Swinging in the Rain
The course was empty. What had begun as a feeble drizzle had turned into a steady rain on a warm summer afternoon, and it didn’t look like it was going to stop anytime soon. My brother and I stood at the first tee box, undeterred. The starter’s advice was something like what Bill Murray (as Carl Spackler) tells Bishop Pickering in the movie Caddyshack: “I don’t think the heavy stuff’s gonna come down for quite a while.”
That was years ago, and we were young, foolish and wearing all the wrong things. So we trudged out and came back looking like wet rats. Today, older and wiser, we could repeat the ritual, but return dry and fresh, courtesy of modern, high-tech rain gear.
Galvin Green, the official supplier of the victorious 2018 European Ryder Cup team, makes performance wear that protects without sacrificing style. Its new Archie jacket ($700) is completely waterproof, made from three layers of lightweight, Japanese GORE-TEX fabric. Several nice touches make this snazzy, carbon-black jacket course-friendly. Patches at the elbows and shoulders are flexible. The pockets are waterproof. Adjusters and pulls allow you to keep the jacket snug to your body. Best of all, it breathes, keeping you dry without feeling (or looking) like you’re playing golf in a Hefty bag. (Don’t forget to pick up one of their waterproof Aqua hats as well.)
Keeping your torso dry is key, but just as important in wet conditions is maintaining a good grip on your clubs. Footjoy’s acclaimed Rain-Grip Rain Gloves ($25) look like plain fabric, but they prove their worth when it pours, keeping your hands from slipping from the grips when you swing. Unlike typical golf gloves, they come in pairs for a truly sturdy hold.
Now—as the ill-fated Bishop learned—all you have to worry about is lightning.
Visit galvingreen.com and footjoy.com
