Wet Weather Golf: What to Pack and Expect
On a links trip to Scotland or Ireland the rain is not a question of if but when, and a booked round on a famous course is hard to give back. With the right kit a wet day can be one of the most memorable of the trip rather than a write off. Here is the full packing list, the grip care that protects your scores, and what to expect once you tee off in the rain.
Photo: Royal County Down via Google.
The short answer
Wet weather golf comes down to one principle: keep your hands and your grips dry, and everything else is manageable. The kit that does that is a proper waterproof jacket and trousers, two or three rain gloves, several dry towels, a large umbrella and a bag hood. Add waterproof shoes with a spare pair of socks, a warm base layer and a spare shirt for the back nine, and you can play a full round in steady rain and barely notice it. Skimp on the gloves and towels and the same round becomes a slippery, miserable battle by the turn.
The other half of the answer is your expectations. The ball flies shorter and lands softer in the wet, the wind usually arrives with the rain on a links, and pace of play slows down. Plan for it: take more club, play the percentages, allow extra time and treat the score with a shrug. The one thing rain does not have to do is ruin the day. The checklist and the on course advice below are built for exactly the kind of links weather you will meet in Scotland and Ireland.
The wet weather golf packing list
Pack by job: stay dry, keep your hands working, keep your feet warm, and protect the bag. This is the kit that turns a wet round from a write off into a story worth telling.
| Category | What to pack |
|---|---|
| Waterproofs | Breathable waterproof jacket and trousers that actually fit over a layer; a peaked waterproof cap |
| Hands and grips | Two or three rain gloves, several small dry towels, a large double canopy umbrella |
| Feet | Waterproof golf shoes, one or two spare pairs of socks, and a dry pair of shoes for after |
| Bag | A bag rain hood, a few plastic bags to cover grips and a glove, a dry towel tucked inside the hood |
| Body | A warm base layer, a spare shirt for the turn, a beanie and a light fleece for wind chill |
| Extras | Hand warmers, lip balm, a dry scorecard pencil, and a waterproof phone pouch |
The single most important items are the spare rain gloves and the dry towels: rain gloves grip better wet, but only if you can dry the grip first. If you are flying with this kit, see our guide to the best golf travel bags for flying to pack it safely.
How to play well in the rain
Good wet weather golf is a routine as much as a kit list. Hang a dry towel inside the umbrella or the bag hood and dry the grip before every single shot, then dry your hands, then take the club. Rotate to a fresh rain glove the moment the one you are wearing stops gripping. Keep the umbrella up over the bag and your hands between shots, not over your head as you walk, so the grips stay dry. These small habits, repeated all round, are what keep a wet score respectable.
On the shots themselves, club up. A wet ball flies shorter and the wind takes more, so the same yardage needs more club and a smoother swing. The ball will land softer and run less, so you can fly it at the flag on approach but you will get almost no roll on drives. Around the greens the surfaces hold, so a running chip is less reliable than usual. Remember your relief rights too: casual water on the green or in your stance gives you a free drop, and you do not have to play from a puddle. For the wind that usually comes with links rain, our survival guide to playing links golf in wind goes deeper.
What to expect, and when to stop
Expect a slower round, softer greens, no run on the fairways and a real test of patience. On the great links of Scotland and Ireland the rain often comes sideways on the wind, which is the authentic experience those courses were built around, and many golfers come to love it. The mindset that works is simple: lower your expectations on score, not your effort, and enjoy the place for what it is on the day. If you are new to this style of golf, our guide to links golf for first timers sets the scene.
There is one exception to playing on. Thunder and lightning stop play, full stop. If you hear thunder or see lightning, get off the course and into shelter immediately and wait it out; no round is worth the risk. Heavy rain alone rarely closes a links, which drains famously well, but a course can suspend play if greens flood, so check in with the pro shop if it is biblical. Short of lightning, the right kit and the right attitude mean you can play almost anything the Atlantic throws at you.
Plan a golf trip that works rain or shine
The best links trips are built to flex with the forecast, with the right courses, the right order and a plan B for a washout. Tell us roughly when and where you want to play and how many are travelling, and we will put together an itinerary that makes the most of the weather window, with no obligation.
Wet weather golf questions
What should you pack for golf in the rain?
The core wet weather kit is a waterproof jacket and trousers, two or three rain gloves, several dry towels, a large umbrella, waterproof or spikeless golf shoes with a spare pair of socks, and a hood or several plastic bags for the bag and grips. Add a warm base layer, a spare shirt for the back nine and a beanie. The aim is to keep your hands and grips dry, because that is what protects your scores.
How do you keep your grips dry when golfing in the rain?
Keep a dry towel hung under your umbrella or inside the bag hood and dry the grip before every shot. Carry two or three rain gloves and rotate to a dry one when needed, since rain gloves actually grip better when wet. Use a bag rain hood to keep clubs and grips covered between shots, and tuck a small towel inside it. Dry hands and dry grips are the single biggest factor in playing well in the wet.
Is it worth playing golf in the rain?
On a golf trip, often yes. Many of the world's great links in Scotland and Ireland are at their most authentic in wind and rain, courses are quieter, and a booked tee time on a famous course is hard to give back. With the right waterproofs and a dry pair of hands the experience can be memorable rather than miserable. In a thunderstorm, however, you should always come off the course; lightning is the one weather that stops play for safety.
What should you expect playing golf in wet conditions?
Expect the ball to fly shorter and stop faster, so take more club and play for less roll. Greens hold but can be slower, fairways will not give you run, and casual water means you are entitled to relief. Pace tends to slow, so allow extra time. On links the wind usually comes with the rain, which is the real challenge. Stay patient, keep dry, and lower your expectations on score rather than your effort.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk, drawing on years of links golf in all weathers. Last reviewed June 2026.