Cold and wet conditions can impact your game. HIO Fitting shares tips to adapt your gear for better autumn performance.
With summer officially over, many golfers are tempted to store their clubs until spring. But fall weather doesn’t mean you have to stop playing—it just means your equipment needs some seasonal adjustments.
How Fall Weather Affects Ball Flight
In colder, wetter conditions, golf balls tend to fly shorter distances even with the same swing speed and launch parameters. This is due to lower air pressure and temperature. Additionally, softer, muddier fairways reduce roll, and damp, uneven greens—often littered with leaves and twigs—make putting more unpredictable. Even ball color matters: yellow balls can be harder to spot in autumn foliage.
Small Adjustments, Big Impact: HIO Fitting Advice
While cold weather doesn’t directly affect club materials, shafts can feel stiffer, especially in irons and wedges. Softer fairways also make clean ball contact more difficult, discouraging steep angles of attack. Many amateurs struggle with thin shots as a result. One key difference between pros and amateurs is attention to clean, dry clubfaces. Dirty or wet grooves reduce spin, which is crucial for height and control. That’s why pros often carry wire brushes and towels to maintain their clubs during play.
More Loft, More Distance
HIO Fitting often gets asked whether certain clubs perform better in fall. Since roll is reduced, clubs that produce higher launch angles become more valuable. If you normally use a 5 or 6 iron from the fairway in summer, consider switching to a hybrid or fairway wood in autumn. In the short game, less roll means you may want to use more loft to carry the ball closer to the hole. While some coaches prefer putting or chipping with a long iron, fall is a great time to try new approaches. HIO Fitting also recommends increasing loft on drivers or woods—modern clubs often allow loft adjustments to help maximize carry distance.
In summary, fall weather can significantly impact your golf game. But with the right club selection and proper maintenance, you can still achieve great results. If you’re unsure about your setup, HIO Fitting is ready to help with a personalized fitting session.