Set Yourself These Winter Golf Targets

Many golfers decide to hang up their clubs when the clocks change. I am a masochist - I keep going all year. There are times when it can be a pretty miserable experience but I just love this game, all the more so because I have this year returned to our beloved sport after an injury-enforced break. 

I hated not being able to play golf because of ongoing pain in my shoulders. But then a strange thing happened. I retired from full-time employment in January, meaning that I no longer faced up to 10 solid hours sitting in front of a laptop. The pressure of meeting daily deadlines was gone. And although I still have some twinges, the pain that had been so debilitating has largely disappeared. 

I have joined a golf club, become fully immersed in the senior section, reached the final of the seniors matchplay and have just won my first seniors monthly medal. I have played some team golf, joined the seniors committee, helped to organise the Captan’s Charity Day - and I am loving it.

So there was never any chance that I would be taking a winter break.

I would strongly urge you to set yourself some targets for the winter months. You may be surprised by what you can achieve at this time of year. None of what follows is rocket science but I firmly believe it will help you to enjoy and improve your golf.

Open Days

Myself and three playing partners have entered an open day. Obviously, at this time of year there are no guarantees with the weather but we are taking part in a best-three-from-four stableford that is costing us just £20 and includes coffee on arrival and a meal and prize presentation at the end of the day. We have committed ourselves to entering at least one of these every month until the clocks change. Quite apart from anything else, I believe that playing competitive golf on a regular basis can only help to improve your standard of play.

Bargain Green Fees

This is the perfect time of year to play courses that might otherwise be beyond your budget during the summer months. At this time of year many iconic courses are desperate for your business and will be slashing their normal green fees. Get on the internet and start doing some searches. I guarantee that you will be pleasantly surprised.

New Courses

Most of us can identify courses that we have thought about playing - why not do that now?

Golf Trips

Why not use this time of year to get together with some mates and organise a UK golf break? Resorts that would normally charge you around £200 for an overnight stay, bed, breakfast, evening meal and two rounds of golf will be slashing their rates. Before you book, check whether you will be playing on winter greens and teeing off mats. It is also worth checking to see if they have any other activities in the event that the weather prevents you from playing. It’s always good to have a back-up plan. Resort courses will give you a warm welcome at this time of year - they want your business.

Follow The Sun

At this time of year we all long to feel some heat in our bones, so why not consider a foreign golf break? The weather in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Malta and Cyprus remains pretty temperate all year round and at this time of year you are certain to be able to find some genuine bargains - start out by checking out Golfbreaks! 

Play More

It is all too easy at this time of year to stay in bed when it is cold outside. There are days when all of us waken up and just don’t feel like getting out there. But here’s the thing - from personal experience I can tell you that if you make the effort, once you are out on the course you will find yourself wondering why on earth you ever considered not playing. Personally, I play at least twice a week and have at least one proper session on the driving range. And if one of my rounds is cancelled because of the weather I will head to the range instead, often with at least one of my playing partners. It is a simple matter to have competitive sessions at the range in order to keep your game sharp - this could be three balls to see who can finish closest to the 100-yard marker or three balls to see who can hit the longest drive. It is not quite the same as playing 18 holes of golf but it does keep the competitive juices flowing.

It's Fun

It may be cold, the wind may be blowing but is there anything to beat being out on the golf course with your friends, making fun of each other, sharing stories and battling to keep track of your score? And at the end of it all, you know that you will be heading to the sanctuary - and warmth - of the clubhouse to share more laughter and plan your next round?

Lessons

Why wait until the warm weather returns before booking a series of lessons? Winter is the ideal time to work on your game. Speak to friends who have lessons and identify a local pro who has a good reputation as a teacher and go and see him. Then head to the range and work on what he has taught you. It means that when the days get longer you can get out on the course and impress your mates with your new skills.

Work on Your Game

You may decide that lessons are not for you. That’s fine. A good alternative is to spend more time at the driving range during the winter. You will know the weakest areas within your game. Those are the areas you should be focusing on. For the life of me, I cannot understand why so few club golfers work on their short game - if you can get up and down on a regular basis, get out of bunkers and putt consistently well then your handicap is going to come tumbling down. Use this time to improve your short game. It’s all about practice, practice, practice!

New Equipment

Most club golfers traditionally wait until the launch of new equipment in the spring before changing their clubs. Why would you do that? Winter is when you are going to find the best bargains as retailers cut the cost of clubs and other golf equipment. You may even be able to save hundreds of pounds on a set of custom-fitted clubs. Once again, the internet is your friend here. It is also the time of year to ensure that your waterproofs are fit for purpose and that you have enough warm clothing. Why not invest in a pair of thermal gloves? Or a heated gilet?

It is possible to keep playing golf all year. And if you genuinely want to improve your game I believe that some or all of the above will set you on the right track. Enjoy your golf!

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