How to Play Golf in the Heat Without Feeling Like You're Melting: My Favorite Cooling Gadgets & Hydration Secrets

It is the kind of hot in Cincinnati right now where you genuinely could cook an egg on the sidewalk. Hot and humid, the air thick enough that you feel it the second you step outside.

Which means it's exactly the right week to talk about playing golf in this kind of heat… because I have learned some hard lessons here.

A couple years ago I played golf in Florida in July. Looking back, that was a fairly silly idea on my part. I was so overheated that I had to sit out a couple of holes and just relax in the cart. My entire body felt slippery with how much I was sweating. I had done everything right going in: I had all the snacks, plenty of water and electrolytes, I even had cooling towels. The one thing I didn't have was a fan, which in hindsight sounds like it would have been incredibly refreshing.

But even with all of that prep, the heat got me. Just getting out of the cart to walk to my ball and line up a shot felt like walking through a thick steam room. I was moving as slow as molasses, and I knew something wasn't right.

My golf partner gave me a look and said, "I think you need to sit out a hole or two."

I'll be honest: my first reaction was to be a little offended. I'm fine, I thought. I can push through. But after about a minute, I got over my own ego and realized she was completely right. I was really feeling that heat, and pretending otherwise wasn't doing me any favors.

So I sat out a few holes, came back for the last three, and finished the round. And when I finally walked into that clubhouse and felt the air conditioning hit me, I actually gasped out loud. It was that good.

I think about that round a lot, especially weeks like this one. So here are my actual tips and products for playing golf in serious heat … the things that work, and the lessons I learned the hard way so you don't have to.

Start Hydrating Before You Even Leave the House

This is the single biggest shift I've made, and it makes a real difference: if you know you have a hot tee time coming up, start hydrating 24 hours in advance.

Not the morning of. The day before. Load up on water and electrolytes well ahead of your tee time, so your body is actually prepared going into the heat instead of trying to catch up once you're already out there sweating.

Then, on top of that, bring extra water and electrolyte drinks with you to the course. Don't assume what's available out there will be enough. Bring your own backup.

What to Actually Drink (Gatorade Is Not Always It)

Here's something I learned the hard way: I cannot drink Gatorade anymore. It upsets my stomach, and I figured this out three years ago running the Chicago Marathon, which was, let's just say, not a pretty discovery to make mid-race.

So if Gatorade doesn't sit right with you either, here's what I actually reach for:

Body Armor: my go-to. I drink the “Lyte” version of this sports drink. It is made with coconut water, and packed with electrolytes, B vitamins and antioxidants. The blueberry pomegranate flavor specifically. It's become a staple in my golf cart cup holder. Try it here.

NUUN tablets: these dissolve right in your water bottle and are incredibly easy to stash a few extra in your golf bag for later. My favorite flavor is lemon lime.

LMNT — a powder packet you tear open and pour straight into your cup. They have a nice variety pack of flavors so you're not stuck with just one option all season.

Having a couple of these options on hand means you're never stuck relying on just one drink and if your stomach is sensitive like mine, having alternatives matters.

One more practical tip: many golf courses have water stations out on the course, but the exact locations - whether it’s water or water and ice machine - may vary. If you're playing somewhere new, it's worth asking at the pro shop where the water and ice machines are before you tee off. You don't want to be searching for water on hole eleven when you're already overheated. If you’re playing later in the day and there are no “machines” on the course but only jugs then that’s another watch out as the water jugs will run out if not being regularly refilled.

Cooling Towels: Simple and Genuinely Effective

This is one of the easiest additions to your bag and one of the most refreshing in the moment. Wet a cooling towel, wring it out, and drape it around your neck.

I use the Chilly Pad cooling towels and they work really well. There's something about the cool fabric against the back of your neck mid-round that just resets you a little, even if it's only for a few minutes. Small thing, real impact.

A Fan for Your Cart (The One Thing I Didn't Have in Florida)

If you remember nothing else from this post, remember this: a fan for your golf cart is a genuinely good idea on a day like this week.

I didn't have one during that Florida round, and looking back, I think it would have made a real difference especially on days with zero breeze, which somehow always feels worse than a hot day with even a little wind moving.

I recommend a magnetic, rechargeable fan that clips right onto the cart. It's a small thing, but on a still, humid day, that moving air makes a genuine difference in how the round feels.

The Permission Slip You Might Need

I want to say this plainly, because I needed to hear it myself in that Florida heat: it is okay to sit out a hole or two.

I got a little defensive when my golf partner suggested it. I think a lot of us do as there's some instinct to push through, to not want to be the one who needs a break. But heat exhaustion is real, and your body knows things your ego doesn't want to admit. If you're feeling slow, foggy, or overheated, sitting in the cart for a hole or two isn't quitting. It's smart.

You'll finish the round either way. Better to finish it feeling okay than to push through and feel awful for the rest of your day.

The Short Version

Hydrate starting the day before. Bring electrolytes that actually work for your body: Body Armor, NUUN, or LMNT are all great options if Gatorade doesn't agree with you. Pack a cooling towel. Get a fan for the cart if you don't already have one. And if the heat gets to you mid-round, it is genuinely okay to take a break.

Stay cool out there. I'll see you on the course … probably hiding under a cooling towel myself.

My current favorites are linked throughout this post — the NUUN tablets, LMNT variety pack, Chilly Pad cooling towels, and the magnetic cart fan I wish I'd had in Florida.

Missed the rest of this series? Catch up on [what to pack in your golf bag], [golf gloves], and [golf shoes].

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