New research has found that golfers in the UK have lost the equivalent of 94 years’ worth of play to extreme weather over the past decade.
The golfclubs4cash study analysed historical daily weather data from 2016 to 2025, classifying days when temperatures exceeded 31°C or more than 30mm of precipitation fell as unplayable. These thresholds are associated with a high risk of heat-related illness or heavy rain, with occasional thunder.
Across the United Kingdom, extreme heat and rainfall caused 34,359 days to be deemed unplayable, with the average golf course losing one month (30 days) of play to hot or wet weather every year over the past decade:
- In England, 16,333 days have been deemed unplayable since 2016 — the equivalent of 44 years and 274 days
- In Scotland, courses and golfers have lost a combined 12,626 days over the past 10 years — just over 34 years
- Wales has recorded 3,512 unplayable days — almost 10 years
- In Northern Ireland, golf courses and players have lost 1,888 days of play due to extreme rainfall since 2016
The locations hit hardest by extreme weather since 2016
Courses and golfers in Cumbria have been the most impacted, with a third of days (36.27 percent) deemed unplayable since 2016. An estimated 1,324 days have been lost, with an average of 132 days each year considered too hot or too wet.
Neighbouring Lancashire is the second most impacted, losing a forecasted 124 days each year to extreme weather over the past decade.
Courses and players in the Argyll in Strathclyde region have been the most affected in Scotland, with 121 days each year considered unplayable, while Ross and Cromarty is the second most disrupted region, losing an average of 102 days annually.
In Wales, courses and golfers in Gwynedd have suffered the most unplayable days, losing 676 days (18.5 percent) since 2016.
The 10 locations to suffer the most disruption since 2016:
| Location | Days lost since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Cumbria (England) | 1,324 |
| Lancashire (England) | 1,244 |
| Argyll in Strathclyde (Scotland) | 1,213 |
| Devon (England) | 1,049 |
| Ross and Cromarty (Scotland) | 1,020 |
| Perthshire in Tayside (Scotland) | 909 |
| Inverness-shire (Scotland) | 886 |
| West Yorkshire (England) | 853 |
| North Yorkshire (England) | 762 |
| Greater Manchester (England) | 718 |
Locations facing the biggest rise in climate-related disruption
Weather-related disruption is set to continue in the coming years, with 13 locations forecast to lose at least one additional month of play in 2040 compared with 2025. Overall, UK golf courses and players are forecast to face a 17.7 percent increase in days lost to extreme weather in 2040 compared to 2025 – 570 more days.
Forecasted number of days lost to extreme heat and heavy rainfall:
| 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,226 | 3,571 (+10.7%) | 3,679 (+14.0%) | 3,796 (+17.7%) |
Courses and players in Lanarkshire, Scotland, are forecast to experience the largest increase in days lost to extreme heat and rainfall, losing an additional 67 days compared to 2025 – the equivalent of over two months. Nottinghamshire in England and Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland are forecast to see the joint-second biggest increase, each losing 57 additional days.
The locations forecast to suffer the biggest increase in weather-related disruption in 2040:
| Location | Additional days lost in 2040 |
|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 67 |
| Nottinghamshire & Derry/Londonderry | 57 |
| Derbyshire | 51 |
| West Yorkshire | 46 |
| Devon & Dumfriesshire | 41 |
| Buckinghamshire | 39 |
| Shropshire | 38 |
| Durham | 37 |
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