Golf Clubs In Texas Heat Trunk

Truth or Trunk Tale: What Really Happens When You Leave Your Golf Clubs in the Texas Heat

Subtitle: A science-backed look at how extreme summer temperatures affect your golf balls, shafts, grips, and overall performance—straight from the realities of Austin, Texas.

In the heart of a Texas summer, car interiors can soar past 120 degrees. For golfers in Austin, the temptation to leave your clubs in the trunk between rounds is understandable. But what are you actually doing to your gear? Is it harmless? Or could it be quietly compromising your performance?

Let’s separate myth from measurable impact.

Golf Balls: Minimal Gains, Notable Risks

When a golf ball is exposed to high heat, the core and cover materials soften. Scientific testing has shown that exposure to 115°F for just one hour can lower compression by as much as 15 points. This might result in a slightly softer feel and a negligible gain in carry distance—about one extra yard in most cases.

However, prolonged or repeated exposure can degrade the ball’s materials over time, particularly urethane covers. While a single incident likely won’t ruin a ball, inconsistency can creep in if temperature-stressed balls are mixed with fresh ones. For optimal performance, balls should be stored indoors at room temperature whenever possible.

Steel and Graphite Shafts: Mostly Stable, with a Caveat

Steel shafts are highly resistant to heat-related changes. Thermal expansion at these temperatures is minimal and has virtually no effect on stiffness, flex, or torque characteristics.

Graphite, on the other hand, is more heat-sensitive. Though modern graphite materials are engineered to withstand a range of environmental conditions, prolonged or repeated exposure to extreme heat can lead to subtle softening in shaft behavior. Over time, this may affect torque and responsiveness, particularly in lighter-weight or high-performance shafts. Heat can also weaken epoxy bonds, especially at the hosel, potentially compromising club integrity if left unchecked.

Grips: The Weakest Link in the Heat

While the effects on balls and shafts are mostly minor, grips are a different story.

High temperatures, combined with humidity and UV exposure, accelerate the breakdown of grip materials. Rubber compounds dry out, lose elasticity, and become slick or brittle. Even grips made with premium materials can lose up to 50% of their original tackiness after a few weeks in a hot trunk.

Loss of grip feel doesn’t just affect comfort—it impacts control, timing, and confidence. Once tackiness is gone, even the best swing mechanics suffer. To maintain feel and performance, grips should be stored in cool, dry conditions and replaced annually, or more often if you play multiple rounds per week.

Air Density and Distance: A Small but Real Gain

Hot air is less dense than cooler air, which means slightly less resistance as the ball travels. On average, every 10-degree rise above 75°F can add about one to two yards of carry distance. Combined with a slightly softer ball, some players may notice a modest boost in distance on hot days.

However, these gains are marginal. Performance gains in heat shouldn’t be overstated—and certainly shouldn’t be relied on to make up for poor contact or equipment inconsistency.

The Bottom Line

Leaving your clubs in the car on a hot Austin day isn’t likely to ruin your round tomorrow, but it will degrade your equipment over time—especially your grips. Golf balls soften slightly, graphite shafts may lose some responsiveness after repeated exposure, and air density can help your ball travel a little farther. But none of these effects are more impactful than what happens to your connection to the club: your grip.

If you want consistency, control, and confidence, your equipment needs the same care and precision that you bring to your swing. Store your gear in a temperature-controlled space when you can, and check your grips regularly for signs of wear.

At ATX Golf Performance, we help our athletes understand how every variable—environmental, physical, or mechanical—affects the results they see on the course.