At this time of year, golf can’t quite make its mind up. One day you’re still playing in a polo, the next you’re digging out an extra layer and wondering where the summer went. The same goes for the golf course – temperatures start to dip, daylight disappears earlier and softer, wetter conditions gradually become more common. Plenty of golfers will simply keep playing the same ball they’ve used all summer. But as we head deeper into autumn, could switching to something slightly different make life a little easier? When the temperature really drops There are subtle signs colder golf is on the way… and then there’s snow on the grass. We might not be quite there yet, but once temperatures really start to fall, the ball can behave differently too. Colder air is denser than it is in summer, increasing drag and reducing how far the ball travels through the air. Add softer ground and less run once it lands, and the same shot can suddenly finish noticeably shorter than it did a few months earlier. That doesn’t mean you need to change golf ball as soon as October arrives, but it does give you a few things to think about as the colder months approach. A softer feel We’ve all been there. The temperature drops, your hands feel like blocks of ice and one slightly thin strike sends a lovely little reminder straight through your fingers. When those colder mornings do arrive, some golfers prefer moving towards a softer-feeling, lower-compression ball - alongside their winter mitts! Impact can feel noticeably firmer as temperatures fall, so a softer ball can simply make the experience a little more comfortable. It won’t magically give you back every yard you lose to the cold, but if feel matters to you, it can make a difference. Visibility One minute you’re happily making your way around the back nine, the next you’re squinting down the fairway wondering whether that little white speck is your ball, a leaf or something else entirely. Between fading light, fallen leaves and dormant rough, finding a white golf ball can become noticeably harder as we move further into autumn. A yellow or high-visibility option can be much easier to track through the air and spot once it comes to rest – particularly if you’re trying to squeeze in those final few holes before the light disappears. Cost Of course, sometimes you know exactly where the ball landed and still can’t find the thing. Fallen leaves, thicker rough and softer ground can make golf balls surprisingly easy to lose at this time of year. If you find yourself going through more balls than usual, moving to a more affordable model can make a lot of sense. There’s nothing enjoyable about standing over every tee shot thinking about the price of the ball before you’ve even made a swing.