I came across an article considering the preference of playing in the wind or rain. Any keen golfer who has played the courses of Scotland knows only too well the effects of both elements on their game.
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Tag: weather
Recent Weather in Scotland
The last 2 months have seen Scotland benefit from a surprisingly long spell of nice weather, and golf courses all over the country are reaping the rewards. Scotland has a diverse climate and the weather is unpredictable even in the summer months, so the recent high temperatures and sunshine have been welcomed by everyone.
I haven’t played many rounds away from my home course this year, but when I have, the condition of the courses has been superb. I’d actually say that some courses would benefit from a touch of rain as approach shots to greens can be unpredictable with the hard ground conditions. I’m not complaining about the hard fairways though, as drives are gaining 30-40 yards in some cases. I never thought I’d see the day when I’d be hoping for rain in Scotland…but it has arrived.
On the run up to trips I am often asked by clients what kind of weather they should expect and I generally respond with the same answer – prepare for all conditions and hope for the best. It is a difficult question to answer as you can literally experience all 4 seasons during the same day. Clients who have travelled in the last 7-8 weeks have definitely enjoyed some of the best weather Scotland has to offer. I struggle to enjoy golf when it’s raining, the wind is blowing so hard I can’t put my umbrella up, and I play badly, but this has not been an issue so far this year. Here’s hoping it keeps up!
By Gary Sheppard. Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 4 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
Snow in Scotland….and bureaucracy in inaction!
You may have read reports about the unusually lengthy cold spell we have had in Scotland since before Christmas. While we do get some snow each year, it is generally fairly insignificant aside of parts of the Highlands. The lowest temperature so far has been recorded at -23, the record is -27 in Braemar. The ski resorts in Scotland – Glen Coe, Annoch Moor, Cairngorms and Glenshee have had an outstanding season, lots of fresh snow and lovely sunny days to ski. The last time we had this volume of snow and such low temperatures was in 1947, and my mother, whose family farm was between two golf courses, remembers great sledging, with the occasional sudden dive into a bunker filled with snow!
My biggest excitement was the prospect of the Grand Match being played; a Curling Bonspiel to be held at the Lake of Menteith (the only lake in Scotland, the rest being Lochs) which is west of Stirling, in the Central Belt. This outdoor match was last played in 1979 in which my father played, so I very definitely wanted the chance to play. Having been a member of our local club since the early 1980’s, I managed to pull rank and get a place in the team; I found some hip flasks, my fathers Tam O’ Shanter (tartan beret), procured a ‘crampit’, (basically a piece of metal with prongs into the ice to give you a solid surface to throw your stone from) and had my curling stones polished. Everything was in place and the ice was the requisite 8 inches deep – then bureaucracy kicked in, the emergency services got nervous at 2500 curlers on the ice and pulled the plug on it. So disappointing…I would have taken my chances just to take part in this historic event, but sadly it seems it may never be allowed to happen. Are there still a lot of outdoor bonspiels held in USA? Maybe we need some tips on how to appease the authorities.
By Anne Filshie. Anne is the Group Director of Operations at PerryGolf.
