hard compact sand and the water soaks in quickly.

What I look for first on picking my days are high winds. That same week with the rain I picked a 25-35 mph wind day at Munden Point with gusts over 40. I've learned to play the wind, find it fun, and might have 9-12 of those days per year.

 

[Biggie_Robs]

I've done it (starting a round in the rain), but only when expecting it to end relatively soon.

 

[ru4por]

Would you recommend to a friend? Does it feel just as reliable as when you're dry? MORE reliable? Share your secrets.

In regards to the Friction Glove. Mine is a nice snug fit and gives terrific grip. Maybe more than dry without the glove. It takes some practice. I do not have grip problems and will play in a light rain with minimal wiping of discs. Once everything is soak and it is pouring, the glove comes out. Throwing a disc to a spot or in the chains is hard enough. I do not want rain to make that an 8 step process before my throw.

 

[Three Putt]

Channahon is often flooded, but the other course that 3putt mentioned (streamwood) is even worse. Back when we only had a few decent 18 hole courses in the Chicago area, Streamwood was one of my faves. It holds water like no other though. After a few really messy rounds, I decided I wouldn't play there if it had rained at all in the past 2-3 weeks. Mid summer drought time is/was that courses sweet spot.


Edit: I see 3P actually said Shorewood, which is no where near as bad as the other two for holding water, but still gets plenty muddy.

Lockport used to hold water, too. I played some rounds there where I spent most of the time trying to figure out how water got where it was. Up closer to where I lived, Jericho Lake liked to hold water. Then there was Shady Oaks. :\ I mean holding water is the point of that property, so it's hard to be salty about it. I'm still salty about it, though. :|

 

[thecandydan]

Would you recommend to a friend? Does it feel just as reliable as when you're dry? MORE reliable? Share your secrets.

I agree with everything ru4por wrote above.

I don't use my glove until wiping and drying is starting to become tedious and less effective . . . then I pull out the glove and throw wet discs without wiping and frankly the grip and results are pretty much the same as normal. And it is so much better walking up to your lie and throwing without going through the whole drying process.

I think of rain as one of those things that sometimes "you just have to lean into it." Meaning that you accept the rain for what it is and make the best of it. And using the gloves makes it easier to "lean into it" because you're back to just throwing and thinking about that instead of worrying about towels and hands and disc dryness.

And I don't use the glove to forehand or to putt, only to throw backhand. Might be fine for some people forehanding, but I feel like it's too grippy for that shot. I don't use it any other time other than rain. It would be way too grippy for use in dry conditions for me. But grip is a very personal thing, different for everyone. It's why people think XYZ plastic has the best grip and they are right . . . for them.

Last thing I'll mention is Gorilla gloves are available at hardware stores for like $5-10 a pair. Pretty cheap. I buy a 5 pack every once in a while and throw a new good pair in the bag as needed and use the rest as mechanics gloves. They are nice for that.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

I used to be hardcore, now I'm semi retired at 45 (from league disc, but "work"ing like a bastard). Enough so I get ribbed when I show. I play every night at home for a bare minimum of 5 holes with the dog, unless it's real wet because I love the sport and don't care about 9 holes of rain. Especially if I got a wool layer on.

I'm awful about towels, I'm a tradesman so I wipe it off on my sweater/pants/shirt. I've gotten better about the towel in my old age ( ) and birdie beads. I used to practice with a bucket full of water, dunk my discs and throw. I think it's a part of why my throw is a bastardized Beato straight arm elbow punch. Less variables, also less distance.

I'll still suck it up in anything less of a monsoon/gale. Especially for a tourney, I don't withdraw. I don't enjoy it but I don't really mind it especially if I'm solo. If I'm playing with someone slow like real slow it sours the round. There was this one time in a tourney, rains down in Africa sh-t kinda wet and my buddy still was taking 5 minutes a throw.... Lost 3 strokes and barely won, I remember being "angry" . I don't remember many angry rounds in my career.

Stuff your sissy mitts Ru4por!

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Hmmm my point was I'm still averse to hard rain for something that don't matter, I'm not rushing to league on a crappy day, If it matters I'm playing but.....

Anyone seen Casey?

 

[flatflip]

I picked up the game in the NC mountains, which average a couple of inches/yr short of being a temperate rain forest. Rain don't scare me.

TBH it's more a question of the course and the soils, at least here in east Texas where there's a wide variation. The ubiquitous gumbo clay just east of the Balcones escarpment just sticks to everything and is slicker'n snot. I've had a couple of scary rides down slopes when trying to fetch errant shots near creeks. I will typically drive farther to find some sandier soils if I know it's going to be wet.

 

[elmexdela]

Hmmm my point was I'm still averse to hard rain for something that don't matter, I'm not rushing to league on a crappy day, If it matters I'm playing but.....

Anyone seen Casey?

bruh i miss casey so much

 

[ohtobediscing]

I've started in the rain several times, always 'cause we'd driven a distance to play a course (Milo, Wheatland, Hagg Lake, etc.)

Buxton's very first tourney was a night glow round, but we waited more than a hour past the announced start time for someone's bruhs who were "definitely going to be there ". Of course, it was raining by then....

I like my friction gloves too, for most every reason already stated. They're also great for early morning rounds when it's extra dewy on thick park grasses.

 

[ohtobediscing]

On the other hand, I don't play in the rain much in MS 'cause it's usually torrential.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

Channahon is often flooded, but the other course that 3putt mentioned (streamwood) is even worse. Back when we only had a few decent 18 hole courses in the Chicago area, Streamwood was one of my faves. It holds water like no other though. After a few really messy rounds, I decided I wouldn't play there if it had rained at all in the past 2-3 weeks. Mid summer drought time is/was that courses sweet spot.


Edit: I see 3P actually said Shorewood, which is no where near as bad as the other two for holding water, but still gets plenty muddy.

I'll be in the area again this weekend visiting family. You wanna link up for a round? :hfive:

Lockport used to hold water, too. I played some rounds there where I spent most of the time trying to figure out how water got where it was. Up closer to where I lived, Jericho Lake liked to hold water. Then there was Shady Oaks. :\ I mean holding water is the point of that property, so it's hard to be salty about it. I'm still salty about it, though. :|

Trinity seemed to have a crazy amount of water on the first few holes when I played there. I remember there being quite a swamp in addition to some standing water. I feel like at Canyons, there is enough optional loops now, you can avoid the flooded areas.

 

[Three Putt]

Trinity seemed to have a crazy amount of water on the first few holes when I played there. I remember there being quite a swamp in addition to some standing water. I feel like at Canyons, there is enough optional loops now, you can avoid the flooded areas.

Yeah, I know nothing of how the Canyons drain. I was kinda using old-school lingo; "Lockport" used to = Trinity. I wasn't even thinking that the Canyons technically is in Lockport.

 

[adlacro]

I'll finish in rain if I'm having a decent round or better.

I will not mess around with storms/lightning, though.

 

[Moose33]

A lot of times for me, if I want to play I'll be getting a little wet doing it. It rains way more in GA than most people realize. Especially in the spring and fall. We have league today, and it will likely be raining. If there is no lightning, we will be playing.

My first round at one of our newer local courses was technically during a tornado.

These fancy backpack bags have rainflys for a reason!