Best winter golf gear: five products to keep you warm and dry
When temperatures drop and the rain begins to fall, these five items will ensure you can still enjoy your time on the course.
Whether you like it or not, unless you live in Florida or another area blessed with year-round sunshine, golf for the next five to six months will be wet, windy and cold.
However, that doesn't mean it can't still be enjoyable and productive. In order for it to be both of those things, though, you do need to come prepared.
That means stashing away the pencil bag, putting the shorts away, and getting ready for everything the elements can throw at you.
Having a fair amount of experience with rain-soaked rounds between the team here at GolfMagic, we do know a thing or two about how best to prepare for the most brutal stretch of the golfing calendar, so we've put together our top five essentials for winter golf.
Let's get into it.
Five essentials for winter golf
1. A Waterproof Golf Bag
A waterproof golf bag is an absolutely vital piece of equipment for any round of winter golf.
Not only will the waterproof covering protect your valuables from perishing in a watery grave, but it will also keep your clubs and particularly grips protected from the elements.
Playing golf with wet grips is almost impossible, and it's the fastest way to ruin any game of golf.
The bag will also provide an ideal place to stash extra layers and hopefully an umbrella, too, so you can rest assured you're prepared for whatever mother nature can throw at you.
A number of brands make waterproof golf bags, but perhaps none make them better than the Motocaddy. The brand's newest offering for 2023, the HydroFLEX, is one of the best golf bags of 2023, and it provides excellent waterproof protection while also being light, versatile and very comfortable to carry.
2. Waterproof Clothing
While it's critical to protect your clubs and valuables, keeping yourself warm and dry should also be at the top of your priority list when you step out onto the course.
In order to do that, a quality set of waterproofs is vital. Purchasing a jacket and trousers that offer full wind and waterproof protection is the quickest and easiest way to ensure the elements don't ruin your winter.
When choosing which set to purchase, it's key to not only consider how much protection they offer but also how easy they are to put on and take off quickly.
Winter weather can be unpredictable, so ensuring you have a set that can quickly come off and on at a moment's notice will ensure you don't get caught short.
Comfort should also be a key consideration, so be sure to try on any purchases you are going to make to ensure you can swing freely in them without any level of discomfort.
Having recently tested the best waterproof jackets of 2023, we would highly recommend the Galvin Green Axley due to the unbeatable protection it offers from the elements and the lightweight design that makes it incredibly easy to wear and transport.
3. Winter Boots
In order to keep yourself warm and dry from head to toe, we would highly recommend investing in a good pair of winter golf boots like the Duca del Cosma Stanfords.
While lots of golf shoes offer waterproof protection, the high-top design of winter boots ensures that you can tackle even the thickest rough and deepest on-course puddles without having to worry about your feet getting wet.
Typically designed from durable waterproof material, winter boots are an excellent choice if you want to make sure your summer golf shoes don't get so dirty you won't recognise them by the time you walk off the 18th green.
A standard waterproof shoe will undoubtedly suffice on dry rounds, but if the ground is wet underfoot, and water from the rough penetrates your socks, then it will undoubtedly soak through to your feet. With a winter boot, you don't have to worry about that when you're looking for your tee shot that sailed into the trees.
4. Winter Golf Gloves
If you haven't spotted it yet, there is a waterproof theme running through this list.
Waterproof golf gloves are a game changer in winter months. They may take a little getting used to due to their slightly thicker design, but the payback is huge.
When your hands get wet and cold, you not only lose grip on your clubs, but you also begin to lose dexterity, which will have an instant impact on your performance.
With a good set of winter golf gloves, you will not only be able to grip your clubs better, but your fingers will also stay considerably warmer, allowing you to maintain the touch and control you want when playing shots.
We've had the pleasure of testing Cobra's storm grip rain gloves, and they made a world of difference during wet and windy rounds due to the added warmth and waterproof protection they provide.
5. Warm Headwear
Now, this may seem like an obvious one, but we are always amazed at the number of people we see heading out to play golf in cold weather wearing a cap.
When it comes to keeping both your head and ears warm, nothing does the trick quite like a beanie.
A warm head is a happy head, and not only will you be more comfortable during your round, but you will also likely play better if your head and ears are protected.
When the wind is whistling, cold ears can be a real distraction, and the more you can remain focused on your game, the better you are likely to play.
So, even if you are the most hardcore cap wearer in winter, stash a nice warm beanie in your bag, as you never know when it might come in handy.
