Why You Should Keep Playing Golf This Winter

This is a time of year when many golfers decide to put their clubs into winter hibernation. 

I was born in Scotland. You don’t need me to tell you that the weather north of the border can be unpredictable at the best of times and because of that I learnt to play in all sorts of adverse conditions. So, for me, golf is a sport that I play for 12 months of the year and I want to try to persuade you to do the same.

So what are the benefits of playing winter golf?

Target Golf

The chances are that the greens are going to be wet and that means you can take dead aim and know that the ball is going to land and stop. In the summer you have to judge how far short of the green to land your ball and you can never be certain where it is going to finish up. And there is nothing more satisfying than walking on to a green and repairing your pitchmark - and those of everybody who has gone before you and has failed to do so!

Preferred Lies

Yes, you will walk up to your ball in the winter and probably find it covered in mud but you can clean it and, of course, you have the added bonus of being able to take advantage of the preferred lies rule. And that means you should NEVER have a bad lie on any fairway. It makes it a much easier game.

Fitness

I accept that playing in cold weather is not going to be for everybody but if you can drag yourself out of bed for 52 weeks of the year then you are going to maintain a level of fitness that you would not otherwise achieve if you decide to stay at home and put your feet up in front of the TV. 

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Getting Ready For Better Times

You can console yourself with the fact that although it may be cold you know that there are going to be warmer days ahead. And by playing all year round, you will be ready for the summer season, unlike those who have abandoned their clubs.

As Warm as Toast

In this day and age, there is actually no excuse for being cold on a golf course. You can get thermal gloves and socks, long johns and thermal tops; you can treat yourself to heated gloves; you can buy yourself a heated gilet. And proper waterproofs will keep you both warm and dry.

Preparation

Get yourself down to the driving range. It does not matter what the weather is doing because you will be hitting golf balls from a covered bay. And if you are very lucky, it may even be a heated covered bay. I love the range and make a point of spending as much time as possible there during the winter. An added bonus is that you can go there when it is dark because there will be floodlights.

The Long Game

It stands to reason that if your fairways are wet then you are not going to be hitting the ball as far, purely and simply because you will get little or no roll. That may sound like a no-win situation but you should put a positive spin on it - it will mean that you get the opportunity to practice hitting longer shots rather than constantly reaching for short irons.

Trouble Shooting

Consider this - when everything is wet and soggy, your trademark slice is not going to fly as far into trouble as it would do during the summer because it will land and come to rest more quickly. That means it should be easier to find the ball. In theory!

Positive Putting

The greens during the summer can often be lightning fast. That’s not the case at this time of year. And because the greens are slower it is going to encourage you to be more positive with your putting stroke because you know that you are going to have to hit the ball harder.

Going With The Breaks

At this time of year your putting surfaces are not going to be as smooth and that means that the ball may be deflected off line - this is something we all just have to accept. It doesn’t mean you have hit a bad putt. And it is the same for everybody.

Soggy Sand

I do not know a single club golfer who enjoys playing from greenside bunkers. At this time of year there is every chance that the bunkers at your course may be full of water - and that means you get a free drop out of the sand.

Firm Sand

It is not all about the rain. From time to time you will get to the course and find that sub-zero temperatures have frozen the ground - and the bunkers. While that may not be good news when it comes to greenside bunkers it does make life easier if you find yourself in a fairway trap because it becomes so much easier to pick the ball off a frozen surface.

Sanctuary of The Clubhouse

No matter how cold it is on the course, you know that when you walk off the 18th green that you and your mates are going to be able to walk into a warm clubhouse to thaw out. What could be better?

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