Walking in the Summer Heat

[HenryReardon]

Summer is upon is here in Houston, and the afternoon rounds when temperatures crest above 100 are in full swing. Any one out there found particularly helpful ways to prepare for these hot rounds? Eating a certain way before, wearing long sleeves, a certain drink during the round? The obvious answer is play at a different time of day, but that doesnt always work when you have an addiction to fuel 😅

[jholz]

My only advice is to seek shade at every opportunity. Walked and carried for many years in Alabama. At least Houston is flat!

[Abh159]

4 minutes ago, jholz said:

My only advice is to seek shade at every opportunity. Walked and carried for many years in Alabama. At least Houston is flat!

 

Same but in a different part of the southeast.

 

Aside from drinking plenty of water/gatorade and seeking shade there isn't a ton you can do. Maybe wet a towel with cold water when you pass by a cooler to put around you neck.

 

These days I don't walk much in the summer unless it's a quick 9 around dusk. It's just too hot and my club is too hilly for that to be enjoyable at all.

[gripandrip]

I use an umbrella on the push cart to help keep the sun off. Not my cart, but you get the idea.

[sittingbull]

Dont you have carts

[TwistedSister]

1 hour ago, HenryReardon said:

Summer is upon is here in Houston, and the afternoon rounds when temperatures crest above 100 are in full swing. Any one out there found particularly helpful ways to prepare for these hot rounds? Eating a certain way before, wearing long sleeves, a certain drink during the round? The obvious answer is play at a different time of day, but that doesnt always work when you have an addiction to fuel 😅

Talk to any mailman that walks they can help.

[PNW]

Those cooling towels that you dunk in water to put around your neck while walking, in between shots help a lot. I've also noticed that I feel a lot cooler (temp wise haha) wearing a bucket hat vs a regular baseball hat style due to more shade. Bring enough water!

[Roejye]

Just general heat precautions. Pretty much combine all of the suggestions in this thread. Fluids, fluids, fluids, water/Gatorade/powerade/pedialyte, umbrella holder on the cart for extra shade, and seek out shade. Pay attention to your body.

[Righty to Lefty]

You must get enough salt, magnesium, and potassium in you the night prior or your performance on course will suffer as you lose electrolytes.  It is very hard to hydrate while you are out in the conditions so you have to get your levels up prior to going out in the elements.  In humid climates there isn't much evaporation going on so wearing sleeves is mostly just for UV protection but in dry heat sleeves and pants are actually much cooler as it keeps the UV off your skin and if you feel like you are over heating you can just pour water on yourself and it will evaporate within minutes and cool you. The heat in the middle east teaches some hard lessons but I've become better at dealing with the heat because of it. Hope this helps. R to L 

[HenryReardon]

1 hour ago, sittingbull said:

Dont you have carts

The courses do yes, but competitive events do not always allow them

[HenryReardon]

17 minutes ago, PNW said:

Those cooling towels that you dunk in water to put around your neck while walking, in between shots help a lot. I've also noticed that I feel a lot cooler (temp wise haha) wearing a bucket hat vs a regular baseball hat style due to more shade. Bring enough water!

I had forgotten about those towels. Great suggestion thank you!

[jacob7071]

I take salt tablets in the summer.  And a push cart so I can load up on water and gatorade.

[Primo1868]

I walk in Sav, GA for most of the summer. I'm still relatively young and actually work in the heat of a paper mill (so heat during the summer is something my body is used to), but here are my keys for success:

-use my pushcart

- no alcohol the night before or day of

- find shade as often as possible

- fluids, fluids, fluids

- food - staying hydrated at times isn't enough. A lot of people do not realize that just drinking water/gatorade isn't enough to replenish what you're losing. I actually freeze uncrustables and stick them in my golf bag before a round and plan to eat one on 7 and 13 tee. Oranges/apples are substitutes as well. 

-bucket hat

-extra pair of socks

 

none of what I do is more than common knowledge; however, all the steps are crucial to a comfortable round. 

[ShortGolfer]

Some of us are just better suited for summer heat than others.  During the summer I'll add a fourth meal to keep my weight up!

I wear a wide brimmed bucket hat all the time so I'm used to it.

UPF clothing is designed to block UV rays.  When I wear short sleeves and shorts I take the time to put on sunscreen for UV protection.

[vandyfan]

I find that wearing sun sleeves and wide brimmed hat helps because I don't get as much sun poisoning and yes jumping in the shade as much as possible. I walk all through the summer here in Middle TN which isn't quite as hot as houston but we have our share of 100+ days and high humidity. Also just drinking water waaaaay before you get thirsty. I you haven't peed by the turn you are in t-r-o-u-b-l-e. 

[MerryTex]

Eating well the day before and drinking a lot the day before helps big time. You have to prepare your body so it's ready for the time you are going to put it through stress. If you are trying to drink water the day of, the train's left the station. Playing catch up will get you in trouble. Before playing tennis tournaments in HS and college or riding 100km I would eat well the whole day or two before and keep my water intake very high. Remember that mother nature will always win but you can dance with her a bit if you're smart. Being in Texas myself has taught me a great deal about keeping my body temp managed well in our heat and humidity.

 

• Shade when you can
• Water at all times
• Push cart may help by keeping weight of the bag off of your body
• Good shoes
• Light snacks
• Cooling towels
• Light clothing
• Sunscreen before the round and during

[david.c.w]

Not much helps me.  I sweat a lot.  No matter what I do, in the summer I have sweat dripping off my hat when I putt on the 9th hole.  I mostly walk in the fall, summer, and spring.  I have resigned myself to summer riding.

 

 

[bcjim]

21 hours ago, gripandrip said:

I use an umbrella on the push cart to help keep the sun off. Not my cart, but you get the idea.

This.  100%. The temp is the temp but in the sun you're getting radiant heating too. Standing and walking in the shade really helps.

[nvr3putt]

There are UV blocking umbrellas you can carry, even if you don't use a cart. 

 

https://www.coolibar.com/accessories/umbrellas/62-inch-titanium-golf-umbrella.html

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

On 6/12/2023 at 10:22 AM, HenryReardon said:

Summer is upon is here in Houston, and the afternoon rounds when temperatures crest above 100 are in full swing. Any one out there found particularly helpful ways to prepare for these hot rounds? Eating a certain way before, wearing long sleeves, a certain drink during the round? The obvious answer is play at a different time of day, but that doesnt always work when you have an addiction to fuel 😅

Lots and lots of water.  Maybe add pedialyte/gatoraide to that too?  Do Not F#&k around with dehydration.  These temps (mid 90s, with heat indices in the high 100s to over 110) will make you really sick, up to killing you, if you screw up.  I've had holes where I ran out of water on 17, thought, "What's the harm?", and started getting really dizzy as I walked off 18...

 

Wide brimmed hat.  Lots of towels and gloves.  I wear a sweatband (Sweaty Betty makes great, absorbant ones) under my hat.  I'll wring it out at least once a round, usually twice.  UV protection clothing.  Which leads to...

 

Good sunscreen.  Melanoma is not your friend.  I like la roche posay or shiseido.  You want high spf, and where it at least tries to be water resistant. I avoid the mineral based ones, as I don't like the streaks on me, my stuff, the cart, etc...   

 

Other than that, enjoy!  We're not high, but we are hot and humid. As you well know, LOL.   Ball can go surprisingly far in these conditions.

 

That said, I infinitely prefer it colder and foggier.  But I live here, (and I can't afford to live in the Del Monte Forest) so....

Edited June 14, 2023 by Jayjay_theweim_guy

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

On 6/12/2023 at 1:52 PM, MerryTex said:

Eating well the day before and drinking a lot the day before helps big time. You have to prepare your body so it's ready for the time you are going to put it through stress. If you are trying to drink water the day of, the train's left the station. Playing catch up will get you in trouble. Before playing tennis tournaments in HS and college or riding 100km I would eat well the whole day or two before and keep my water intake very high. Remember that mother nature will always win but you can dance with her a bit if you're smart. Being in Texas myself has taught me a great deal about keeping my body temp managed well in our heat and humidity.

 

• Shade when you can
• Water at all times
• Push cart may help by keeping weight of the bag off of your body
• Good shoes
• Light snacks
• Cooling towels
• Light clothing
• Sunscreen before the round and during

Great tips. I'd add to also lay off the booze the night before or during your round.  Alcohol exacerbates dehydration.  One beer likely isn't going to hurt.  Bringing a styro shipper of wine with you probably will...

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

On 6/12/2023 at 1:08 PM, HenryReardon said:

I had forgotten about those towels. Great suggestion thank you!

Cypresswood has some absolutely amazing mango-scented ice cold wet towels.  First I'd ever heard of such a thing.  Now, it's an essential, LOL.

[HenryReardon]

3 minutes ago, Jayjay_theweim_guy said:

Cypresswood has some absolutely amazing mango-scented ice cold wet towels.  First I'd ever heard of such a thing.  Now, it's an essential, LOL.

Those towels are amazing I agree. I may have to try and make my own at home for the summer.