As you venture onto the golf course, consider that the temperature outside will control more than just your outfit. It will also control how far your golf ball travels.

Understanding and adapting to the temperature related changes can help improve your golf game.


What You Need To Know

  • Colder temperatures can affect the speed and distance your golf ball travels

  • According to the U.S. Golf Association, colder air reduces distance

  • Cold air is denser and creates more drag on a ball in any sport

  • Storing your golf balls in the harsh cold during winter can affect your balls long term

When a golf ball heats up, its core expands. When it expands, distance and shot velocity will get better. The opposite happens when it’s cold outside.

Cold temperatures decrease the temperature at the core of the ball. When that happens, the distance the ball travels is significantly reduced. According to the U.S. Golf Association (USGA), ball distance decreases by 2 yards for every 10 degree temperature drop.

What is the reason we see a change because of the temperature? It’s simple science. Cold air is denser, therefore, it creates a drag on golf balls soaring through the sky.

Obviously, most of us don’t intend to golf on freezing cold days. But the temperature on the course doesn’t just impact your golf balls, the place you store them does too.

Storing balls in the garage or in your trunk throughout the year could affect you for the following season. If you want to maximize your golf ball’s performance, it’s recommended you store them inside, at room temperature, throughout the off season.

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