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(UPDATED: August, 2025. GolfPass may receive a portion of sales on products linked in this article.)
Summer's here and the time is right to make sure you stay cool on the golf course. Chances are if you're reading this, you have a pretty good working knowledge of the basics, but there are some deeper strategies that might help you brave the heat. I've got some tips for you, and then some product recommendations based on my own experience and colleagues' suggestions.
How to stay cool on the golf course
I live in Florida, but I don't let the searing heat and oppressive humidity keep me from playing plenty of golf. Based on my own protocols, here's what you should keep in mind whether you're playing golf during a heat wave up north or venturing south in the summer to play some deeply discounted golf, often on less-crowded courses.
Don't forget a(nother) towel.
I don't wear a golf glove, so I'm more diligent - obsessive, maybe - than most about keeping my hands dry, which in Florida summer conditions is a tall task. In addition to a microfiber towel that hangs on my bag for cleaning my clubs, I bring a separate large, fresh one to the course, keeping one wet side and one dry side. I refresh the wet side every chance I get because water-wet hands dry out while sweaty hands slip. I've noticed that even higher-end public and resort courses don't supply hand towels as often as they used to, making it even more important to bring one along. Bigger is better, especially if you're taking a cart. I'm not above bringing a straight-up bath towel or beach towel with me if it's going to keep my hands dry.
Somewhat paradoxically, though, I've noticed that cheaper, rougher towels keep my hands drier than thicker, more plush versions. At less than $25 for a 12 pack of these basic, blue-striped white "bar mops," you can do whatever you need to keep cool and dry without worrying about ruining an expensive towel. In fact, I'm due a fresh dozen to keep in the trunk of my car.
Have a hydration plan.
I try to always keep a six-pack or more of Gatorade or something similar in my car, just in case. More recently, I've enjoyed drinking Lemon Perfect ($17.14 for a 12-pack on Amazon), which has half an organic lemon's worth of juice in each bottle, as a Gatorade/Powerade alternative, though I won't say no to some ice-cold purple Riptide Rush.
What vessel I drink out of depends on whether I am walking or riding. If I'm going to be using a cart, I fill my 30-ounce YETI Rambler ($40) with ice before I set out so I can keep my beverages cold. If I'm walking, I usually use a slim Corkcicle sport canteen ($40).
Choose the right materials for golf
The golf apparel business seems to be in a constant state of expansion, with more brands popping up seemingly every few months. Whatever brand you choose, keep a couple of key points in mind when it comes to selecting clothes - especially golf shirts - to keep you cool.
"Moisture wicking" is a key phrase and fabric trait to look for. Such fibers, often synthetic, are treated to enhance capillary action, which moves sweat from your skin to the outer layer of the shirt, then letting it evaporate so the material doesn't get sopping wet. Cotton doesn't work this way, so on a hot day, you're going to get sweat stains and that clammy, wet feeling. Wool, though, is actually naturally moisture-wicking, which is why wool golf socks are a great investment in your comfort.
"It’s important for golfers to be discerning about their warm-weather golf wear, as the right clothing will keep them feeling breezy and cool," said Christopher Da Costa, a style advisor in popular online fashion company Stitch Fix's men's division, including a growing golf apparel selection.
Take care of your clothes (better than I did).
It used to seem as though my warm-weather golf shirts would tend to stop doing what they were designed to do after a few washes. I'd chalked it up to over-marketing and under-design, but I believe I was to blame as well. A few years ago, I learned that most fabric softeners contain chemicals that strip away the moisture-wicking treatments from fabrics, and dryer sheets lend a waxy sheen to clothing that has the same negative effect, turning polyester shirts into wet nuisances in hot weather. Whoops! Ever since this revelation, I left the Downy aside, and I bought wool dryer balls to replace the synthetic, waxy dryer sheets, in the hopes of making my golf shirts last a little longer. As a result, I have noticed that some of my older, more heavily-worn shirts have stayed effective at wicking sweat for several hot seasons.
Best summer stay-cool golf products
Summer golf apparel
The list of sweat-wicking golf shirts goes on and on, but I have noticed in recent years that several golf apparel companies have stepped up their game when it comes to creating almost impossibly lightweight fabrics that breathe better than their predecessors. At the moment, the title of Coolest Golf Shirt in the Closet goes to a blue-with-white-dots B.Draddy Captain Cool polo ($120) from the Draddy Sport line. I was also impressed by a recent Johnnie-O acquisition from their Featherweight collection ($110). These two brands are far from the only ones that will clothe you properly in hot weather. My advice is to go as lightweight as you can, and also hone in on golf shirts with a piqué weave. I've found that this type of weave breathes better than the standard dense, smooth-feeling polyester weaves. If the B.Draddy Captain Cool is #1 in my closet, a blue-and-white striped poly-piqué shirt from STITCH ($98) is a close #2.
As for golf shorts, I haven't detected too much innovation in recent years. Find something that fits you with a bit of stretch and you should be good to go. I will say that I have taken to going a little shorter on the inseam length of my golf shorts lately - e.g. these Chubbies Everywear shorts with a 6" inseam ($64) - and have felt more comfortable when the bottom of the hem hits slightly above my knee.
The perfect pair of golf pants or shorts should be ones you want to wear all the time - look for high-stretch fabrics that aren’t noisy or ‘crunchy.’
Equally as important as the right golf shirt or pair of shorts, in my opinion, is a breathable pair of golf socks, and I've sworn by wool as the main material for several years. While wool has traditionally been associated with warm sweaters, its natural moisture-wicking abilities make it a perfect golf sock material. Kentwool made a big splash several years ago when Bubba Watson and other PGA Tour pros started wearing their socks, and their tried-and-true Tour Profile socks (3 pair for $59.95 at Amazon) have barely changed in years; they are that comfortable and reliable.
I like Kentwools, but over the last few years my go-to golf socks have come from the Surino line by Altera Alpaca ($22 per pair at Amazon). Don't let the price put you off; they are the perfect blend of cushion and moisture-wicking. All hail the mighty alpaca.
Golf shoes were not always considered an important source of cooling on the course, but several companies have introduced lightweight, breathable pairs to their offerings recently. True Linkswear, the Pacific Northwest-casual brand, has an All Day Knit 3 model ($119 on Amazon) that is affordable and lightweight. Many golfers don't even wear socks with them.
Golf hats provide the same levels of comfort and sun protection. The wider, 360-degree brims of bucket hats, while still odd-looking to some, tend to help protect the neck and eyes from intense, direct light. And materials matter here, too - the old cotton-based caps collecting dust in your closet are just going to get heavy with sweat. Lightweight, moisture-wicking performance fabrics are becoming ubiquitous in hats, too. Imperial Headwear even makes a hat, called The Old Norse ($55), which promises to beat your skin temperature by 30% when activated by moisture - either sweat or water.
Other summer golf essentials
Sun sleeves are becoming increasingly popular as a partial alternative to sunscreen, because they're reusable and don't need to be reapplied. They're very popular on the LPGA Tour, and PGA Tour players like 2019 John Deere Classic winner Dylan Frittelli use them as well. Being sponsored by Nike, Frittelli sports Nike's sun sleeves ($28) on the course, though many companies produce them nowadays.
Cooling towels are available from several manufacturers and can give a quick icy jolt when you're feeling overheated. The back of the neck is the best spot to concentrate on for fast relief. On really hot days, the Frogg Toggs ChillyPad cooling towel ($9.99 at Amazon) feels like a cheat-code when placed on the back of your neck. I also really like this cooling neck gaiter by Mission ($16.99).
I tend to sweat through hats in a hurry in the summer, which makes the NoSweat disposable hat liner ($25 for a pack of 3) an intriguing product. NoSweat is a PGA Tour licensee. The liners come with a peel-off sticky side and attach to the interior of your hat where your forehead hits, absorbing the sweat instead of letting it stain through the hat fabric.
Sunscreen is a must on most sunny golf days, even when it's not terribly hot. I personally favor spray-on sunscreens because it avoids having to get my hands slippery from rubbing it on my skin. Keep in mind that sunscreen remains effective for only a couple hours or so, so it's wise to reapply at the turn.
I'm not an alcohol-on-the-course guy, but I know plenty of golfers like a cold beer or two. There are all kinds of coolers out there, including some heavy-duty ones by YETI and the like. On the more modest but still functional side, OGIO's Chill Cooler ($45) ($28) holds up to a dozen 12-ounce cans. On the other end of the budget spectrum, YETI's spare-no-expense approach also applies to their Hopper Flip personal cooler ($200), which holds up to 11 cans or bottles and whose zippered closure system creates a watertight seal. That will take care of your group at courses that allow you to bring your own.
Comments (7)
Insulated Water Bottle and sun screen without fail
Since you asked; I founded the Aussie Chiller headwear company 20 years ago, (just sold the company and retired), but our chamois-like fabric was specifically designed for soaking and chilling. We sold a few hundred thousand attractive large brims, mostly across the south and southwest. And now buckets and caps.
I found from "field testing" in summer in the south and southwest -- going further than soaking your head-- there is life-saving relief by soaking your shirt, too. Stops and/or dilutes sweat so that I never had sweat stains.
I love my Tilley LTM-6 hat.
I stay cool by hitting at least 10 drives per round into the trees. There's much more shade there.
And you can always go full-in when your ball finds a water hazard.
Lol! I do the same!
I like that one