Do you play over the winter?

[berrymoss]

My goal for next year is to get down to a single figure handicap.

I plan on playing/practicing over the winter time. Both on the course and at the driving range.

Obviously if there's snow i will be struggling. But as a relative newcomer to the sport can i play if the course is frozen?

thanks

 

[drawboy]

With a view to getting your handicap down, playing in frozen conditions will not help as putting becomes a nonsense at times. bounces tend to be erratic also. Winter mats are in operation as well as temporary greens unless you play on a really posh course. I view winter golf as just an excuse to get out and breath a bit of good air, not an aid to lowering my handicap. Ranges come into their own in winter for grooving swings for the better weather to come.

 

[berrymoss]

With a view to getting your handicap down, playing in frozen conditions will not help as putting becomes a nonsense at times. bounces tend to be erratic also. Winter mats are in operation as well as temporary greens unless you play on a really posh course. I view winter golf as just an excuse to get out and breath a bit of good air, not an aid to lowering my handicap. Ranges come into their own in winter for grooving swings for the better weather to come.

Sorry. I should also have added that i'm a new member of a links course (Goswick) which is open all year with no mats or winter greens (Ever - or so they tell me )

 

[Hodgie]

I played once a week during last winter with the odd exception as i had just got back into playing again at the end of August and as much as i enjoyed it at the time i now think there were a few rounds when i shouldnt have bothered as the weather was shocking. So for this winter my plan is get a round in maybe once a month and spend the rest of the time at the range and getting a few lessons. Before starting to play again more often from mid Feb in good time for the season starting.

 

[nulassilb]

I don't tend to play much in December and January (work reasons) but I love getting out during the winter when I can. We have been having milder winters of late and our course has been open most of the time and rarely uses winter greens - so winter golf is pretty good. I agree, however, that putting can be a lottery at times and winter golf can keep you going but the course plays so oddly at times that it doesn't always help your game!

 

[rgs]

I will contine to play during the winter, courses play longer due to damp fairways and lower temperatures.

As others have said putting can be a lottery.

 

[RGDave]

Unless you are one of the "bounce-back-after-3-cards" type of player, it's important to keep going over the winter.
Frozen greens are a waste of time (so are temps with bucket holes) but everything else....I'd say worthwhile.

I play well off the mats, and have scooped some big money.
Quite why the rest of div 1 are so crap is beyond me.

 

[Smiffy]

To get down to single figures your putting will have to be spot on. As others have said, winter greens are not particularly brilliant and your putting will suffer as a consequence.
Good luck

 

[RGDave]

To get down to single figures your putting will have to be spot on. As others have said, winter greens are not particularly brilliant and your putting will suffer as a consequence.
Good luck

Is that a yeh, but, yeh, but no, answer?

Who cares about putting if you're hitting 12 GIR?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to only play competitions over the winter as If ind winter golf more trouble than its worth. You can't putt on the temporary greens with any realism and we tend to lose theback nine to sodden fairways if it gets too wet anyway.

I'd rather spend an hour in a heated bay and keep the swing ticking over or work on any changes I've been going through with my pro and then stay in the warm. That said I've been known to go out for a couple of hours onto the practice ground and work on my pitching and putting in the freezing cold.

 

[birdieman]

It is fine to just play a bit so that come April you're hitting the new season running with your golf muscles at least half ready to go.

I would get into the gym and get super fit, its part and parcel of being a good golfer these days and will increase your distances.

Short game wise (pitching and chipping) playing will keep your game sharp. Putting practice is better done on a carpet indoors. Get those 5 and 6 footers nailed with one of those putt returner machines and a putting mirror for correct alignment. Good for developing a very repeatable stroke.

To actually answer your question if the course is frozen then greens will be closed but you might get on if there are winter greens, up to the each club. Regardless hitting off frozen fairways is no fun.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Birdieman

How often do you practice at home on the carpet?

I tried that a few years ago, putting into one of those machines but I have to be honest I found it pretty boring and much prefer a proper green where there are more borrows. Even in winter our putting green is pretty true if not quick but ideal for grooving a repeatable stroke

 

[IM01]

Keep on playing unless it's pishing down...even if conditions are a bit extreme (windy/frosty)makes things interesting and requires a different approach/shots which can only add to your game

 

[birdieman]

Birdieman

How often do you practice at home on the carpet?

I tried that a few years ago, putting into one of those machines but I have to be honest I found it pretty boring and much prefer a proper green where there are more borrows. Even in winter our putting green is pretty true if not quick but ideal for grooving a repeatable stroke

10 minutes twice a week maybe if I'm really bored - not exactly intense . We dont have real greens in winter - all closed.
I have an Izzo putting mirror which lines up shoulders, clubhead path and eye positon over ball - quite a useful bit of kit.

 

[Herbie]

I play in winter, unless conditions are so bad that I cannot.

 

[berrymoss]

Thanks.

As I said earlier, the links course I play at doesn't use winter green or mats. It's the full course all through the winter

 

[Imurg]

I try to play all year. If only to keep the swing going and keep the "match fitness" up. Then you don't take a month to get going at the start of the season. It's also my main form of excercise so I get even mor porky if I didn't!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If the course is open all year then I'd see no reason for not getting out there as often as possible as the conditions will give your game a real examination. There is something rewarding about taking a course on when you know its going to play its full length especially if you can get it round close to your handicap

 

[stevek1969]

I play all year we have no winter greens or mats some holes are longer, to miss the landing areas proper, astro turf tees built into the ground on the par 3s.

Our greens are just as good in the winter as the summer(apart from this year).We also play in the winter league which means we still play acard every week (non counting tho).

Forgot to add if anyone fancies a game give me a shout.

 

[USER1999]

I play all year. Temps, whatever. What else would I do with the time?