How do you stay Cool on the Golf Course?
 

Hi

I live in a place that's exteremly humid (near the equator...rain forest conditions...so basically, its so humid that it rains for at least half an hour every day) and its hot! Given the humidity levels, you sweat, a lot (on Saturday, after four holes, my shirt was completely soaked through with sweat). For those of you who are used to living and playing in hot/humid conditions, what do you do to:

a) stay hydrated?

b) stay cool (include stuff like, wear light coloured clothes, a white cap...no glove etc...of that's what you do)?

I ask, because I was pretty much dead on my feet at the end of 9 holes...just couldn't handle the heat/humidity and wasn't enjoying playing golf (which is the worst thing that can ever happen to you).

Thanks in advance.

At one point in life I did some pretty intense sports like triathlons and marathons so keeping cool was very important to me then and a lot of what I did then I still do now before I play on a hot day.

I wear lots of light coloured, loose fitting clothing, lightweight shoes that breath and breathable socks. If I wear a hat it has to be one that is lightweigh and very breathable, prefer mesh. Most of your heat is lost through your head and torso, the two areas you cover up.
Drink: I drink a litre of water just before going to bed on the night before playing and I'll drink some more before going out to play. Once I'm out there playing it's water and electrolytes. I'll sip water most of the day often taking a swig between shots as I'm walking to my ball. The key to fluid is start your round well hydrated and just keep yourself topped up with small sips throughout the day. I'll probably drink 2 litres while I'm playing if I walk on a really hot day.
Food: try not to eat anything really sugary on the day you play, your body will burn this quickly and create extra heat. Key is carbs the night before like pasta or rice.

And sunglasses. Whats cooler than a pair or RayBans really?

Hmmm...can't disagree with the sunglasses:)....but honestly I'd feel wierd swinging with them on...

You make the point about hats and meat being generated off the head...what colour hat do you wear? I wear a mesh TM baseball style cap...but its black...looks really cool but after a couple of holes you can feel it absorbing heat..as I sweat under the hat, it becomes uncomfortable (like my head can't breath)...and so the hat goes into the bag...leaving my head exposed so that the sweat can evaporate/cool me down.

On really hot days I've heard of people using umbrellas to give themself shade while they play. If you do that and stay hydrated, maybe even bring and extra shirt to change in to after 9 I'm sure you'll enjoy your round more then before.

Thanks...think I'll give the umbrella a try...have also been looking at caps which breath or with cooling techology and shirts which dry quickly/breath....never thought I'd be paying as much attention to this...but its bloody hard to concentrate on hitting a golf ball when you're so uncomfortable (incidentally, my ball striking was pretty good that day but after about 9 holes, I didn't want to be anywhere outside, because of the weather).

I have a generic white mesh hat that I use on hot days. Also have a mesh bucket style hat that I use on really sunny days.

I thought of another handy tip, swing really hard so you develop a slice into the woods, that way you get to play the next shot from the shade.

hahaha...good one...though my swing is so inconsistent at the moment, that I'll probably find myslef in the woods anyway (or probably in the water for a quick dip)!

Gatorade, G2, propel.... Basically anything with sodium. Also loose fitting, light colored clothes like Under Armour or Adidas help. If that doesn't help, the. Do what Roswell said and develop a slice.

I go along with the hydration tips and wearing cool clothing, all of my shirts that I wear in the warmer months are moisture wicking which helps to cool the torso. I also wear a "soaker" hat when it is extremely hot and wet it down several times during a round. I keep a wet towel to wipe my face and head with periodically. I also keep a neck cooler in the ice chest to place on my neck through out the round, this thing is awesome, here is a picture of them http://www.sun-rise.com/vendorImages/1179-pc1.jpg

Ice towel when i play in warm conditions is a winner!

i stand next to Hanks.... he's magnum PI doesn't get much cooler than that!

Wear wicking fabrics. Drink plenty of fluids. Eat some light snacks. I have also heard to avoid alcohol since it will just dehydrate you more, but that sounds like crazy talk.

Drink a heap of ice cold water and pour some in my soaker hat every now and then.

truthfully, I am not one for humidity either, and it can get pretty hot and humid where I live on same days, what I usually do is:

1. Lots of water
2. Cooler with ice
3. Towel soaked in icey water and continue to add cold water to it through out the round (keep it on your head and face while ur driving the cart or walking)
4. Hats make me sweat more sometimes so I just use sunglasses

But as far as anything else I do wear golf shirts and they are walter hagen or nike, the walter hagens actually have mesh or holes in them so the air gets through easy and keeps me dry, I do sweat when it is hot so those shirts are great.

I've gone to wearing a visor instead of a hat. Not the biggest fan of them, but I've definitely noticed a difference in how hot I get.

I have to have breatheable clothing. I also freeze 2-3 bottles of water before my round and put them in a cooler.

There are things I live by during the hot days of summer in Orlando. 1) I rub ice on my wrist, the inside at the base of my hand. This immediately cools the blood and my body. 2) small hand towel gets soaked with ice water and placed on the neck 3) the very warm days i put my head under the water cooler and wet the back of neck. Each of these keeps me cool for a couple of holes. I also wipe my legs and arms with the ice towel twice a nine.

Gatorade or g2 and my frog pad chilly pad. You wet it put it on your neck and it stays like 20 degrees cooler than outside and you put it on your neck. It looks like a chamois. Doesn't drip bad either like wet towels tend to do.

Easiest way to stay cool is to make lots of birdies and easy pars. http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...lies/sweat.pnghttp://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...ilies/cool.png

I've played with fellow before that visits SE Asia and he swears by the Mizuno DriLite shirts. Here is a link to them

http://www.mizunousa.com/golf/catalog/apparel

It gets incredibly humid here during the summer as well, but I think you've got me beat from what I've heard, light colors don't help me that much as paying attention to the thickness of the material. When it gets really sticky out I try and wear something from the Izod line since the material is very thin. Also I've found that a compression base layer helps move the perspiration away quicker without letting the outside layer get wet. Like kook mentioned a visor is pretty helpful at not trapping heat like a hat does.

Water water water, drink lots even before you go play, gatorade and powerade kill you with sodium which makes you thirstier with every sip. Try using something like the Nunn tabs or Elete electrolyte replacement tabs or drops. Nunn will have flavors and Elete is flavorless (they have a new lime flavor which is pretty tart).

Obviously playing earlier or later will help some.