Criticism from golfers about course conditions is nothing new. But when fans watching on TV can spot the same problems, something must be wrong. That’s exactly what happened during the $2.2 million LPGA event, Buick LPGA Shanghai. Both golfers and fans alike were stunned by the state of the greens under intense weather conditions. What should have been a showcase for world-class golf turned into a talking point for all the wrong reasons.

In total disbelief, fans took to social media to call out the terrible conditions. To express their disbelief, many shared images of the damaged greens in the extreme heat. Replying to an X post by a fan, LPGA star Jenny Shin said, “It’s just the greens. It’s REALLY hot here in Shanghai, almost as bad as Thailand, bent grass can’t handle heat like this so a lot of areas died off. Roll isn’t too bad surprisingly, but in some sandy areas it’s hard to get the speed right.”

This came after a curious fan tried to understand the on-ground reality through a post by tagging Shin to hear her thoughts. The fan wrote, “Wow I don’t think I’ve ever seen greens so bad on tv as what they are putting on in the Buick LPGA in Shanghai. @JennyShin_LPGA were they as bad as they looked and did they roll terribly?”

We have seen rain affect some golf tournaments recently, including the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. But this time it’s the heat wreaking havoc at the Qizhong Garden Golf Club. As of early October 2025, Shanghai is experiencing unusually high temperatures, with some regions nearing 40°C. As Shin rightly pointed out, bentgrass is designed to thrive in very different cooler 8-10°F conditions.

But despite the bad conditions, Shin said that the roll isn’t too bad. If it had been, achieving scores like 9, 10, or 11 under par would have been very difficult. The World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul managed a score of 7 under par after Round 1, thanks to 10 birdies. Echoing the same disbelief, one fan wrote, “Can’t get over these greens. My goodness. And still, Jeeno had 10 birdies!” while another wrote, “Yeah, it is crazy considering those greens. Any word on why they’re in such bad condition? Weather, greenskeepers on strike?”

At first glance, it almost looks like the greenskeepers didn’t do their jobs. But the reality is more complicated, and the responsibility lies with the organizers. When asked, they said, “We are aware of the course conditions at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. The golf course superintendent, tournament team and the LPGA rules officials have worked diligently against extreme heat conditions this season in preparation for this week’s event. We will continue to monitor the situation and care for the course appropriately throughout the week.”

Jenny Shin is not the only one who highlighted the terrible conditions at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. Just a day before the event, 2x LPGA champ Leona Maguire shared an Instagram story with a close-up of an image of the green on the 18th hole with a text overlay reading, “Instagram vs reality 😂”

Besides Shin, LPGA caddie and co-host of Fried Egg’s Mixed Bag podcast, Matthew Galloway, posted a view of the seventh hole. With the rough patches clearly visible in the image, the past said, “Safe to say you can throw the putting stats out the window this week in Shanghai for the LPGA players.” 

It is clear that these extreme weather conditions have had an effect on the proceedings. While inconvenient, this is far from the first golf event to face mother nature’s wrath.

Historical precedent of weather defeating golf

Rain, wind, and heat can affect golf tournaments in various ways. However, it is rare to see the game cancelled. Professional golfers spend years honing their skills and adapting to the various conditions they encounter. They play through a bit of rain or wind. In fact, it’s a part of the challenge for them. Complete cancellations are very rare and seem mythical. However, they do occur.

There has been one instance of a cancellation in 2025 itself. The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship was cancelled after just one round of play. “After assessing the golf course, consulting with the onsite meteorologist and the course superintendent, and the projected forecast for Sunday and Monday, the golf course is unplayable, and it is unlikely that 36 holes could be completed to make it an official event,” the LPGA stated in its announcement. LPGA officials scrambled through all possible options to continue play, but it just wasn’t possible.

This was not the first cancellation for the NW Arkansas Championship. The inaugural event in 2007 was also ruled unofficial. Even back then, the rain didn’t allow any further play beyond 18 holes. Besides these two events, the 2009 Viking Classic and the 2016 Greenbrier Classic faced cancellations. In both cases, relentless rain and catastrophic flooding devastated golf courses.

Historically, it has usually been rain that leads to tournament cancellations in golf. But the extreme heat in Shanghai this week proved to be a different story, turning normally manageable conditions into a true test for players and staff alike.