Golf Feels Harder in Spring. Allergies Might Be Why.

Spring golf has a way of making you question everything.

You blame the swing. The winter rust. Maybe the greens. Maybe your putting. Maybe your entire existence after a three-putt on the first few holes of the season.

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But sometimes the real issue is a lot less technical.

Seasonal allergies can quietly wreck a round. Think watery eyes, congestion, fatigue, headaches, bad sleep and the kind of brain fog that makes a swing-woe feel like a full body experience. In a sport that relies so heavily on focus, patience and energy, feeling even a little off can add up fast.

And the science backs it up.

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Research published in Clinics in Sports Medicine Journal found that allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergies can reduce athletic performance through nasal congestion, disrupted sleep, fatigue, slower reaction time, headaches, and reduced concentration.

AR [Allergic Rhinitis, or the immune response to inhaled allergens] has been associated with alteration in central nervous system function, which may significantly affect the athlete's ability to perform," the study reported. "Subjects who have AR experienced decrements in reaction time, attention, and vigilance when exposed to pollen."

According to the study, allergy symptoms can also affect breathing efficiency, recovery, and perceived exertion—small things that become a lot bigger over a four- or five-hour round.

These aren’t the things that show up on a launch monitor and to make things worse, how your body reacts to allergens changes depending on the season and region you're in.

Allergies have gotten in the way for dozens of pros over the years. Jason Day thought he was experiencing vertigo in 2023 that turned out to be severe allergies in Austin at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Bubba Watson's allergies are so severe he has twice WD from events (2009 at the AT&T National at Congressional in Maryland and 2014 API in Orlando)

The PGA TOUR says nearly 85 percent of players are affected by seasonal allergies, which helps explain why the PGA TOUR recently named Zyrtec its first official allergy relief sponsor. It’s less a niche issue and more a spring reality for anyone spending five hours outside.

That’s also why Zyrtec now has an on-site presence at tour stops in high-allergen regions like the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, THE PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, the Truist Championship in Charlotte, and the TOUR Championship in Atlanta. Spend a day with the allergens in these regions and you’ll be quick to realize that it’s not just a marketing campaign.

Akshay Bhatia, a Zyrtec ambassador has been candid about how his first appearance at the Masters was tainted by allergies, telling Forbes it was the worst allergies he’d ever experienced. He recalls his congestion and eye watering was so bad that he had to carry around a big towel during his practice round.

That’s Augusta in a nutshell of pine pollen, blooming azaleas and oak pollen—it is perhaps one of the most beautiful allergy traps in sports.

Any packing list for patrons or players should always include allergy medicine to avoid something as predictable as allergies from ruining the experience.

"Throughout my career, it seems my intense allergy symptoms tend to hit during the hardest and most important weeks of my year," Bhatia said after the TOUR announced its partnership with Zyrtec. I'm not letting them affect how I show up on the course."

Where Golf Allergies Hit Hardest (And What to Watch Out For)

Many of the best spring golf destinations also happen to be allergy hot zones. Here are some of the regions of the U.S. to watch out for when traveling to tournaments and buddies trips. You may not experience allergy symptoms at home, but every region and season have different allergens that can sneak up on you.

Accuweather publishes maps each year that outline peak times of year for tree, grass and weed pollen. Here’s what we’ve learned and what we’re watching out for planning our next golf trip.

Tree pollen starts mid-March across the south, cuts across the middle of the U.S. in mid-April and peaks up north in May and June. According to Accuweather, the Ohio Valley is expected to be one of the hardest-hit regions this year.

The Masters was right in the middle of that peak season. The two other tournaments in that region are both safely outside of peak tree Pollen season, FedEx St. Jude Championship (Memphis, TN) and the BMW Championship (St. Louis, MO) in early and late August, respectively.

Via Getty Images

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Those headed to Cincinnati in a few weeks for the LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship may feel some early effects of tree pollen via elm, juniper and poplar trees.

Grass pollen starts later in the season with May hitting hard on the west coast, through Texas and into the Gulf Coast. The Pacific North West gets hit in June around the same time as the mid-Atlantic states. Later into July is when those in the Northeast and Midwest will feel the effects of grass pollen. Rainfall will exacerbate pollen levels as grass grows quicker.

The first two of four PGA TOUR’s stops in Texas this year narrowly avoided peak grass pollen season—Texas Children’s Houston Open (Houston) and Valero Texas Open (St. Antonio). Although the late May Texas swing of the CJ Cup (McKinney) and Charles Schwab Challenge (Fort Worth) may feel a little itchy.

Unfortunately for LPGA players, there are three mid-season events snack in the middle of peak grass allergen zones in June’s Dow Championship (Midland, MI), Mejier LPGA Classic (Belmont, MI) and at Hazeltine for the KMPG Women's PGA Championship (Chaska, MN).

A view from the second hole of Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska, Minnesota. (Photo by Gary Kellner/PGA of America via Getty Images)

Ragweed and other weed pollen come into play in late-summer and early-fall months—August in the south and September up north. The Rockies are expected to get hit the worst this year but that entire swath of the United States is without a PGA or LPGA stop this year.

Beyond tour stops, nearly every bucket list golf destination has an allergen to watch out for:

Florida stops like Orlando and Ponte Vedra bring heavy grass pollen, oak pollen, and mold into the mix.

Hilton Head, Pinehurst, and Charlotte get slammed with pine pollen and spring tree pollen.

Scottsdale trades pine trees for desert blooms and sudden spring spikes.

And if you’ve ever played Myrtle Beach in peak spring, you already know coastal grasses do not care about your tee time.

Basically: if the course turns yellow every April, your score might not be the only thing suffering.