Don't Let Winter Weather Defeat You

By: Derek Clements | Fri 11 Oct 2019

SO YOU waken up on Saturday morning and take a peek outside. It is tipping down with rain. Or there is an inch of snow on the ground. You have spent the entire week looking forward to playing golf, but now you are waiting for the inevitable phone call from your mates. You know the one. “Have you seen the weather Dave? Sorry buddy, but I am heading back to bed.”

Do you accept it? Do you simply shrug your shoulders, agree with him, phone the other members of your fourball and look forward to a day’s shopping with your other half? You could do. But there are other options. You have, after all, already been given a pass out. Your other half isn’t expecting you to be under her (or his) feet for five hours. And let’s be honest, if you are going to be sulking because you would rather be playing golf, they would rather you were anywhere else other than moping around the house or trailing after them in a shopping centre when you would rather be anywhere else.

What are your options?

Your golf club will have a driving range. If it doesn’t, there is bound to be one somewhere within striking distance. Now you could just head down there and endlessly hit golf balls on your own, perfecting all your faults. Or you could tell the other three members of your fourball to meet you there. Have a coffee, have a bite to eat and then go out and play some competitive golf on the range. There are lots of ways of doing this, but the best is to pick a partner and go head to head with the other two. Start off by aiming for the 50-yard marker - you each take one shot. If you or your partner finish closest then you are one up. You then aim for the 100-yard marker, and so on. Eventually you will be hitting drivers - rather than giving the advantage to the person who hits the ball the furthest, try to reward accuracy. So, pick a target. The golfer who finishes closest to that target wins that challenge.

There will be practice bunkers. Throw four balls into the sand - nearest the hole wins. And, of course, there will be a practice green, which means you can also have a putting contest.

Who knows? The weather may even clear up and you will be able to go out and play proper golf.

There are other options. It’s winter, so having to cancel rounds is going to happen. Do you and your friends have a contingency plan? Why not join a gym or health club? Winter is a great time of year to get yourself in shape and getting fit can actually be fun. Be sure to seek out a fitness instructor, tell him or her what it is that you want to achieve and ask him or her to work out a programme for you all. And then follow it.

There are also some obvious steps you can take:

Make sure you drink enough water - most of us don’t
Start your day by eating breakfast - too many of us don’t
Ask yourself if you do enough walking. Do you really need to use the car?
Once you have mastered the walking thing, consider doing some jogging - but make sure you have the correct footwear
Buy a bike - and use it
Look after your posture. Most of us slouch when we sit down, and that is bad for your back. Really bad!
Eat fruit - lots of it
Eat more vegetables - they are good for you
Watch your alcohol intake
If you smoke, give up. Easier said than done, obviously, but your doctor will help you
Cut down on the amount of white bread you eat. Starchy food is not good for you
Press-up are good for you. No, really, they are
Stand with your back to a wall and slide down it until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
Eat dark chocolate - it’s better for you than milk chocolate. And it tastes better
Let your body hang from a flexed-arm position. Can you do it for a minute?
Jumping will improve lower-body strength
Buy a medicine ball. Find a sturdy wall. Throw the ball into the wall. Catch and repeat.
Eat nuts instead of crisps