Read probability and intensity separately
A probability describes the chance of precipitation, while millimetres per hour describe an amount over time. A high probability of a light shower and a brief intense downpour are different plans. Open the hourly detail rather than treating a daily rain symbol as a forecast for every minute of your round.
In the golf model, the likely-rain branch can be triggered by probability, intensity or a qualifying weather code. These are alternative triggers for one branch, not three penalties to add together. Use the explorer to change one field at a time, then combine rain with gusts.
The course surface is a separate decision
The forecast cannot see water on a green, a flooded access path, temporary greens or the grounds team’s instructions. Conditions can remain unsuitable after rain stops. Equally, a course may be open while you personally prefer a shorter or drier outing. Both questions are outside a simple weather score.
Allow for delays as well as playing time. A favourable opening hour does not cover a long round automatically. Recheck before leaving and have an indoor or practice alternative if the wettest period moves earlier. Thunder changes the decision entirely; an umbrella is not a lightning shelter.
Worked examples from the existing scorer
These complete hypothetical hours run through the same scoring functions used by the live tool. They are not observations or forecasts. The displayed effective score includes any cap.
| Example | Effective score | Verdict | Model reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance 35% | 90/100 | GO | some rain risk |
| Likely light rain | 75/100 | GO | rain likely |
| Heavy rain 2 mm/h | 40/100 | NO-GO | heavy rain · NOGO cap |
Exact example inputs and units
temp and feels: °C; wind and gust: km/h; precipitation: mm/h; visibility: m; rain probability, cloud and humidity: %. Weather code is WMO; UV is an index. Pressure, where shown, is context in hPa and does not affect this scorer.
[
{
"example": "Rain chance 35%",
"inputs": {
"temp": 15,
"feels": 15,
"precip": 0,
"pop": 35,
"wind": 10,
"gust": 15,
"vis": 20000,
"code": 0,
"cloud": 10,
"humidity": 60,
"uv": 0,
"pressure": 1010
}
},
{
"example": "Likely light rain",
"inputs": {
"temp": 15,
"feels": 15,
"precip": 0.3,
"pop": 60,
"wind": 10,
"gust": 15,
"vis": 20000,
"code": 61,
"cloud": 10,
"humidity": 60,
"uv": 0,
"pressure": 1010
}
},
{
"example": "Heavy rain 2 mm/h",
"inputs": {
"temp": 15,
"feels": 15,
"precip": 2,
"pop": 80,
"wind": 10,
"gust": 15,
"vis": 20000,
"code": 63,
"cloud": 10,
"humidity": 60,
"uv": 0,
"pressure": 1010
}
}
]Planning bands and the limits of the number
The existing model starts at 100, subtracts its condition penalties and applies critical caps. GO is 70–100, MAYBE 45–69 and NO-GO 0–44. A MAYBE cap limits the effective score to 64, and a NO-GO cap to 40. These are application suitability bands, not certified safe operating limits.
Rain branches are alternatives: matching probability, intensity and weather-code triggers do not mean adding the same rain penalty repeatedly. Separate factors can combine. A cap prevents benign temperature or dry weather from cancelling a critical flagged condition. Use the reasons beside the result to understand what changed.
The model requires complete numeric weather inputs. Missing visibility, rain probability or another required value returns Insufficient data; it is never filled with an invented favourable value. Local warnings, closures, equipment instructions and actual observations can change your decision even when the model returns GO.
Read the full golf methodology and thresholds. The model and these examples were cross-checked on 18 October 2026. No physical field-test or safety certification is claimed.
Equipment and an alternative plan
Pack a way to keep grips and spare clothing dry, and choose footwear for the actual surface. Treat umbrellas as rain equipment only. If a closure, thunderstorm or waterlogged course rules out play, change the plan instead of trying to offset the score with equipment.
Questions about Playing golf in rain: showers, grip and a workable plan
Do three rain triggers mean three deductions?
No. The matching rain branch is applied once. Wind and other separate factors can still add deductions.
Is a daily rain total enough?
No. A round needs the relevant hourly forecast and actual course information.
Can a waterproof jacket turn NO-GO into GO?
No. Equipment does not change the weather calculation.
Sources and limits
The numeric application bands come from the existing GoNoGo scorer and methodology. External guidance is linked for its stated context; it is not presented as endorsement of this model.
Live forecast data is supplied by Open-Meteo. An illustrative model output is different from a live forecast, and a forecast is different from a local observation.