“We’ll be able to handle the rain,” Broncos QB Bo Nix said. “We’re professionals, and they have to play in it too. It’s going to be good.”
Earlier this week, the Cincinnati weather forecast called for “heavy rain” and 15-25 mph wind gusts on Saturday when the Bengals host the Broncos.
That was an alarming forecast for Broncos fans who remember how much rookie quarterback Bo Nix struggled in the rain against the Jets in Week 4.
“The difference is — now we’ll see how the forecast projects — we didn’t have a strong indication of rain [in Week 4], and all off a sudden it showed,” coach Sean Payton said this week. “Hopefully with the preparations this week, we’ll be ready for it.
“Obviously the biggest thing is the balls [and asking], ‘Is it actively raining during the game?’ If it is, how are the officials covering [them]? Those are all things you have to deal with. Then you also have to deal with how that might impact your play calling and what you’re doing schematically in all three areas.”
Fortunately, the forecast has chanced since earlier this week. AccuWeather is now calling for “occasional rain” with 7-20 mph wind gusts.
A little good news about the @Broncos forecast for Saturday: It looks like the heaviest rain will hold off until after the game in Cincy. Winds look lighter.
Still, some rain looks likely. Early thought would be similar to Jets game in Sept.
Nix does not seem to be concerned about the possibility of rain.
“If you’ve played football, you have play in the rain,” the QB said. “We’re excited. I thought we ran the ball well against the Jets that day. We’re going to have to carry that over [and] have an open mindset and do whatever’s working.
“We’ll be able to handle the rain. We’re professionals, and they have to play in it too. It’s going to be good. It’s going to be a good environment. It will be fun.”
No matter how much you enjoy watching the professionals battle the rain from your comfortable couch, being on the course is a different story.
Some people shrink away from a little rain, but we don’t think the heavy stuff is gonna come down for quite a while. If you’re reading this, you’re not one to call off a tee time just because there’s a small chance of rain or a litttle nip in the air.
Here at Golfweek, we’ll weather the weather whatever the weather, and keep you as dry as possible on the course. Check out our list of best rain gear below and our list of best golf rain jackets as well.
Recreational golfers hate playing in rainy, wet conditions because they typically don’t prepare for the weather, and they don’t understand the necessary adjustments they need to make in order to play well in the rain. On the other hand, pros and elite players like those in the field at the PGA Championship start to salivate when a soft rain falls. Wind spooks the game’s best players because it adds unpredictability, but armed with good rain gear, an umbrella-carrying caddie loaded, a supply of dry towels and experience, pros look at rain-softened golf courses like kids eye chocolate chip cookies when they come out of the oven.
Below is a brief description of what water does to golf equipment and the course, and how players at the PGA Championship will likely compensate and adapt to the wet conditions we anticipate seeing at Valhalla this week.
Wet golf courses effectively play longer and broader off the tee because, after a drive shot lands in the fairway, it typically does not roll very far. In fact, in rainy conditions, tee shots often hit the ground and either stop inches from where they land or even pop up and backward a foot or two. If a course is very wet, a tee shot might even embed in the fairway.
On many holes at the 2024 PGA Championship, the farther you miss off the tee, the worse the rough gets. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The result of the softened condition is that a tee shot that might land in the fairway and roll into the rough will often stay in the fairway in wet conditions. Yes, players will lose some distance, but they will frequently hit more fairways.
In some cases, golfers may opt to add some loft to their driver in hopes of getting more carry distance in wet conditions.
The one thing that pros and caddies work hard to avoid is letting the golf ball get wet before the player hits his tee shot. In a steady rain, caddies frequently hold an umbrella over a teed golf ball, keeping it as dry as possible while the player goes through his pre-shot routine. A wet ball can slide up the face of a driver, which reduces spin and increases the launch angle, effectively turning a controlled tee shot into a high knuckleball. The drier the ball, the more it can be controlled.
From the fairway
The last time Valhalla Golf Club hosted the PGA Championship, the fairways were bentgrass, but the club switched to Zeon Zoysia grass, a soft-textured, thin-bladed variety that can handle the hot Kentucky summer and is known for its shade and drought tolerance.
Andrew Putnam hitting from wet rough Tuesday at Valhalla Golf Club. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Golfers can’t pick up a ball and dry it off in wet conditions, so judging how a wet ball will react from the Zoysia fairway – and how it might react when hitting from the rough – will be a handy skill. Here are three guidelines:
If the ball is perched in wet rough, players can anticipate making contact higher in the face, which reduces spin and often leads to a higher launch angle.
If the ball is hit from the fairway or the collar and players make contact in the sweet spot, but excessive water gets between the ball and the hitting area, the ball often slides up the face. This is commonly referred to as a ‘flier lie’ because the ball often goes farther than a player anticipates.
All things being equal, iron shots will not fly as far when it is raining because moist, humid air is more dense than dry air, and that creates more aerodynamic drag. The longer the shot, the more significant the effect.
Around the green
It seems appropriate that the rough surrounding the greens at Valhalla is Bluegrass, a broad-leafed grass that can create some unique lies. Depending on how a player’s shot enters the rough, it may sit up or drop down between the broad blades of grass.
Depending on how shots enter the rough, balls in the Bluegrass rough can sit on top of the grass or fall down. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
On chip shots and pitch shots in wet conditions, water on the hitting area or the ball makes it harder for the grooves to bite into the ball’s cover and create spin. Balls often slide up the face, and like iron shots from the fairway, shots often pop up more quickly and land short of a player’s intended target with less spin. Fresh wedges with sharp grooves can help, and clean grooves can get water off the hitting area more effectively than grooves that are filled with dirt, sand or debris, but the effect of water and grass on the face is almost unavoidable.
Ironically, after the rain stops, rain-softened greens can amplify the effects of spin on approach shots because the water creates friction. If a hole is located in the back of the green, players who generate a lot of spin on their short irons and wedges often get frustrated seeing shots land near the flag and peal backward, away from the hole.
In bunkers, wet sand tends to get clumpy, but balls tend to sit on top of the sand. Accomplished players can generate a lot of spin from rain-softened bunkers, so if a player is going to miss a green, finding the sand instead of the rough is often the goal.
Putting
Putters are not affected by rain because putting strokes are slower than full swings. However, rain slows the speed of the greens because the water on the putting surface creates friction. Rain can also subtly decrease the effect of breaks and undulations on the green.
This is just the second time in the tournament’s 37-year history that the champion was decided in fewer than 54 holes.
Sunday’s final round of the Chubb Classic on the PGA Tour Champions has been canceled due to inclement weather.
Stephen Ames, who held a three-shot lead over former Naples resident Rocco Mediate following Saturday’s round, has been declared the 2024 Chubb Classic champion.
This is just the second time in the tournament’s 37-year history that the champion was decided in fewer than 54 holes. In 1995, Bob Murphy won the Chubb Classic at Vineyards Country Club in Naples after 36 holes when rain forced the cancellation of the final round.
SUNDAY FINAL ROUND CANCELLED
Due to overnight rains and worsening conditions, out of an abundance of caution, tournament officials have cancelled today’s final round of the Chubb Classic presented by SERVPRO.
Stephen Ames has been declared the 2024 Chubb Classic Champion.
— Chubb Classic presented by SERVPRO (@ChubbClassic) February 18, 2024
The Chubb Classic tournament staff will be in touch with ticket holders who purchased tickets to today’s final round of play.
“All of that area is going to be affected in the next 10 years by climate change.”
Parts of Peter Hansen’s favorite golf course were underwater. Again.
As the Pineapple Express storm swept across Ventura County Sunday, the bus driver from Camarillo drove by the 92-year-old course he described as good for morale because of its shorter, more forgiving holes. Already frustrated the city-owned Ventura track had been closed for more than a year because of damage from 2023 storms, Hansen saw the water and worried he might never tee up there again.
“I said: ‘This isn’t good,’” he recalled thinking.
The course’s future remains at least partly cloudy, but if it doesn’t reopen it won’t be because of the storm unleashed by an atmospheric river.
City officials said the course sustained only about $16,000 of damage, relative pennies compared to the $10 million or more estimated price of repairing destruction incurred by tons of sediment and mud that covered the course after the Santa Clara River flooded it on Jan. 9, 2023.
This time around, sand traps filled with water. Ducks swam in temporary lakes. A tree was lost and a piece of irrigation control equipment was damaged.
“It was pretty minor,” said Stacey Zarazua, the city’s parks and recreation director.
The course opened in 1932 and has built a loyal following, in part because its shorter length acts like balm on golfers’ egos. Its long-term future continues to hinge largely on funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and finding ways to reduce the chance of future flooding.
But city officials said parts of the course could possibly reopen in a short-term fix aimed at regaining some of the revenue lost during the long closure.
It’s not clear exactly when such a reopening could come but the course could be ready for it fairly quickly, said Deputy City Manager Brad “Brick” Conners.
“We think we can do at least nine holes,” he said. The final call on a temporary, partial reopening would come from the City Council, as will the key decisions on repairs and the course’s future.
“The potential exists,” Conners said of a full opening. “There are a variety of things that have to happen.”
Work crews use dump trucks top to remove mounds of dirt at the Buenaventura Golf Course on Friday, July 7, 2023. JUAN CARLO/THE STAR
‘Like the hand of God’
In January 2023, massive rain turned the course into a giant lake, also flooding the snack bar and pro shop. After the water drained, fairways, greens and sand traps were cloaked in thick, suffocating coats of mud and silt.
The sediment was removed and much of the grass survived, sparking hopes the course could survive and reopen. Barriers remain.
This file photo shows how Buenaventura Golf Course looked after it was flooded in January 2023. The Ventura course’s future remains uncertain.
Virtually all of the dozens of sand traps on the course were destroyed in the flood. Two greens also need to be rebuilt in expensive projects that involve irrigation issues and drainage repairs.
“It looks like the hand of God came in and swept them away,” Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder said of the damaged putting surfaces. “There’s a hole where the green used to be.”
Buenaventura Golf Course in Ventura survived the Pineapple Express storm with minor scars as shown in this photo on Wednesday. Its future remains unclear but could include partial reopening. (Photo: Tom Kisken/VC Star)
The course is located in a floodplain. Conners said the city is in discussions about possible mitigation plans that would help flood-proof the course. Those changes could include some alterations to the layout and would be limited to the course and not the Santa Clara River. The mitigation would need review from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The city gained approval for funding from FEMA but the exact level of reimbursement remains unknown, Conners said. The city’s insurance carrier also needs to validate the funding claim to open the FEMA pipeline.
Big decisions coming
Schroeder said he has been told FEMA will cover 75% of the costs and 15% or more will be covered by other sources, leaving the balance for the city to pay.
He cited the 80,000 rounds of golf once played at Buenaventura yearly in voicing support for the reopening if the FEMA reimbursement money materializes. The opening could come in stages, growing from 9 holes to 12 holes to the full 18, he said.
But the mayor also said mitigation is needed to protect the course from future flooding.
“If we can do that … I’m open to investing in the course,” he said.
City Council Member Liz Campos said she’ll need to see an exact plan before revealing how she’ll vote. But she also thinks the course and other city sites fronting the ocean or river need to be pushed back at least a quarter mile to reduce the chance of future storms creating deja vu.
“All of that area is going to be affected in the next 10 years by climate change,” she said, suggesting the risks of damage will grow.
Hansen, the golfer from Camarillo, drives by the site often. He emails city leaders and others for status updates. The fairways looked so good before the recent storm that he had difficulty understanding why the course hadn’t reopened.
He remains hopeful.
“That’s my favorite course and I can’t wait for it to happen,” he said of the opening.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255.
A man walking his dog in Scotland has captured footage showing peculiar earth movements attributed to an unrelenting storm.
A dog-walker in Scotland has captured footage showing peculiar earth movements attributed to an unrelenting storm.
The footage, captured Friday by David Nugent-Malone, shows the saturated forest floor rising and dipping as high winds bend trees and challenge their root systems.
“The woods were moving like the sea this morning,” Nugent-Malone described in the first of two accompanying clips.
In the second clip, the curious dog is shown walking onto a top-layer of soil as it separates and resettles in a phenomenon described as the earth “breathing deeply this morning.”
Saints fans shouldn’t forget about Hurricane Hilary’s rain Just because the Chargers play inside SoFi Stadium. The venue has dealt with leaks and lightning delays before:
The NFL is determined to see the New Orleans Saints kick off their second preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night whether Hurricane Hilary hits the area or not. Orange County is under the first tropical storm warning — not the first this year, but the first ever — but the league office has determined the show must go on.
So kickoff is still scheduled for 6 pm. CT/4 p.m. PT, right around the time bands of tropical wind and rain are forecast to approach one of America’s largest cities. And any fans looking to brave the elements so they can see their team play an exhibition game should take precautions for the weather while at their seats.
Pack a poncho, wear good shoes, and try to practice patience. Don’t assume you’ll be high and dry just because SoFi Stadium has a dome. The venue does not have complete walls encircling the field, stands, and concourse (so that the normally-pristine Los Angeles climate can breeze through) but that exposure has led to rain pouring inside before. Past games have dealt with lightning delays, interior flooding, and injuries from people slipping and falling while just trying to make their way to their seats. Another factor to consider is how the precipitation may impact the field’s artificial Matrix Turf playing surface.
Take a look for yourself at the elements’ intrusion to this year’s NCAA national championship game between Georgia and TCU:
When storms roll in, every home gardener will want a rain garden. What is a rain garden? Here’s what the United States Environmental Protection Agency has to say.
“A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway or street and allows it to soak into the ground.”
When water collects in these spaces, specially selected plants help filter and absorb the rain. Rain garden plants must be able to tolerate a lot of moisture. Home gardeners will also want to consider the region they live in before planting any new species. Doing so helps homeowners avoid planting invasive species or blooms that will wither in unsuitable weather.
Start your rain garden by checking out this list of moisture-tolerant plants.
A man at a golf course in Millersburg, Ohio, used the opportunity to create the world’s largest fairway waterslide.
Multiple rounds of showers and storms swept across Ohio over the last few days, and that created the perfect scenario for an incredible waterslide down the fairway of a golf course between Columbus and Akron.
A severe weather outlook was issued by the National Weather Service for parts of central Ohio according to an article from the Columbus Dispatch, warning of heavy rain that presented the chance for isolated flooding issues early and strong to severe storms.
The Weather Service noted that “strong to damaging” winds were the primary threat Monday, but tornadoes could not be ruled out.
But rather than sulking about the playing conditions a man at Black Diamond Golf Course in Millersburg used the opportunity to create the world’s largest fairway waterslide out of the course’s ninth hole. It made for quite the spectacle.
🛝 Black Diamond GC in Millersburg, Ohio, turned into a gigantic slip ‘n slide after a Tornado touched down nearby…
Andy Reid found the silver lining in the inclement weather that has plagued the Chiefs’ practices this week in his comments to reporters.
As the Kansas City Chiefs continue to march forward to the start of preseason play, their workouts in training camp are intensifying. The progress they have made at Missouri Western State University is constantly trending upward as players get into shape and separate themselves for inclusion on the final roster.
The selection process and training camp formula have been mastered over the years by head coach Andy Reid. The legacy of Reid’s camps being heavily focused on conditioning, speed, and details have warranted praise from the players able to withstand the challenge.
But inclement weather has prevented the team from conducting their workouts in full a few times this week, effectively shortening the amount of time they’ve spent running drills. Reid shared his latest camp update on Friday after practice with the gathered with the media who braved the elements to watch the team prepare before the weekend.
“Yeah, so as long as there’s no lightning, it’s all good,” Reid said of conducting workouts in the rain. “We’ll come out and work. And somewhere that will pay off for you down the road, just [adjusting] footing, grabbing, you know, grasping the football, catching the football. I mean, all those things, both sides of the ball and special teams. So we’ve had a little bit of rain. It’s good for the farmers.”
Reid’s .641 regular season career-winning percentage is among the best in NFL history. He currently ranks in the top five all-time in wins for head coaches seeking to move up the list before his career ends. It seems that lightning is the only thing that can stop the veteran skipper from asserting his dominance on the gridiron, whether on the practice field at training camp or at any NFL stadium during the season.
🛝 Black Diamond GC in Millersburg, Ohio, turned into a gigantic slip ‘n slide after a Tornado touched down nearby… 
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