Carnoustie’s Endless Summer - How Weather Affects Your Golf Game
3 minute read
Scotland’s Unique Climate
Weather conditions vary greatly across Scotland with Glasgow receiving more days of rain a year than anywhere else in the UK, yet Dundee, only 80 miles away, is sheltered by the Cairngorms and has a reputation for being the country’s sunniest city. Scotland is home to some incredibly unique weather conditions so it should come as no surprise that it’s also home to some unique weather sayings:
“Scotland doesn’t have a climate, just weather!”
“If you don’t like the weather in Scotland, just wait five minutes or move five miles, and you’ll get different weather.”
“Scotland only has two seasons, July and Winter!”
How The Weather Is Affecting The Open
This last weather saying is one of our favourites and aptly describes the conditions in Carnoustie at the moment for golf's 147th Open Championship. July is proving to be an exceptionally dry month thanks to a combination of heatwave and drought which has transformed Carnousite from a luscious green colour to a thirsty brown shade. These conditions, although not ideal for gardeners, have been favourable for golfers who are enjoying long drives with seemingly never-ending rolls of the ball. Tiger Woods even commented that “the fairways are faster than the greens”.
The fast and dry conditions aren’t without their drawbacks, though, with many failing to correctly anticipate the extended roll of the balls and losing them into bunkers and the infamous Barry burn. The golfers will have to adapt their tee shots and quickly adjust to the conditions.
Weather Watching Kit Every Golf Course Needs
Skyview supplies weather watching kit to a great number of golf courses up and down the country. Here are some of the most popular products:
Lightning
Only five golfers have died from being struck by lightning in the UK and this is thanks in large part to improved lightning detection systems enabling golf courses to give players adequate warning when lightning is approaching, rather than just when it arrives.
The Boltek LD-250 uses a small antenna to receive the radio signals from lightning strikes and can also detect which direction the lightning is coming from. The device then sounds alarms depending on the distance and strike rate. Plus, our LD-250 and LD-350 Lightning Detectors now come ready with Boltek's brand new 2018 edition antenna.
Wind Speed and Direction
Many clubhouses opt for a full professional weather station such as the Davis Vantage Pro2 to display comfort level indicators to their golfers such as temperature and humidity before they tee off, as well as game-dependent factors such as wind speed and direction.
Rainfall
Although the Davis Vantage Pro2 does measure rainfall, smaller golf clubs without the budget for a complete weather station may prefer to opt for a standalone wireless rain gauge such as the Monsoon Rain Gauge. This unit features a rainfall alarm, handy for aiding in pitch inspection decisions to keep the course in good condition during wet weather, and to influence watering decisions during periods of dry weather.
