Rule 10.2b(3) sets a curious limit on rain: you may hold an umbrella over your own head while you hit, but you may not have your caddie hold it. What to put in the bag for a wet round, and what the rules say.
It is raining, and the tee time is booked. You can play, with a little preparation: the right clothes, a few accessories in the bag and knowledge of three rules. What follows combines what the rules say, cited with their source, and editorial advice, declared as such.
What the rules say: umbrella, puddles, lightning
The umbrella: yes, but held by you
Rule 10.2b(3) forbids making a stroke with "a caddie or another person or object deliberately positioned" to give protection from sun, rain, wind or other elements. But the same rule specifies that the player may take steps of their own, such as wearing protective clothing or holding an umbrella over their own head while hitting. In other words: the umbrella is allowed, provided you hold it yourself. A caddie shading you while you play is not.
Water on the course: free relief from puddles
Temporary water on the course is an abnormal course condition: Rule 16.1a allows relief when the ball lies in or on it, or when the water interferes with your stance or swing. The rule applies across the whole course except when the ball is in a penalty area, where the penalty area procedures apply. On the putting green, Rule 16.1d also gives relief when the water lies on your line of play.
Lightning: you may stop
Rule 5.7a says that a player may stop play if they reasonably believe there is danger from lightning, without penalty, as long as they report it to the Committee as soon as possible. If the Committee orders an immediate suspension, no further stroke may be played until play resumes: a breach leads to disqualification, unless circumstances justify it. In a thunderstorm, it is best not to wait.
The equipment, item by item
Clothing (editorial advice)
- Waterproof, breathable jacket and trousers, cut generously so as not to restrict the swing. Try them with a club in your hand before setting off.
- A brimmed hat or a visor under the hood, to keep water out of your eyes.
- A spare pair of socks and shoes: after a wet round, one pair stays damp for a long time.
- Dress code: the club's rules do not change in the rain. Waterproof garments must stay within the understated style that clubs require.
The bag
- Three or four gloves, including rain gloves, kept in a dry pocket: Rule 4.3a allows the use of a plain glove, and a wet one loses its grip.
- Two or three towels: one hung on the bag for the grips, one in a pocket for your hands.
- A large umbrella, but remember that in stroke play you may not hand it to someone to shelter you while you hit.
- A bag cover, to protect grips and contents.
- Extra balls, for the shots that end up in the water.
- A cloth for cleaning the ball: Rule 14.1c says a ball lifted on the putting green may always be cleaned; elsewhere cleaning is allowed in many cases, but not when you lift the ball to check whether it is cut or to see whether you are entitled to relief.
Trolley, buggy and course: what changes
Some clubs have their own rules for vehicles on wet ground. At Golf Fiuggi the golf cart may not be used in rain or on wet ground without the secretary's permission. Ask beforehand, because sometimes you will have to walk.
Other courses rely on drainage. The Golf Links di Albarella sits on sand dredged from the sea and, according to the club, stays open 365 days a year because the fairways drain well. The Golf Club Jesolo states that its sandy soil drains even in the rain. At Castiglion del Bosco, work in 2023-24 added, according to the club, more than 135,000 metres of drainage so that play can continue all year. These are the clubs' own statements: they are not figures we have measured.
When the rain won't stop: indoor alternatives
- At Andreus's Golf Lodge there is the Boom Boom Room: an indoor course with putting green, bunker and simulator, which the hotel presents as "365 days of golf in South Tyrol". On rainy days, the Andreus Golf & Spa Resort points to the TrackMan simulator at the neighbouring Golf Lodge, free from 8 am to 10 pm.
- The driving range at Modena Golf & Country Club has 10 covered bays, with heaters for winter, and an indoor simulator. The Valtellina Golf Club describes its five covered bays as useful on days of bad weather.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an umbrella while I hit?+
Yes, if you hold it over your own head: Rule 10.2b(3) allows it. You may not, however, have a caddie or another deliberately positioned object shelter you while you make the stroke.
Am I entitled to a drop if my ball ends up in a puddle?+
Generally yes: temporary water is an abnormal course condition and Rule 16.1a provides relief. It does not apply if the ball is in a penalty area.
What should I do if I hear thunder?+
You may stop play without penalty if you reasonably believe you are in danger from lightning, reporting it to the Committee as soon as possible (Rule 5.7a). If the Committee suspends play with an immediate suspension, no further stroke may be played.
Can I clean the ball during the round?+
A ball lifted on the putting green can always be cleaned (Rule 14.1c); elsewhere it depends on why you lift it. You may not clean it to check whether it is cut or to work out whether you are entitled to relief.
Can I use the buggy on wet ground?+
It depends on the club. At Golf Fiuggi, for example, the secretary's permission is required in rain or on wet ground.
Where can I practise if it rains?+
It depends on the place: some hotels and clubs have covered bays or simulators. At Andreus, on rainy days, there is the TrackMan simulator at the Golf Lodge.
