There are hot tournament days. And then there are “why did someone schedule a golf tournament on the surface of the sun” tournament days. If your junior plays summer golf in the South — or really anywhere June through August — heat isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s something you actually have to plan for. The good news: a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s what we’ve learned after plenty of sweaty Saturdays.

Fans: small but mighty

This might be the best $20 we’ve ever spent. A cheap rechargeable USB fan, wedged between the cooler and the bags in the cart basket, pointed at the neck while driving. Surprisingly effective — and as a bonus, the airflow seems to keep gnats off your face, which is worth the price on its own. Ours easily lasts a full round on one charge. Other parents swear by clip-on golf cart fans, or actual power-tool fans (Milwaukee, DeWalt, Ryobi — you know the ones) — bigger, move a lot more air, batteries that seem to last forever. Whatever you land on: moving air makes a bigger difference than it seems like it should.

Neck air conditioners

If you’ve never tried a cooling neck device, they’re genuinely impressive. We’ve had the best luck with TORRAS — instead of just blowing air, they use cooling plates that actually feel cold against the neck. Expensive, painfully so, but they work. If that’s not in the budget, cheaper options like the Arctic Air Neck Chill still give noticeable relief on a long tournament day. It’s the kind of purchase that feels unnecessary right up until you’ve survived one July tournament with it.

Cooling towels

Every kid is different. Some junior golfers love a cooling towel around the neck for the whole round. Mine doesn’t — Cage hates a wet shirt, says it distracts him mid-swing. But he’ll happily keep one in the cart and wipe down his face and neck between holes. Don’t assume what works for one kid works for yours.

Dress for the heat

Some families swear by Arctic Cool shirts or similar cooling apparel; others stick with lightweight moisture-wicking fabric. The brand matters less than the goal — cool and dry, however you get there. Nothing makes golf feel harder than a heavy cotton shirt soaked through by the third hole.

Frozen water bottles: the tournament MVP

Freeze a few the night before, throw them in the cooler. Early in the round, they keep everything else cold. Later, they’ve become perfectly ice-cold drinking water — sometimes with a little slush still in it. Two jobs, one bottle.

Pack cold snacks

Heat takes an appetite almost as fast as it drains energy. Cold fruit is one of our favorites — watermelon, grapes, pineapple, orange slices, strawberries, kept on ice. Refreshing, hydrating, and a lot more appealing mid-round than another warm granola bar.

Cooling hat inserts

A gadget that’s becoming more popular: cooling hat inserts, like the ChillerBody, that slip inside a cap and keep the top of the head noticeably cooler through the round. Your junior probably won’t notice it — until they play a round without one.

Heat hacks from veteran tournament parents

• Add electrolyte powder to a water bottle before freezing it, so it thaws into a ready-made sports drink
• Freeze grapes — genuinely great on their own, not just a cooler-chiller
• Store sunscreen in the cooler; it feels incredible going on cold
• Rotate two hats during the round, so there’s always a dry one