How to Protect Your Golf Course This Winter

With the 2023 golf season coming to an end, a cold and bitter winter is slowly approaching, which will drastically change the experience of playing this game.

Golf clubs also target the winter months as the ideal time to make renovations to the course as it will typically be quieter as opposed to peak summer.

Below, we explore different ways you can protect your golf course this winter - which will make it even stronger as the 2024 season kicks off.  

Carrying Golf Clubs

The likelihood of buggies being on during winter months is minimal, as they cause damage to the ground during wetter conditions. Considering this, a lot of golfers will decide to rent out trolleys with winter wheels or even buy one of their own.

Whilst winter wheels are undoubtedly more friendly towards the golf course, they can still cause damage to the playing surface. If you wish to keep your course in as good condition as possible, you should try carrying your golf clubs.

Of course, it won’t be possible for everyone to carry their clubs and we appreciate that. However, if you’re able to manoeuvre your clubs around the layout, then we highly suggest you trial this method. As an additional bonus, you’ll burn off more calories and gain more from a fitness perspective if you were to switch to carrying your clubs this winter!

Replacing Divots/Repairing Pitch Marks

This isn’t exclusive to the winter period as it is vitally important that you replace pitch parks and replace divots every time you play golf - regardless of the weather. When we take golf shots, we typically take a piece of the ground with us that is known as the divot, which needs to be replaced immediately.

If you don’t replace your divots, it takes the affected area a lot longer to grow back and become healthy again. Which, in turn, will diminish the quality of the course - so it’s particularly important you continue to replace your divots.

When evaluating the quality of a golf course, we always consider all aspects, but the quality of the greens is at the forefront of our attention. Splendid greens that exude championship quality are maintained to an expert standard, but the responsibility of their long-term health is also with the golfers. A green with plenty of pitch marks ruins the experience for subsequent players, as well as annoying every member of the greenkeeping staff.

Respecting Club Decisions

For a collection of avid golfers, the worst storm of the century will not keep them away from their favourite hobby. Whilst we must admire their relentless passion, there’s also a time to listen to the club and respect any decision that they make regarding playing rights.

If a course is waterlogged and boggy in areas, the club may make the decision to suspend play for the day. Whilst this is undeniably a frustrating experience, the decision would have been made to protect the course for the long haul - which will keep members happy during the season!

If you’re someone who relies on a golf buggy, please check ahead with the club before playing for the day as wet weather typically results in no buggy usage. Save yourself of the disappointment and find out before you depart for the course.

Patience

Although the pace of play should improve ten-fold for a large majority of clubs in the winter, it’s also an ideal time to make course improvements ready for the upcoming season. If you see parts of the course closed for maintenance, it is essential you follow the guidelines that you have been given.

Considering the winter period will likely produce the least amount of footfall, it is the ideal time for clubs to invest into their product and make it even better for the following golf season. Remain patient with your club and understand the long-term benefits of completing work during quiet times.

Financially Supporting The Club

We already know that golf clubs won’t replicate their revenue compared to seasonal times, which is why they need our help more than ever during the winter. The course will generally be quieter and this also includes the driving range and other practice facilities.

Considering this, we should continue to support our golf club by playing or practicing, but the level of aid does not stop there. Even if you don’t fancy tackling the bitter cold, you could head to the club for a spot of lunch or even a few social drinks. Golf clubs tend to fall on hard times during the winter period, but if we all contribute, we can help lessen the financial damage.

Using Temporary Tees

No golfer likes the sight of temporary tees, but you can understand why they are used during the mucky, winter months. Tee boxes are typically maintained to a pristine standard, but maintenance during the colder period becomes difficult when huge divots are coming out of the ground.

Temporary tees are used for a reason: to protect tee boxes from adverse weather. So, if you see a temporary tee box in action, please respect the club’s decision and take your tee shot from the mat. You’ll be surprised how many golfers will bypass this instruction, which makes the job of the greenkeepers more difficult.

The winter period is a brilliant time to play golf, but there are also restrictions that should be followed flawlessly. Moreover, the off-season usually produces cheaper green fees, which would normally reflect a diminished golf course due to ongoing renovation.

If you continue to golf in the winter, then we hope you start to unlock lower scores. However, one thing that is more important is the health of the golf course and ensuring everyone’s experience remains enjoyable and pure!

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