Scotland has the reputation for always being cold and rainy, but that’s just not fair. Scotland is cold in comparison to an American summer, but at least for the northern part of America, Scotland is more mild during the winter. Now the chill in the summer would be no issue for hearty individuals who live in four season regions like Maine and northern Ohio. Only if you have a disorder like thin blood, related to living in an oppressively hot environment like Phoenix, would you find the summer in Scotland even the slightest bit unpleasant.
So what’s the truth about rain and Scotland. It can be rainy, no doubt. However, it’s not as rainy as you might expect. In the US the rain often comes in torrential downpours, whereas eastern Scotland often gets more frequent, light showers. St Andrews gets about half as much rain as Bangor, Maine. In 2007 during eight rounds of golf, it only rained on three holes. That’s two percent of the time. By the time you got your waterproofs on, it was time to take them off. In 2008, it didn’t rain at all during our seven rounds, although there was light rain at other times. It probably rained 25% of the time during the four rounds in 2010.
So the message is to get yourself some good waterproofs before you go to Scotland, and then hope you don’t need them. If your going ‘across the pond’ to enjoy golf on the links you can’t sit out because of a little rain. I’d feel cheated if there weren’t some adverse conditions. It’s certainly somewhat difficult to put rain pants on during the round, so a good solution is to put them on before the round. Just wear them over shorts or light trousers. Often that extra layer helps keep the chill at bay. Then stuff your rain jacket in your bag, just in case.
ODL
Admittedly, my adversity to cold weather does suggest I'd lived in Phoenix all my life (funny how quickly some thing grow to feel natural). However, with as quickly as I've acclimated to the perennially warm weather, the concept of rain is one thing I'm still yet to grasp in the way that most Phoenicians do. "It's pouring down rain!" a friend will exclaim time and time again only for me to hurry outside to (disappointedly) find what most Americans would have difficulty categorizing as "a sprinkle." From what you say ODL, Scotland doesn't sound all that different than Seattle. I don't currently own good "waterproofs" (or a winter jacket for that matter) but I will be sure to invest before we head across the pond!
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