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First off sorry for so many questions,Im sure some of you have read my other posts.But hey if I dont ask Ill will never figure this game out Heres the question of the hour.When playing in wet soggy conditions do you lose distance from the ball not compressing as well as in dry conditions.

hmm, I don't belive so, it may loose some distance but maybe 1-2 yards. I played 2 rounds last week when it was almost flood like all over the course, puddles everywhere in the fairways. I didn't notice any difference in the distance. The only time I didn't hit the usual distance was when my ball was in the puddle and I tried hitting out of it, It went about 40 yards instead of 160 and I got soaked.
I have a really high ball flight so I never get much roll with any club even on dry days. You may be thinking your loosing distance because your not getting any roll.

Thanks viper,I was at the range today and it was soaked.I just wondered? I was just thinking the bal wouldnt jump up the club face as well in wet conditions if it compressed into the ground alittle.

You will not be able to spin the ball as much b/c you will be getting a little water b/w the club and ball.

I play in the stinking rain all the time and most loss of distance comes from lack of roll and plugging. You might lose a little distance if it is extremely cold out, but if it is only wet it is from lack of roll.

I have a solution. Don't play in the rain. The only time I do is if I'm in a tournament or it starts to rain during a normal round and we have started the back nine. Playing in the rain is not fun.

If you must you will find that most of the distance loss is do to lack of run on drives and the fact that it is harder to hit the ball on the sweet spot with soggy ground, your feet slipping, grips that may slip etc.

brianf

When I am playing in wet conditions I tend to chunk a lot of shots. This past Thurs I played and the front 9 was a mess. I was having a real hard time making good contact. The back 9 I played much better. Dont want to stael the thread but any tips on making solid contact in wet conditions?

You basically wont lose distance because the ball is wet. If it is cold, you may do so because of the compression you mention. In the wet you will lose most distance on the ground because of limited run. You will most likely also lose in the air, the wetter it is, the more this will be an issue.

As for making solid contact.... if you have troubles then it isnt so easy to fix. It implies that either you swing differently on wet ground (in which case you just need to concentrate on making your normal 'dry' swing) or that your normal swing is not hitting properly down on the ball (which could be for a multitude of reasons - my own difficulties with this used to be 'flicking' at the ball with my hands instead of swinging down and through).

Loose distance because the ball isn't compressed against the ground? Is that what you mean?

If so then I'll have to say that in my view the ball isn't compressed this way....it's compressed by its own inertia but not by the ground. The clubface can't compress the ball against the ground unless the clubface is 'looking' into the ground...which of course it isn't. The ball will roll up the clubface but isn't compressed against the ground...this is a 'false' swingthought - pinch the ball against the ground.


Ok so this is not important but to me it's nonsense....you can't compress or pinch the ball against the ground in a normall shot.....maybe you could by topping it???

You might not get as much roll or spin on the ball in the wet. And the action of the ball flying through air filled with a lot of falling water may have its own effect upon the flight of the ball, but that's probably not as near the effect as what happens when the ball comes to land & is wanting to roll on a wet soggy spongy surface, as opposed to nice dry surface.

You only need to look at all the mud which you ball will collect in the wet.

The biggest effect of playing in the wet is the effect of the inclement weather on the person swining the club, rather than that on the ball.

Recently the biggest effect I've seen on ball flight is actually wind.

These past few weeks we played alot in the rain or in wet conditions. Lightning is not an issue here in Monterey so as long as its not too cold we play. Like someone else mentioned the only loss of yardage i found were the yards that the ball would roll. We had a lot of balls plunking down into th eground and staying there.

You have to beware of the "flyer" ball, especially with iron shots. As water gets between the ball and the clubface this will create less spin than in normal conditions. Therefore the ball might fly FARTHER than usual.
This is also true for shots from the rough.

That could explain the case of the disapearing 6 iron shot on the 16th hole at Seedy Mills the other day. As the **** shot felt the best of any shot all day & yet the ball was nowhere to be found. I was playing into the worst rain I've ever played in. So the chances are it must have ended up beyond the hole & therefore in the field behind the hedge behind the green...lol