Playing in the heat

[Mtn_Mikey]

To say the Phoenix area has been a wee tad on the warm side lately would be an understatement.

 

Fortunately, through our course's lottery system, I've been able to snag tee times two days a week between 6:30 (first) and 7.  Even so I'm starting off between 85 and 90 degrees at those times reaching 100+ by the time we finish. Generally, between 3.5 and 4 hours depending on rotation and playing partners.

 

Thankfully the course provides a large cooler filled with towels soaking in ice water for us to borrow. I'll rewet mine at each on course water cooler. Put that under my hat, golf like an Egyptian!

 

Also, I have chilled neck bands, A large mug of iced Gatorade with extras in my cooler-one even frozen. And of course, a wide brimmed mesh hat

 

A little bit curious as to what tricks others might use in similar conditions.

[MarkTheSark]

Id be curious to some answers as well..... Been wondering the same questions over the past few weeks. The golf bag only has so much space!

[caniac6]

Sounds like you are doing about all you can. I don’t think I could play in those conditions.

[Righty to Lefty]

Electrolytes electrolytes electrolytes!  Potassium, magnesium, and sodium...especially sodium!  Sodium gets a bad rap for some reason but it is critical to giving the body a chance to hydrate by holding fluid in the body long enough to be absorbed by your cells.  If you are peeing clear...you are dehydrating yourself and need to up your sodium intake.  Getting your electrolytes built up will begin the night prior and all you are doing on the course is trying to maintain what you had when you started as by that time is too late because you are already in the elements and your levels are depleting. 

 

I played a ton of golf in the middle east and I would drink Crystal Light with salt in it the night prior, and then freeze one to drink on the course during play.  If your electrolytes level fall too far your energy levels will tank as will your performance I assure you.  This is just as important as keeping the sun off of you by covering up your skin with UV sleeves or using an umbrella.  Water alone is not enough to hydrate you because if it isn't held in the body long enough it will just pass through you and not be used.  Hope this helps. R to L

[Pastit]

19 minutes ago, Righty to Lefty said:

Electrolytes electrolytes electrolytes!  Potassium, magnesium, and sodium...especially sodium!  Sodium gets a bad rap for some reason but it is critical to giving the body a chance to hydrate by holding fluid in the body long enough to be absorbed by your cells.  If you are peeing clear...you are dehydrating yourself and need to up your sodium intake.  Getting your electrolytes built up will begin the night prior and all you are doing on the course is trying to maintain what you had when you started as by that time is too late because you are already in the elements and your levels are depleting. 

 

I played a ton of golf in the middle east and I would drink Crystal Light with salt in it the night prior, and then freeze one to drink on the course during play.  If your electrolytes level fall too far your energy levels will tank as will your performance I assure you.  This is just as important as keeping the sun off of you by covering up your skin with UV sleeves or using an umbrella.  Water alone is not enough to hydrate you because if it isn't held in the body long enough it will just pass through you and not be used.  Hope this helps. R to L

I could not agree less and some of your advice could be harmful. Particularly: clear urine is not dehydrating and in case readers intake very cold drinks whilst their body is at a high temperature this can result in Colic which is dangerous. Watch John Wayne and his horse. 
 

After professional advice, I’d look at whether taking re-hydrate orange would be wise. Here is some proper science ( DD = rehydrate; SD = sports drink; WA= H2O ).

 

Go to:

5. Conclusions

In conclusion, the ingestion of DD resulted in lower cumulative urine output and a higher fluid retention than SD and WA after the endurance exercise in a hot and humid environment. The ingestion of a SD, however, led to a greater fluid retention than WA. Thus, for individuals who exercised in the heat and who performed multiple exercise sessions each day, DD represented a potential rehydration beverage that they could turn to help maintain better fluid balance. Although no differences were found in the time trial performance among the drinks, a small effect size for better performance with SD and DD compared with WA was observed

Edited July 20, 2023 by Pastit

[8602081]

covering your arms and legs with breathable fabric (spandex) should also help (not only the heat, but also protection from the rays..)

 

[McMunch]

Look in the Instruction/ Academy section. I posted the same last week and got 60 replies. A lot of great advice.

[TLUBulldogGolf]

Lately I've not even felt like dealing with it. Drink tons of water, use sunscreen (before I even get outside in my case as the humidity in Houston has you sweating immediately), play early. I recently tried a water+salt/potassium salt mixture and it seems to help with that late round drain. 

[hagimihale]

I live outside of Tampa FL.  Temps approaching triple digits + humidity that feels like being in a sauna.  

 

The best trick I've come across is to apply an ice-cold cloth to the back of your neck or your wrists.  Makes a huge difference.   I'll put a washcloth (or silicone cloth) in the ice cooler on the cart, and use it regularly.

 

I also started wearing spf50 arm sleeves to protect from the heat.  They are like spandex and breathable.

[dfeldss]

I wear my finest umbrella hat.

 

Also electrolytes, finding some shade when possible (though probably tough out in Phoenix). Cold towel. It gets hot and sticky here in Coastal GA, but at least there are plenty of trees and usually Mother Nature has the fans turned on. All that said I still don't really play in the afternoons in the summer very often.

[AzRoger]

Live in southern AZ so not as bad as Phoenix, get off around 7am, temps low 80's starting and mid 90's finishing. Always walk 18 and the worst part for me is that the humidity is usually high in the early morning this time of year (monsoon season), hard to keep my hands dry, carry an extra towel just to wipe the sweat off. Definitely need an electrolyte solution, cotton shirts stay in the closet, many walkers around here also use an umbrella on their push cart for shade.

[Dabetic]

Hydration begins well before the round. Day prior at least

[RoyalMustang]

I live in TX and have been walking all summer in 110+ heat index conditions with high humidity. If you think you have it bad, just see all of the roofers in my neighborhood right now fixing hail damage! Walking is cooler for me as I can walk to the shade while carts are stuck on the path. 

 

A few things: 

1) push cart and sun umbrella are essential

2) I probably drink 200 ounces of water during a round. I carry 72 ounces with me, drink 24 before teeing off, and by the turn, I am drinking 24 as I fill up my bottle. I still won't pee for hours after getting home. I add an electrolyte tablet or 2 to each bottle (NUUN).

3) I look like I jumped in a pool by the 4th hole; between the 9th and 10 hole, I always change shoes and socks. I risk blisters otherwise. 

4) I use anti chafe cream on my parts down there that can chafe. Once your underwear is soaked through, it can get pretty painful. I like DZ Nuts (it's a cycling chamois cream with cooling additives). 

5) I have a change of clothes in the car and a towel ready. 

6) condition yourself to the heat and be in good health overall (see roofers above)

 

Honestly, I am out there enough that I don't even notice the heat. It doesn't bother me whatsoever.  What sucks is dealing with the intense sweat and moisture. It sucks playing when your clothes weigh 10lbs and you go through 5 gloves a round. Not much I can do though.

 

If you aren't playing in the heat in Texas this summer, you aren't playing. 

[RoyalMustang]

52 minutes ago, hagimihale said:

I live outside of Tampa FL.  Temps approaching triple digits + humidity that feels like being in a sauna.  

 

The best trick I've come across is to apply an ice-cold cloth to the back of your neck or your wrists.  Makes a huge difference.   I'll put a washcloth (or silicone cloth) in the ice cooler on the cart, and use it regularly.

 

I also started wearing spf50 arm sleeves to protect from the heat.  They are like spandex and breathable.

 

Pantyhose filled with ice works really well under your shirt. When I was a bike racer, someone would drop back to our team car and hand them out once it hit 85+. Felt amazing! 

[Righty to Lefty]

23 hours ago, Pastit said:

I could not agree less and some of your advice could be harmful. Particularly: clear urine is not dehydrating and in case readers intake very cold drinks whilst their body is at a high temperature this can result in Colic which is dangerous. Watch John Wayne and his horse. 
 

After professional advice, I’d look at whether taking re-hydrate orange would be wise. Here is some proper science ( DD = rehydrate; SD = sports drink; WA= H2O ).

 

Go to:

5. Conclusions

In conclusion, the ingestion of DD resulted in lower cumulative urine output and a higher fluid retention than SD and WA after the endurance exercise in a hot and humid environment. The ingestion of a SD, however, led to a greater fluid retention than WA. Thus, for individuals who exercised in the heat and who performed multiple exercise sessions each day, DD represented a potential rehydration beverage that they could turn to help maintain better fluid balance. Although no differences were found in the time trial performance among the drinks, a small effect size for better performance with SD and DD compared with WA was observed

Hello Pastit...well lets talk about it then: 

The human body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/#:~:text=It flavors food and is,balance of water and minerals.

No color (transparent)

Clear urine sends a clear message: You may be drinking too much water.

Now it’s true your body needs water to stay hydrated and function properly. The basic rule of thumb is to aim for drinking 64 ounces of fluid a day to keep your system operating at peak efficiency.

Surging over that total can make your urine start to look like the water you’re guzzling down. (Plus, you’re going to be making a lot of trips to the restroom as your body works to drain out all that extra fluid.)

An occasional clear pee isn’t a big deal. But if it’s an ongoing issue you may be lowering salt and electrolyte levels below what your body needs.

Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-urine-color-means/

 

That in effect means that if your pee is colorless you are lowering your electrolyte levels and thus you are in effect dehydrating yourself because overhydrating while not replenishing electrolytes is just as damaging as not getting enough fluids because in both cases fluid isn't moving in and out of the cells and that is why in both cases performance will suffer.  You are in effect losing electrolytes by being out in the elements AND by drinking too much water. 

 

If you had the correct amount of fluid and electrolyte balance then your pee would have some color to it.  Why you then stated that monitoring an athlete's electrolyte and hydration levels is bad advice is just flat out incorrect.  Sodium is what allows the body to actually hydrate itself.  Sure excess sodium can be a problem, but I didn't say to eat 10 tablespoons, I stated to get some extra sodium and hydrate prior too being out in the elements because at that point it is too late and all you can do is try to keep up and if you are an athlete that sweats a lot then you will fail at keeping up. You have to figure out what amounts you need personally depending on the activities that you are about to engage in and under what conditions.  

 

This article is also very enlightening: 

https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/11048753/lebron-james-salty-solution

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by Righty to Lefty

[jj9000]

Look into buying either a Mission cap or a Mission bucket hat.

 

They work very much like Frogg Toggs in that you get them wet with cold water...ring out the excess water...and put them back on your head afterwards.

 

Game changer.

 

 

Edit...here you go:

 

https://www.mission.com/collections/mission-cooling-bucket-brim-hats/?gclid=CjwKCAjwtuOlBhBREiwA7agf1vNVEhNv1l1-bmfsx8vJuUNN1yfM6M3LNJ8uY9y8bkuVeO2O9TrfDxoCsSgQAvD_BwE

Edited July 20, 2023 by jj9000

[Ferguson]

18 hours ago, Mtn_Mikey said:

To say the Phoenix area has been a wee tad on the warm side lately would be an understatement.

 

Fortunately, through our course's lottery system, I've been able to snag tee times two days a week between 6:30 (first) and 7.  Even so I'm starting off between 85 and 90 degrees at those times reaching 100+ by the time we finish. Generally, between 3.5 and 4 hours depending on rotation and playing partners.

 

Thankfully the course provides a large cooler filled with towels soaking in ice water for us to borrow. I'll rewet mine at each on course water cooler. Put that under my hat, golf like an Egyptian!

 

Also, I have chilled neck bands, A large mug of iced Gatorade with extras in my cooler-one even frozen. And of course, a wide brimmed mesh hat

 

A little bit curious as to what tricks others might use in similar conditions.

 

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/05d52585-3c0a-4822-9743-2530ed213e03

 

 

[Mcfly]

Our course is in western Kentucky, right on the Ohio river. 90 degree temps lately with high humidity.  The course is relatively flat except for two holes with steep 250 yard climbs on the front side.  Most of us walk four days a week, 6300 yards from the blue tees.  We’re all retired and use push carts.  I carry a 40 ounce insulated water bottle, eat several bananas during the round, and fill the bottle up on holes 4, 7, 13, and 16.  That plus sunscreen, loose clothing, a white cap, and a fresh glove every four or five holes works pretty well.  The worst thing lately has been all the rain, which makes the humidity even worse.  Geographically we are on the same parallel as Vietnam.  Feels like it too.  

[bcjim]

If you walk, next to water,  an umbrella is the most important weapon in the battle against heat.  Being in the shade as much as possible makes a huge difference in comfort and late round performance. 

[badpokerbadgolf]

in Yuma area.  I'm wearing 2 gloves for all shots, and switching to another set of 2 gloves every hole or 2.  It's getting sweaty out there!

[TexasTurf]

Every "blue collar" worker keeping the infrastructure going in your area is working 12+ hours per day outside in the same conditions. 4 hours of leisure isn't that hard. Man up. 

[ChaosTheory]

Sometimes in dehydration discussions, you see people saying clear when they mean colorless.  Both terms can apply to urine so make sure you are using the right term.  In the posts above, colorless is the correct one.

[Pastit]

18 hours ago, Righty to Lefty said:

Hello Pastit...well lets talk about it then: 

The human body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/#:~:text=It flavors food and is,balance of water and minerals.

No color (transparent)

Clear urine sends a clear message: You may be drinking too much water.

Now it’s true your body needs water to stay hydrated and function properly. The basic rule of thumb is to aim for drinking 64 ounces of fluid a day to keep your system operating at peak efficiency.

Surging over that total can make your urine start to look like the water you’re guzzling down. (Plus, you’re going to be making a lot of trips to the restroom as your body works to drain out all that extra fluid.)

An occasional clear pee isn’t a big deal. But if it’s an ongoing issue you may be lowering salt and electrolyte levels below what your body needs.

Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-urine-color-means/

 

That in effect means that if you are peeing clear you are lowering your electrolyte levels and thus you are in effect dehydrating yourself because overhydrating while not replenishing electrolytes is just as damaging as not getting enough fluids because in both cases fluid isn't moving in and out of the cells and that is why in both cases performance will suffer.  You are in effect losing electrolytes by being out in the elements AND by drinking too much water. 

 

If you had the correct amount of fluid and electrolyte balance then your pee would have some color to it.  Why you then stated that monitoring an athlete's electrolyte and hydration levels is bad advice is just flat out incorrect.  Sodium is what allows the body to actually hydrate itself.  Sure excess sodium can be a problem, but I didn't say to eat 10 tablespoons, I stated to get some extra sodium and hydrate prior too being out in the elements because at that point it is too late and all you can do is try to keep up and if you are an athlete that sweats a lot then you will fail at keeping up. You have to figure out what amounts you need personally depending on the activities that you are about to engage in and under what conditions.  

 

This article is also very enlightening: 

https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/11048753/lebron-james-salty-solution

 

I don’t need to talk about it as I’ve experienced a very serious incident of Colic from the very remedy to thirst you recommend folk use.

 

Whereas I accept your advice is well-intended it is extremely dangerous. I took a cold drink from a fridge after a day’s exercise and collapsed within seconds, lying upon the floor in agony. The emergency doctor had to be called. Anyone with a weak disposition, such as kids ( please see below ) might be affected more seriously. 
 

THE MODS SHOULD REMOVE THIS PART OF YOUR POST. Thanks

 

“ Is it safe for children to drink ice-cold water?

While adults may find drinking ice-cold water refreshing, it’s not recommended for children. Cold water can shock a child’s system and affect digestion.

Drinking ice-cold water can also cause stomach cramps in children, leading to discomfort.

Additionally, children who drink ice-cold water may experience “brain freeze,” a cold sensation in the head that can be painful “

Edited July 21, 2023 by Pastit

[Sean124]

 

 

I live in the valley and have played 7 of the last 10 days. There are no real tricks, it’s just hot as balls. 
 

I wear a good wide brimmed sun hat and SP Arms sun sleeves. Keeping the sun off your skin works way better than sunscreen. When I was in Iraq, I never saw any dudes running around in tank tops. 
 

I like the Liquid IV packets you can buy at Costco. Don’t be dehydrated, drunk and/or hungover. 
 

When it really comes down to it, my yard guys spent 8 hours replacing my irrigation system the other day. I’ll survive on the golf course. 

[PhillipG78]

Unless it’s dawn you’re nuts being out there during this heat. 

[Righty to Lefty]

On 7/21/2023 at 3:53 AM, Pastit said:

I don’t need to talk about it as I’ve experienced a very serious incident of Colic from the very remedy to thirst you recommend folk use.

 

Whereas I accept your advice is well-intended it is extremely dangerous. I took a cold drink from a fridge after a day’s exercise and collapsed within seconds, lying upon the floor in agony. The emergency doctor had to be called. Anyone with a weak disposition, such as kids ( please see below ) might be affected more seriously. 
 

THE MODS SHOULD REMOVE THIS PART OF YOUR POST. Thanks

 

“ Is it safe for children to drink ice-cold water?

While adults may find drinking ice-cold water refreshing, it’s not recommended for children. Cold water can shock a child’s system and affect digestion.

Drinking ice-cold water can also cause stomach cramps in children, leading to discomfort.

Additionally, children who drink ice-cold water may experience “brain freeze,” a cold sensation in the head that can be painful “

You have got to be kidding me. I freeze it because I am taking it out into 120 degree heat. I also dont know very many kids that dont like slushies and snow cones and I have never heard of the FDA discouraging their consumption so your situation is not the norm respectfully.

[SNIPERBBB]

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

You have got to be kidding me. I freeze it because I am taking it out into 120 degree heat. I also dont know very many kids that dont like slushies and snow cones and I have never heard of the FDA discouraging their consumption so your situation is not the norm respectfully.

I could see it being a possible issue for kids 5 and under.

 

Wouldn't trust the FDA for any sort of food safety, especially in these post COVID days. Almost every lawsuit commercial going against pharmaceutical companies begins with the line "Have you or a family member taken the FDA approved drug..." 

 

[Righty to Lefty]

1 hour ago, SNIPERBBB said:

I could see it being a possible issue for kids 5 and under.

 

Wouldn't trust the FDA for any sort of food safety, especially in these post COVID days. Almost every lawsuit commercial going against pharmaceutical companies begins with the line "Have you or a family member taken the FDA approved drug..." 

 

Not even the point...the height of most kids 7-11 Slurpee and snow cone days for sure occurred at 5 years and under.  If drinking ice water as a child was huge problem we'd all be sick because none of us are looking for lukewarm water on a summer day unless you were raised in an area like India I think.  That would also mean that eating anything cold would likely also be a problem and most all of us eat ice cream and popsicles and such with no issues even when we were under 5 years old.  The bottom line is we talkin bout getting enough electrolytes in the body prior to being out in the heat and somehow got detoured in to talking bout kids 5 and under drinking cold water?! 

[Ri_Redneck]

I didn't see it mentioned anywhere, but one should always wear light colored clothing when outside in the heat. SPF 30-50 light weight and light color works best. That way you skip the sunscreen that seals the heat in and doesn't let your skin breathe. There are several brands of clothing that suits this situation. There's a reason those who live in the middle-east, which is far hotter than here, cover their skin from the sun.

 

BT

Edited July 24, 2023 by Ri_Redneck

[SNIPERBBB]

Black/light doesn't matter. At least not to me. I'll wear all black if it's 0 or 100.