Tag: Rain

Chiefs practicing in rain as Andy Reid elects to keep team outdoors

Andy Reid elected to keep the #Chiefs’ Monday practice session outdoors as rain crept in over the campus of Missouri Western State University.

The Kansas City Chiefs will get their first taste of adverse weather as they prepare for the 2023 season at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri on Monday. Though the rain expected on the campus of Missouri Western State University is forecast to be light, the team will get valuable experience playing on a slippery field.

Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com was in attendance ahead of Kansas City’s workouts and documented the conditions before the team took the field, posting a video of the gridiron to Twitter.

The rain is sure to be a factor in Kansas City’s workouts over the course of the mid-morning, and with the slick surface comes a risk of injury to players as they practice at full speed to maximize each rep they take during the Chiefs’ drills.

Expect fewer highlights out of this particular practice session, but watch for each member of the team’s roster to gain valuable experience in the less-than-ideal conditions as they gear up for their first preseason game next week.

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PGA Championship: Why do caddies hold an umbrella over the ball on tee shots?

Golf balls can behave very differently when they are covered in rain.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — With rain soaking Oak Hill Country Club on Saturday, the 2023 PGA Championship is testing every player’s ability to hit shots in soggy conditions while trying to stay dry.

But as the golfers prepare to hit their tee shots, you may notice that caddies hold an umbrella over the ball instead of their player. There’s a good reason for that.

Modern rain suits do an excellent job of keeping players dry, and unlike the foul-weather gear from 20 or 30 years ago, today’s jackets and pants are breathable, so golfers don’t feel clammy. Rain gloves actually get tackier as they get wetter, and waterproof footwear does an amazing job of keeping golfers’ feet dry. So golfers can stay fairly dry even in heavy downpours.

Golf balls, on the other hand, can behave very differently when they are covered in rain.

The grooves of an iron can not dig into or grab the cover of a wet ball as easily as they can a dry ball. As a result, instead of compressing against the face at the moment of impact, wet golf balls tend to slide up the hitting surface, which produces a shot that flies higher and with less spin.

Sahith Theegala
Carl Smith, Sahith Theegala’s caddy, keeps his ball dry on the first tee Saturday at the 2023 PGA Championship. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The same thing happens, to a slightly lesser degree, when players hit a wet ball with a driver, even though drivers don’t have grooves. The wet ball skims up the face and comes off with less spin, making its flight less controllable.

So on tee shots and putts, when a player has a chance to pick up his ball and place it either on a tee or the green, caddies focus on keeping it dry.

You will also notice that many players reach for a towel (which is often hanging in the spokes of their umbrella) and dry the face of the club they are about to use. Again, it’s to help create the driest contact possible.

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Golf balls that are wet are harder to spin and control. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

On shots played from the fairway or around the green, there is no point in holding an umbrella over the ball because it is already wet. To reduce the effects of water getting between the ball and the edges of the grooves, many manufacturers design the grooves of wedges to be wider and deeper than the grooves found in irons, creating a channel-like effect that helps to enhance spin. Some companies also have microgrooves and surface-roughening treatments on their wedges to improve performance in wet conditions, but the main grooves are doing most of the work when it rains.

If players are able to hit pitch shots and chip shots with good spin, there is no guarantee that the ball will stop the way it typically would on a dry green. Low, spinning shots often hydroplane and slide on wet grass, reducing the effects of spin, while high-spinning shots that come down more vertically often peal back on rain-softened greens.

On rainy days, gauging exactly how the ball will react coming off the face and how it will behave on it hits the green is a skill that is as valuable as green reading.

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Best golf rain gear 2023: Waterproof golf shoes

Keep your feet warm and dry with our list of best golf shoes for the rain.

There is nothing that will ruin a round of golf faster than wet socks.

No matter how tough of a mudder you are, wet feet can hinder not just your comfort, but your score and even your health. Having a pair of golf shoes you can trust when the weather turns sour will not only help keep you dry, but it may even help you shave a few strokes off of your soggy scorecard.

Don’t let pop-up showers ruin your day on the course. Be prepared and check off all of your rain essentials with some of our favorite items below.

More rain gear: Jackets | Pants | Accessories

Rain postpones Dover Cup race to Monday

The Wurth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway scheduled for Sunday has been postponed to a noon ET start Monday due to lingering inclement weather in the area. FS1 will televise the 400-lap race at “The Monster Mile” with live radio …

The Wurth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway scheduled for Sunday has been postponed to a noon ET start Monday due to lingering inclement weather in the area. FS1 will televise the 400-lap race at “The Monster Mile” with live radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Rain forced the cancellation of Saturday’s qualifying session at Dover, putting two-time winner this season and three-time Dover winner Kyle Busch on the pole, the first time he’ll lead the field to green in 2023.

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Best golf rain gear 2023: Rain accessories

The best gear and gadgets to not only get you through, but have you succeed during a wet round.

Having the proper rain equipment can make or break a damp round.

Don’t let the weather be a reason you didn’t play your best, check out some of the best accessories to have on hand when the skies open up.

But first, a few tips to make the most of a rainy day on the golf course:

1) Load up on towels. Whether you’re keeping your grips dry, cleaning your golf ball or drying off your cart seat, two to three towels should help you get through a soggy round.

2) Invest in rain gear. Having a set of rain pants and a weatherproof jacket is well worth the investment. Take care of yourself — you deserve it.

3) Have fun! It may sound silly, but remember…you’re not on Tour. Don’t let a downpour make you sour. Hey, you never know the tales you may be able to tell from a muddy round.

With those tips in mind and quality gear in hand, you’ll be chomping at the bit to hit the links no matter how rainy the day.

Best golf rain gear 2023: Rain pants

Keep your legs dry on even the rainiest day with this list of best golfing rain pants.

Don’t let spring showers sour your next round of golf. Be prepared by keeping a set of rain gear in your trunk or locker.

With weather being so unpredictable for much of the country during spring and summer, now is a good time to invest in rain gear. All it takes is one water-logged round for you to do everything within your power to avoid it the rest of your life.

Golfweek has compiled a list of some of the best rain pants the golf industry has to offer. Whether you’re a club champion, a weekend warrior or are completely new to the game, we have found an option for you.

If you’re needing rain pants, you might need a jacket to go with it. Check out our best rain jacket for 2023, where you’ll find both long and short-sleeve options to keep you dry all spring and summer long.

Best golf rain gear 2023: Rain jackets

Stay dry through spring and summer showers with our list of best rain jackets for 2023.

April showers bring May flowers but they also bring delayed tee times. However, you’re not one to let a little bit of rain keep you from the game you love.

Whether you’re a scratch player, a weekend warrior or just starting out, you’re going to want some solid rain gear. All it takes is one wet round without a rain jacket, and you’ll never make the same mistake again.

When it comes to rain gear, especially for the summer months — breathability and flexibility are the top two factors. There’s no point in putting on a jacket to stay dry if you’re going to sweat right through it.

Of course jackets aren’t the only thing you’ll need to play through wet conditions. Be on the look out for our upcoming lists featuring the best rain pants, rain shoes, rain accessories and more.

See the photos of the windy weather at the Masters that knocked over trees at Augusta National Golf Club

The trees fell in front of the 17th tee.

Mother Nature made her presence known at the 2023 Masters late Friday.

A cold front pushed through Augusta National Golf Club, bringing with it heavy winds and rain that caused two suspensions of play in the second round, the latter coming at 4:22 p.m. ET. Right before the second delay, three pine trees toppled near the 17th tee boxes. The Masters released a statement that it was caused by the wind and no one was hurt.

It was also raining Friday, and that means that 48 of the 87 Masters tournaments have had some rainfall.

Including Friday’s second round, nine days of play now have been postponed. Four days were made up by scheduling 36 holes in one day in 1936, 1938, 1939 and 2003.

The last Monday finish due to weather occurred in 1983.

Masters Leaderboard: Live leaderboard, schedule, tee times

Here’s some photos of the fallen pines and more from the weather delays.

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Bowman gets Richmond Cup pole after rainout

Alex Bowman will start from the pole at Richmond Raceway for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race after rain canceled Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Bowman, who moved back into the points lead this week when the Hendrick Motorsports teams …

Alex Bowman will start from the pole at Richmond Raceway for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race after rain canceled Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions.

Bowman, who moved back into the points lead this week when the Hendrick Motorsports teams had their points reinstated by the appeals panel, starts from the top spot through the metric — a weighted combination of the driver’s fastest lap and finish in the previous race, owner race finish, and owner points position.

“Pit stall selection, I think, is probably the biggest thing,” Bowman said of being on the pole after getting his 100 points reinstated from the Hendrick Motorsports appeal of the hood louvers earlier this week. “You’d probably still have a pretty good pit stall selection fifth, though. So, not a huge difference, but obviously, having clean air at the start is important.

“Hopefully, we’ll take advantage of a good pit pick and have a good solid day. This has been a hard place for me to get ahold of in the past, even with a win. We’ll just try to maximize the day and keep chipping away at it.”

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Bowman finished eighth in the spring race at Richmond a year ago, but his average finish at Richmond is 19.6.

“It’s been tough,” Bowman said. “We’ve had good days here and then we’ve had really bad days. You have a good day here and I’ve left, like last spring or the race that we won, and I’m like, ‘Man, I know exactly what I need and I know the feel that I want to have.’ And then, come back in the fall and be confused and can’t find that and can’t get the race car to do the same thing and feel the same way.

“It’s just been a little more hit and miss than we want to be, but I think identified some things that can help me, and hopefully, we’ve gone in the right direction with the race car and will be strong tomorrow.”

Bowman will be joined on the front row by Kyle Busch, who is a six-time winner at Richmond.

William Byron starts third, Ross Chastain starts fourth, and Tyler Reddick fifth. Reddick enters Richmond off a win at Circuit of The Americas with his new 23XI Racing team.

Austin Cindric starts sixth, Chris Buescher starts seventh and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. starts eighth. Kyle Larson starts ninth, and Kevin Harvick starts 10th.

Denny Hamlin starts 11th at one of his home racetracks. Hamlin is the defending race winner.

Back in the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, Josh Berry starts 30th. Sunday will be Berry’s fourth start substituting for the injured Chase Elliott.

Anthony Alfredo makes his first start in the No. 78 for Live Fast Motorsports at Richmond. Alfredo starts 35th.

Chandler Smith makes his Cup Series debut in the No. 13 for Kaulig Racing. Smith brings up the rear of the field in 37th.

Rain also washed out Xfinity Series practice and qualifying at Richmond. The inclement weather is expected to clear out Saturday afternoon and the forecast looks good for the rest of the weekend.

Notre Dame-Clemson: Wild weather expected

Who does this forecast favor?

“Nothin’ lasts foreverAnd we both know hearts can changeAnd it’s hard to hold a candleIn the cold November rain”

I’d don’t think Axl Rose was thinking of Notre Dame football when he wrote “November Rain” for Guns N’ Roses in the early 90s but perhaps he could have been.  Seeing as it’s about loving something that doesn’t love you back, a large number of Notre Dame fans have certainly been able to relate at least in part over the years.

But I digress.

Cold November rain appears headed right at South Bend Saturday and could certainly be a factor as Notre Dame welcomes No. 5 Clemson (No. 4 in CFP rankings) to town.  Cold November rain, unpleasantly steady winds, and gusts over 40 miles per hour are expected.

Will they come in the early part of the day and miss the game or will they be present at kickoff is the question.  Here is what The Weather Channel had for South Bend‘s forecast as of 11:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday:

You would imagine that those conditions would favor Notre Dame as the passing attack of the Irish isn’t as strong as Clemson’s.  Although, it could be a literal hurricane and Notre Dame would be comfortable throwing 31 times.

Oh, wait, that play-caller is gone.

We’ll keep an eye on this as gameday nears.  If you’re headed to South Bend this weekend though sure you pack a few ponchos.  In the meantime, check out the impact the weather may have on these two teams specifically that John Kennedy came up with.

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Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Nick on Twitter: @NickShepkowski

Related:

5 keys to a Notre Dame upset of Clemson

ESPN FPI boosts Notre Dame’s chances of upsetting Clemson

Confidences and Concerns for Notre Dame entering Clemson showdown

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