How to deal with the cold?

[chickenonabun]

I'm loling at people in Texas saying anything about it being cold.

 

[Allsport1313]

it was 94 today, I actually brought my Uggs out

 

[rusch_bag]

I can't believe what I am reading. I also find it hilarious that the only people that say they throw with a glove on have been from Texas. Even if it is negative out I will take my glove off to throw. Grow a pair.

 

[JR]

I forgot to mention that no matter where and how cold the cool weather is properly functioning large enough thermos flask with hot liquid helps a ton. I switched to a larger size original Thermos flask this season vs a no name smaller flask and now i need to watch out to avoid burning my lips with water warmed up with a coffee machine vs boiling water poured into the smaller no name half useless flask. You would not believe the difference it makes. I once saw a TV program that said that top class cross country skiers drink hot fluid every 20 minutes with about two gulps amount. I imagine they meant large gulps. I could not pull that off now with the award winning original 1 liter Thermos flask i have now with coffee machine heated water. Which is cooler than boiled water. A review i saw of the model i have said that boiled water was at 80 C after 8 hours and i can't say i am surprised.

 

[inthedrift]

JR is spot on, the Thermos is a wonderful thing.

 

[Monocacy]

Winter bonus - after the leaves fall, the branches lift up and the fairways get bigger. Worth putting on a few layers, imo.

 

[Widdershins]

I started playing heavily this summer in the Texas heat. Now that its starting to drop temperatures, i'm wondering how you guys (northerners especially) deal with cold hands for disc golf? Do you guys throw with gloves on, wear gloves in between throws, hand warmers NFL style?

There is much gear and many techniques in dealing with the cold, depending on the condition and the particular need of the player.

At a tournament last weekend I was in many layers and just a little cold the way I was dressed. I saw a player in blue jeans and a tee shirt standing around between rounds: no jacket, no hat, no gloves. I asked if he was immune to the cold. He said, "Pretty much". Of course it was only in the low 40's with a strong, biting wind and rain so it wasn't actually cold, just cold for Fall.

Everyone is different. Personally I spend little attention to my lower extremities, legs and feet. I don't even care if my feet get wet until it is below zero ( not below freezing at 32 degrees but below 0 degrees F). Until a few years ago I didn't wear a hat until it got bitter. Getting old diminishes cold tolerance.

What I find important is warmth for my throwing hand and warmth for the body's core. But being too warm is worse than being too cold, as that sweat is going to freeze on you. So the goal is to have enough stuff to hit the fine line between hot and cold, knowing that more warmth equals more bulk and bulk restricts movement. For maximum warmth and minimum bulk the key is thin layers and high tech fabrics. Most golfers rely on multiple tee shirts covered with a hoody (so all cotton) and if it works for them, so be it. Having tested darn near everything, I recommend a base layer of polyester (thin, lightweight, moisture wicking) followed by layers (as needed) of various fabrics and warmth, then topped with a lightweight, unlined shell of either nylon or polyester ( wind and water resistant).

A big, thick, bulky jacket is useless to me. Even in very cold temperatures how cold it feels varies from moment to moment and so do you. ( Wind is more important than temperature in terms of how cold it feels. Your activity changes your needs: standing around feels much colder than tromping through deep snow, which btw is a serious workout.). Thin layers can be added or subtracted and carried with you. Try stuffing a big winter coat in your golf bag!

A few of the essential items:
Oversized, polartech mittens. Mittens are superior to any glove. They are warmer and go on and off easier (your hand WILL get wet in snow or rain and make it very frustrating if you have tight gloves). Few players can throw effectively in gloves and gloves do not allow adequate dexterity for most tasks. Take off the mitten to do a task (throw, clean off a disc, tie a shoelace, etc) replace it to regain warmth. If it gets cold enough add handwarmers inside them.

Disposable handwarmers. These little packets are air activated and easy to use. I have tried the various fuel handwarmers ( dirty smelly fuel sticks and the butane heaters) and they are too much trouble and less effective. I buy handwarmers in bulk and a pack of 2 costs about 40 cents and lasts most of a full day ( 2 rounds).

Polartech (soft polyester weave) neckwarmer/neck cowl: Shockingly warm and effective. They hold your body heat in. They go on and off in a second and weigh near nothing. After a good mitten, the best single item you can add to your winter wardrobe.

Polartech Vest. This add warmth to the core without much weight and doesn't restrict movement like a full coat. Easy to pop on and off.

Sheet metal screws drilled into the bottom of boots: If you want traction in snow and ice, nothing else is as effective. You can play on a frozen lake in these.

Becoming acclimated to the cold is something to be embraced, not avoided. Early in the season go out in it and you make it easier on yourself for the rest of the winter.

 

[JR]

Mark i get so much better traction with spike/chain combination add ons to the shoes and the good thing is that they are not permanent additions to the shoes and can be put on and taken off in a jiffy. The surface area and grip of chains is vastly superior to screws or spikes. There is a reason why military vehicles have chains added to the wheels instead of merely spikes in the winter. Try it and be prepared to be surprised pleasantly. Mine are made in the Czech republic so they might not be available in the US but i've seen a couple versions from different manufacturers in the US Kahtoola being the only one i remember off the top of my head. I recommend against half way models that have a rubber frame around which thin wire is spun. Yeah they have good traction and surface area but they wear quicker and are flimsier so they drop off far more easily. Tightness over your shoe is a must because even those drop occasionally off of the shoe wading in deeper snow.

Texans suffering from cold now? Stop playing in the night

 

[iacas]

Mark i get so much better traction with spike/chain combination add ons to the shoes and the good thing is that they are not permanent additions to the shoes and can be put on and taken off in a jiffy.

I haven't played in snow or ice (and don't think I plan to), but I run outdoors in the winter and have used YakTrax with pretty darn good results.

Under Armour as a base layer is great. The stuff is available in multiple thicknesses. I have plenty of jackets from golf too so into the worst weather (if I was to play) I could easily get by with:

a) Under Armour
b) t-shirt or something just to have a style
c) jacket
d) thermal hat

Replace the jacket with a hoodie if there's NO chance of much wind or getting it wet at all (golf jackets tend to be waterproof but still allow flexibility).

Down below it's similar: thermal underwear + something that won't absorb water (golf rain pants work well here as well - but hunting pants might be better at avoiding rips and tears from branches and things).

My legs are fine in the cold. I can run in shorts down to 35 or so.

 

[JR]

Snow is abrasive especially if it is icy so that is why i think the sturdy hunting pants i have are good for durability. I own YakTrax and they are more prone to falling of than the much grippier chain/spike assembly i have. YakTrax themselves suggest more limitations on where to use them vs all metal under the shoe spike/chain assemblies. The rubber gets damaged by sand and small rocks on the snow. With those caveats the YakTrax are pretty cool especially in thin snow and they are totally superior to spikes and won't damage the fabric of the trousers. The deeper the snow gets the easier they fall off. Spike/chains can damage the trousers.

 

[Widdershins]

Mark i get so much better traction with spike/chain combination add ons to the shoes and the good thing is that they are not permanent additions to the shoes and can be put on and taken off in a jiffy. The surface area and grip of chains is vastly superior to screws or spikes. There is a reason why military vehicles have chains added to the wheels instead of merely spikes in the winter. Try it and be prepared to be surprised pleasantly. Mine are made in the Czech republic so they might not be available in the US but i've seen a couple versions from different manufacturers in the US Kahtoola being the only one i remember off the top of my head. I recommend against half way models that have a rubber frame around which thin wire is spun. Yeah they have good traction and surface area but they wear quicker and are flimsier so they drop off far more easily. Tightness over your shoe is a must because even those drop occasionally off of the shoe wading in deeper snow.

Texans suffering from cold now? Stop playing in the night

Before discovering sheet metal screws I spent years looking for a good solutions to ice and tried a variety of chain contraptions worn over shoes. The ones I tried sucked. They broke easily and popped off in the middle of rounds then were very difficult to put back on with frozen fingers. There may well be superior versions available today.

Sheet metal screws have wide, flat heads with sharp ridges which grip very well but still have drawbacks. Once installed those boots can no longer be worn indoors due to the damage they would do to floors. I don't care about this personally. I use cheap shoes and boots to golf in anyway since I drag a toe and quickly destroy footgear. So to dedicate a pair of boots (or several) just to winter golf is fine by me. The screws wear down and need to be replaced. If the rubber on the boots is too soft the screws just pop out on their own. Now I know to look for hard rubber and flat soles. The more uneven the bottom of the sole (normally good for traction) the fewer metal screws it will hold. I put between 20 and 40 screws in per shoe (when you buy screws in bulk they are cheap). With a power drill they install in minutes. If you happen to have an old pair of boots there is little risk to trying screws in them.

Screws have been popular in Michigan for at least the last 5 years (I'm bad at dates so maybe closer to 10 years) and many if not most serious winter golfers here use them. Some players add just a few screws. I use more than anyone else I know. Then again, I throw forehand and bend down a lot to release my drives at knee level or lower. Without screws I slip out and face plant with regularity on icy teepads.

Of the players who have tried screws I don't know of anyone who is not sold on them.

 

[Widdershins]

JR is spot on, the Thermos is a wonderful thing.

In a 2 round tournament it is possible to catch a chill to your body's core which becomes very difficult to get over. If I sit around for an hour between rounds I sometimes get cold and stiffen up. Hot liquids in a Thermos does a great job of breaking that chill, more so than exterior warmth from fresh, dry clothes. Sitting in a warm car on heated seats while drinking hot stuff is even better. For the 2nd round a shot of caffeine and Ibuprofen can help get the old bones moving.

I don't normally drink from a Thermos during the round. It is too hot to drink quickly and I have found myself burning my mouth or spilling it on my hands while trying to let it cool. Then again I am not known for grace or coordination and others may have better results.

 

[Widdershins]

I don't golf in lousy weather and I don't imagine playing disc golf in lousy weather either.

Then you are missing half the fun. Ball golf is a prissy, pampered sport. Disc golf is not.

In Winter there is usually no wait on Tee #1. There are few casuals and NO heat, humidity, bugs or poison ivy. Winter play will not only keep your game sharp (and allow you to advance your skills) it will teach you about balance in tough conditions/tricky lies, which carries over to summer shots.

No one will force you to play in Winter but you will find those who play are either good or soon will become good. Winter golfers are the best skilled and most motivated, just the group I prefer to play with.

If the trouble is cold and ice then dress for it. As you acclimate to cold you may discover, as many of us have already, that cold is not uncomfortable when you are prepared for it. Personally I prefer it to summer as there is no escaping heat, humidity, bugs, poison ivy and stacks of casuals, no matter your preparation or gear.

Fair weather golfers fail to learn how to deal with conditions. So what happens when that fair weather golfer plays in a tournament and the weather turns nasty (which can happen in any season)? Do they just quit?

 

[iacas]

Ball golf is a prissy, pampered sport. Disc golf is not.

Oh brother. And disc golf is filled with cussing pot-smoking unemployed hippies. I've played golf in some pretty nasty conditions, and you can head over to Scotland and find thousands who relish playing in some pretty nasty crap. Golf has "ice bowls" too - we have one on Presque Isle every year, right on the lake. You don't need to put down disc golf's namesake/inspiration in order to make your point. It's tasteless.

Now, I suspect you meant what you said as much as I meant what I said. I'm a golf instructor so I don't get a lot of time to play golf. When I do, I like to enjoy it more than I do when I'm playing in sideways falling hail and rain, though I have played in those conditions recently (in Scotland, no less). I just think putting golf and golfers down is a silly tactic when you're talking about disc golf. You know disc golf's reputation and the stereotypes.

Fair weather golfers fail to learn how to deal with conditions. So what happens when that fair weather golfer plays in a tournament and the weather turns nasty (which can happen in any season)? Do they just quit?

Perhaps. Perhaps they soldier on. Perhaps they say "I'd rather be inside with my family playing a board game or talking or cooking a meal or building something in the wood shop" or something. Perhaps they don't care enough about disc golf to want to have to worry about frostbite or breaking a leg on some ice. Perhaps hockey takes up most of their free recreational time in the winter.

Now, back to the topic at hand. FWIW, my advice above about cold-weather gear comes from my snowboarding, hockey, winter photography, and hunting experience. Disc golf's fun, and I'll play some Tuesday in 40°, but that's about my limit. Under Armour, t-shirt, and a light jacket.

 

[BirdieMachine]

Im going out in about 30 minutes. Its 35 degrees. Debating Cut off t shirt or short sleeve. These Texas guys remind me when I lived in AZ, people wear winter coats when its in the 50's. LOL

 

[cubeofsoup]

If the trouble is cold and ice then dress for it.

I wish it was colder and snowing, I would prefer that to rain. 40°F and rain is the worst in my opinion. I lack the proper gear to stay dry and warm in this kind of weather so I have been just waiting for a day with no rain. I played a ton of golf this year in march when it was chilly but not super wet yet and I loved it. Nobody around, no leaves, no bugs. The wet is more of a problem than the cold for me.

 

[Parks]

Whether you do sheet metal screws or chains or whatever, stay off the teepad unless it's absolutely covered by packed snow or ice. Metal will shred rubber teepads and can damage concrete ones.

 

[crunkjuice]

I'm laughing pretty hard at all "these texas" guys comments. People from Texas don't like it cold, you pansies up north think that it can get "too hot outside" to be outdoors when its like 90 degrees. Get over yourselves.

Thanks for the actual responses guys.

 

[juju1]

#manup

 

[juju1]

Man up?

Damn it, how did I not see this?