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Golf Umbrellas: How to Choose One That Survives a Windy Round

A golf umbrella is the one piece of kit that decides whether a wet round is miserable or merely damp. It is not just a big umbrella: a proper golf umbrella has a wider canopy to cover you and your bag, a frame designed to flex in a gust rather than snap or turn inside out, and a shaft that fits the holder on a bag or trolley. This page covers the sizes, the features worth paying for, how to carry one on the course, and two things the Rules of Golf say about using it, including the one that catches out players with a helpful partner.

Golf umbrella size: what the numbers mean

Umbrella sizes are quoted in two ways, and the difference is a common source of disappointment. The arc is measured over the top of the canopy from tip to tip, following the curve. The span is the straight-line width you actually stand under, and it is several inches smaller. Most golf umbrellas are sold by arc, in sizes around 60, 62, 64 and 68 inches.

Bigger is not always better. A 68-inch canopy catches a lot of wind, is harder to control on an exposed tee and weighs more. If you walk with a carry bag, a smaller umbrella you actually take with you beats a giant one left in the car.

Double canopy golf umbrellas and wind resistance

The most useful feature on a golf umbrella is a vented double canopy: two overlapping layers of fabric with a gap between them near the top. When a gust hits, air escapes through the gap instead of pushing against the whole canopy, so the umbrella is less likely to pull out of your hand or flip inside out. On an open course, where the wind can swing round between holes, it is worth having.

Look also at how the ribs attach to the runner and tips. Reinforced joints and a frame designed to bend back into shape after inverting are what separate an umbrella that lasts several winters from one that is bent by Christmas.

Fibreglass golf umbrella frames

Fibreglass is the standard material for golf umbrella ribs and shafts, and for good reason:

• It flexes. Fibreglass bends under load and springs back, where cheap steel ribs kink and stay bent.
• It is light. A large canopy on a fibreglass frame is far easier to carry for four hours.
• It does not conduct electricity the way metal does. That is no protection against lightning, which is discussed below, but it is one reason fibreglass is preferred on golf umbrellas.

Carbon fibre shafts are lighter still and show up on premium models. Whatever the frame, check the handle: a straight, textured grip that fits a bag or trolley holder is more practical than a curved crook handle.

Other features worth paying for

• Automatic opening. A push-button auto-open is handy when the rain arrives and you have a glove on and a club in the other hand. Closing is usually manual.
• UV protection. Some golf umbrellas carry a UPF rating on the canopy and double as a sunshade on hot days.
• A light or reflective canopy colour. Easier for playing partners and greenkeepers to see, and cooler underneath in sun.
• A cover or strap. Keeps the closed umbrella tidy in the bag and stops it dripping into your towel.

Golf trolley umbrella holders and carrying it on the course

Most golf bags have an umbrella sleeve: a long, narrow pocket running down the side of the bag. Check the length of your umbrella against the sleeve before buying, because a 68-inch model will not fit every bag. Our golf bags guide covers what to look for in a bag.

On a trolley, an umbrella holder clamps to the frame and holds the umbrella upright over you as you walk, leaving both hands free to push. Most push trolley and electric trolley makers sell one as an accessory, and universal holders fit a range of frame sizes. Two practical points: take the umbrella out of the holder in strong winds, as a large canopy on a trolley acts like a sail; and check that the holder suits your umbrella's shaft diameter. If you are hiring, our page on buggy and trolley hire covers what is available at Lullingstone Park.

Umbrella rules of golf

Holding an umbrella while you play

Rule 10.2b(3) of the Rules of Golf says a player must not make a stroke while their caddie or any other person or object is deliberately positioned to give protection from sunlight, rain, wind or other elements. The Rule expressly allows players to take their own action: you can hold an umbrella over your own head while making a stroke, which some players do for a short putt in the rain.

What you cannot do is have a playing partner or caddie hold the umbrella over you while you play the shot. The penalty is the general penalty: two strokes in stroke play, loss of the hole in match play. Having someone shelter you up to the moment you take your stance, and stepping away before you start the stroke, is the safe habit. For more on the rules most club golfers meet, see our guide to golf rules for beginners.

Lightning

An umbrella is not shelter in a thunderstorm, whatever it is made of. Rule 5.7a lets you stop play if you reasonably believe there is danger from lightning, without waiting for the committee to suspend play. Put the umbrella down, leave the clubs, and get off the open course to a building or vehicle.

Looking after a golf umbrella

Open it to dry after the round rather than leaving it furled in the bag, which is how canopies go mouldy and ribs rust at the joints. Close it carefully, rib by rib, and store it with the strap loose. A good golf umbrella treated this way should last several seasons.

A golf umbrella works best as part of a wet-weather kit: a waterproof jacket and trousers, rain gloves and a dry towel. Our page on winter golf clothing covers the rest, and course conditions through the seasons explains what to expect at Lullingstone Park over the winter. Plan your next round from the home page.

Sources

• The R&A, Rules of Golf, Rule 10
• The R&A, Rules of Golf, Rule 5

Checked on 2 October 2026.