I lost so much distance over the winter

[Capella]

The weather has been exceptionally nice the last week or so and I also joined a second golf club which is much closer to both my home and my workplace, allowing me to go out and play and practice more during the week after work. Now, I know I have been lazy this winter. While I did go out to play 9 holes with my Mom once a week whenever the weather allowed, that was pretty much all the exercise I got. The last two years I went to the gym during the winter months, but this time I just couldn't be bothered (I moved last year and the gym is a lot further away now).

So now that I am back out on the course in relatively nice conditions (I know it is not summer yet, but seriously, the weather has been so dry and sunny that there are no excuses to be found there), I notice that I lost ten to twenty yards of distance all through the bag. I hit balls on the range of the new club yesterday and I was striking it relatively well, but everything came up so short that I asked the local pro if they use flight reduced range balls (which would have been possible, since their driving range is relatively short). But his answer was "no" (and he had real trouble to keep from laughing ), and when I later went out on the course to play a few holes, I had to agree with that assessment. It wasn't the range balls. I teed off with my 25° hybrid, a club that normally goes at least a bit over 100 m for me (carry), put a really good strike an it and saw my ball splah into the water hazard at 80 m.

Now, I am using my old clubs at the moment (I have two bags, one with my current set which I keep at my home club and one with my old iron set and the abovementioned hybrid which I use at the new golf club so that I don't have to drag be bag back and forth) and unfortunately, that hybrid is the longest club I have in that bag. Now, playing golf when your longest shot is 80 m is no fun. Especially not on a course that plays 5700 yards off the ladies' tees.

I would be less worried if I just did not hit it well. But as I said: I was striking the ball fine, they were good golf shots, nice height, good ballflight, even a bit of draw ... they were just sooo short. Like miniature versions of good golf shots.

I can just hope that the length will come back with more practice again (it is not as if I was a monster-hitter before, I always struggled to hit greens in reg, but at least I had an outside chance on the shorter holes). Next winter I will definitely go back to the gym (I could do it now, of course, but I know that with spring just around the corner, when I have the choice between going to the gym and going to the course, the course will always, always win ...)

 

[pendodave]

That's tough.
If it were me, I would really be working on increasing club head speed as a priority.
The first step might be to gee one of those little clip on devices to give you an accurate measure of progress. Being able to measure something is the first step to improving it.
Secondly, just practice swinging the club head fast on practice swings. It gets the juices flowing and let's your muscles get used to being quicker.
Good luck

 

[Junior]

Congratulations on joining your new club !! It sounds like you'll be playing a lot more golf this year

Don't worry about Winter distances. I find that i'm a club, maybe a club and a half shorter in Winter. It was the same at the weekend and the weather was glorious here too. Whilst it appears Sunny , the air is still cold and there is zero run. Also, i find that I am far less bendy in Winter I put this down to a combination of hating gyms, an extra layer of clothing or 2, and aging bones. Therefore my swing is no where near as fluid as it is in Summer. Enjoy your new club !!!!

 

[patricks148]

The weather has been exceptionally nice the last week or so and I also joined a second golf club which is much closer to both my home and my workplace, allowing me to go out and play and practice more during the week after work. Now, I know I have been lazy this winter. While I did go out to play 9 holes with my Mom once a week whenever the weather allowed, that was pretty much all the exercise I got. The last two years I went to the gym during the winter months, but this time I just couldn't be bothered (I moved last year and the gym is a lot further away now).

So now that I am back out on the course in relatively nice conditions (I know it is not summer yet, but seriously, the weather has been so dry and sunny that there are no excuses to be found there), I notice that I lost ten to twenty yards of distance all through the bag. I hit balls on the range of the new club yesterday and I was striking it relatively well, but everything came up so short that I asked the local pro if they use flight reduced range balls (which would have been possible, since their driving range is relatively short). But his answer was "no" (and he had real trouble to keep from laughing ), and when I later went out on the course to play a few holes, I had to agree with that assessment. It wasn't the range balls. I teed off with my 25° hybrid, a club that normally goes at least a bit over 100 m for me (carry), put a really good strike an it and saw my ball splah into the water hazard at 80 m.

Now, I am using my old clubs at the moment (I have two bags, one with my current set which I keep at my home club and one with my old iron set and the abovementioned hybrid which I use at the new golf club so that I don't have to drag be bag back and forth) and unfortunately, that hybrid is the longest club I have in that bag. Now, playing golf when your longest shot is 80 m is no fun. Especially not on a course that plays 5700 yards off the ladies' tees.

I would be less worried if I just did not hit it well. But as I said: I was striking the ball fine, they were good golf shots, nice height, good ballflight, even a bit of draw ... they were just sooo short. Like miniature versions of good golf shots.

I can just hope that the length will come back with more practice again (it is not as if I was a monster-hitter before, I always struggled to hit greens in reg, but at least I had an outside chance on the shorter holes). Next winter I will definitely go back to the gym (I could do it now, of course, but I know that with spring just around the corner, when I have the choice between going to the gym and going to the course, the course will always, always win ...)

i'm sort of in the same boat, went for a fitting recently and my driver club head speed has dropped some 10MPH. But ive found i'm hitting the ball out the middle more so less speed doesn't always equate to less distance. Also ive been using a soft compression ball this winter and haven't suffered any of the usual drop of in distance due to temperature and air pressure

 

[jim8flog]

The warmer weather is an illusion. If the balls have come straight out the bag they will take time to warm up.

I still reckon on being about 10 yds down on iron distance the past few days and I play regularly.

 

[Orikoru]

If you haven't played or been to the gym for a couple of months it could just be a flexibility issue where your muscles have tightened a bit. Few weeks of getting back into and it should hopefully return.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I took some premium balls out on Friday as it was warm and the course was drying out. Granted I swung it particularly poorly but I couldn't believe how much distance I was losing compared to something like a Callaway supersoft or AD333 which is what I have been using this winter. Yes I know they are different but the drop off was huge which had to be down to ball striking (or lack of). Did make me wonder if I need to give premium balls a miss until the height of summer when it's warm and bone dry to get the most from my game and maybe I've done myself a disservice switching to them as regularly as I have. Maybe a good 3 piece type ball (AD333 tour etc) gives me all I need. This is probably taking the thread in a different direction so sorry to the OP. I hope she enjoys her second club, can get the ball speed up and can find some extra distance

 

[Carpfather1]

I took some premium balls out on Friday as it was warm and the course was drying out. Granted I swung it particularly poorly but I couldn't believe how much distance I was losing compared to something like a Callaway supersoft or AD333 which is what I have been using this winter. Yes I know they are different but the drop off was huge which had to be down to ball striking (or lack of). Did make me wonder if I need to give premium balls a miss until the height of summer when it's warm and bone dry to get the most from my game and maybe I've done myself a disservice switching to them as regularly as I have. Maybe a good 3 piece type ball (AD333 tour etc) gives me all I need. This is probably taking the thread in a different direction so sorry to the OP. I hope she enjoys her second club, can get the ball speed up and can find some extra distance

I been using srixon ad333 all winter they’ve been impressive for a cheaper ball but with the weather changing I’ll soon be back on my usual standard pro v1s which I’ve played as long as I can remember I don’t know why I just play better using a pro v1 it’s prob in my head but I got so much confidence teeing one up ,I do create a lot of spin though so can struggle with height sometimes .

 

[Jamesbrown]

Could be a path issue. Over the top or getting stuck causes a significant drop.

 

[cliveb]

I'm used to losing some distance in winter, but this year it seems to have been much more pronounced than usual. Anyone else feel this?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm used to losing some distance in winter, but this year it seems to have been much more pronounced than usual. Anyone else feel this?

Yes. Even when I was playing half decent between Christmas and January I still felt I'd lost distance off the tee, even with firm makes of ball. Assumed it was just me, but there seems to have been a definite drop off. No idea why and temperature wise it hasn't been too different to other withers and hasn't been overly wet so not just landing and stopping

 

[Capella]

I'm glad to hear it is not just me, then. In my personal case I really blame the fact that I did not go to the gym this winter. I was really lazy and did not get much exercise of any from in. And even the few rounds I did play were usually limited to 9 holes. Also, our course normally has temporary greens from December to about March (which do make the holes quite a bit shorter, so a drop in distance is not that notable), but this winter, because it was reasonably dry and frost free, they left the regular greens open most of the time.

 

[bobmac]

Are you hingeing your wrists on the backswing?

 

[Capella]

Are you hingeing your wrists on the backswing?

Yes (at least I think so). I normally take the club away about a foot or so and then start hinging on the way up. I could be early releasing that hinge, though.

 

[bobmac]

Yes (at least I think so). I normally take the club away about a foot or so and then start hinging on the way up. I could be early releasing that hinge, though.

It could be, that would explain the loss of distance.

 

[Capella]

It could be, that would explain the loss of distance.

Thanks for the hint. I'll keep an eye out for that, maybe I can try to film my swing when I'm on the range the next time..

 

[Sweep]

I think a lot of people lose a little distance over winter when we don’t play as much. We forget how to hit a ball to our maximum potential and our bodies need a little practice to get it all back in sync.
It may be that you are not using your body enough. Sometimes when I come back after winter my swing is more arms and it’s surprising how much length is added by using my body and turning properly.
I wouldn’t worry too much. Once you are playing more it will soon come back. You just need more practice.

 

[garyinderry]

Try a slightly longer backswing.


Sometimes people's swings can get incrementally shorter and shorter and lose some power that way.

Turn the power on late on the down swing. Don't rush it once you have made that longer backswing.


My current thoughts which is working well with the driver.