Playing better during winter/autumn

[timd77]

Is this a common thing?

Last year I was useless during the peak months, spring and summer. Come the colder wetter seasons I played well every week and ultimately won the winter league.

Today I broke 80 for the first time scoring 78, and even then it should’ve been 75 (left 2 putts on the lip/ jaws, and missed a tap in.

I’ve always dreaded winter. Whilst I’ll generally play though it, I definitely prefer playing in warmer weather.

Does anyone else have the same phenomenon? Is this a thing?

 

[Orikoru]

Absolutely no chance of that for me. My scores are vastly worse in winter with the all the muddy lies around the greens, less roll on tee shots, sand in bunkers being rock hard, etc.

 

[KenL]

Yes, I find golf easier over the winter.
My course is a lot easier as the rough is all cut back. It is also much easier to get the ball near the hole when pitching as the greens are not as firm.
Another thing is that I play several opens over the summer and it is rare for me to play well in those.

 

[Hobbit]

Us amateurs rarely hit the ball straight. Having less run sometimes means the ball doesn’t run off the fairways. Shorter rough & tees forward helps too. Fliers aren’t as destructive as the ball sticks when it lands instead of bouncing well through.

 

[Mel Smooth]

I'm playing pretty well at the moment but don't think there's a noticeable difference between winter and summer. Quite a few of our Yellow tee positions do shorten some holes considerably which helps me as they are on the cusp of my GIR range on at least two - so in the summer it needs to be rolling well for me to get a look at going for the green - which obviously isn't always guaranteed in the north of England on a course built on farmland.

 

[timd77]

Couple of very good points regarding the run out and softness of greens. The rough’s still pretty much the same but slightly wide drives maybe aren’t finding the trees as much.

I’ve always taken the view that every October/November I need to adapt my game to deal with the winter conditions, but maybe it’s the other way around, I need to learn to play in summer conditions!

 

[Backache]

Our winter conditions vary too much to make a firm statement. Generally it is easier to find a ball in the rough as it has died back.. Reduced roll makes the course play a bit longer though frozen ground can reverse this and shortly we will go onto winter tees which are shorter. Our greens are better in the summer. Wet ground is generally more difficult to play off though a mat if good quality which will shortly be compulsory is a very forgiving surface to play from.
Must say I rarely count strokes during winter play, usually matchplay.

 

[Oddsocks]

A lot of winter scoring IMO depends on how the course is set up and the condition that the course sits in through the winter.

My old course, thee tees were a lot further forward meaning easier approach shots from closer to the green, very receptive true greens and rough cut right back. Winter comps/roll ups needed 45pt on a good day to be in contention or 40+ of it was windy / heavy rain.

My new course isn’t a lot shorter off the yellows, I think the length will be voided by the loss of run which I like. Yesterday greens were very true although maybe 2-3 lower on the stimp but 38 won div 2 and 40 won div 1 with someone who is long off the tee so clearly not much gain

 

[jim8flog]

Years ago my drops in handicap were during the winter and my rises in summer.
I put this down to softer greens in winter making distance control a lot easier.

 

[Swango1980]

Is this a common thing?

Last year I was useless during the peak months, spring and summer. Come the colder wetter seasons I played well every week and ultimately won the winter league.

Today I broke 80 for the first time scoring 78, and even then it should’ve been 75 (left 2 putts on the lip/ jaws, and missed a tap in.

I’ve always dreaded winter. Whilst I’ll generally play though it, I definitely prefer playing in warmer weather.

Does anyone else have the same phenomenon? Is this a thing?

Are you still playing on a full measured course. Or is it winter tees and/or greens

 

[Slab]

I see rough mentioned a few times already. Are we talking length of 1st/2nd cut or the stuff beyond that

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Looking back I seem to score better late summer and autumn

Right now the course is playing well , greens are softer and are more receptive but then the fairways are softer and a little longer so courses maybe playing longer

Maybe people have had a summer of putting in work and it comes together etc

 

[Backache]

I see rough mentioned a few times already. Are we talking length of 1st/2nd cut or the stuff beyond that

On our course often both.

 

[timd77]

Are you still playing on a full measured course. Or is it winter tees and/or greens

Full course at the moment, no changes yet. The course dries pretty well so it’s all still firm, just not summer firm.

When I referenced winning the winter league, that was on a shortened course mainly, which I realise will make it easier (although you can argue that you lose a lot of distance).

 

[patricks148]

Playing Links courses in the North of Scotland is definitely easier in winter than summer. Soft slower greens with less break and even the Hardest ball stopping on the green if you are using mats. Again if you are using mats pretty much anyone can spin and stop the ball off a perfect lie every time. Shorter course with less or no rough. Nairn over winter at times was 5 or more shots easier in winter.

 

[Swango1980]

Full course at the moment, no changes yet. The course dries pretty well so it’s all still firm, just not summer firm.

When I referenced winning the winter league, that was on a shortened course mainly, which I realise will make it easier (although you can argue that you lose a lot of distance).

In terms of winter league, if the course is shortened significantly, that would help the higher end handicappers (slope doesn't change in practice, but in reality, a much shorter course would give a lower Slope if measured officially).

Also, the skills the lower handicappers have in thinks like approach shots and putting can be neutralised (especially putting) if greens are in bad condition. Whereas, higher handicappers who miss who are poor putters and miss a lot of putts, the bad greens doesn't really cost them too many shots relatively speaking.

Could be other factors of course, personal to you. Maybe preferred lies give you more confidence in ball striking? Maybe you are comfortable playing in colder wetter conditions, whereas other players face a bigger mental battle? Or other areas I've not thought of

 

[sunshine]

I always seem to play well in autumn.

Part of it is down to me, I just seem to find a more consistent swing at the end of summer. Maybe because golf in spring / summer is often disrupted by holidays and driving the kids around, but then September - October I seem to play more and the weather is pretty good.

Part of it is the course. Starts to soften up and becomes much easier to hit approaches in close, chipping and pitching becomes easier. The rough is less penal too. Yes we lose distance off the tee with no roll, but this isn't significant on a parkland course.

 

[clubchamp98]

In terms of winter league, if the course is shortened significantly, that would help the higher end handicappers (slope doesn't change in practice, but in reality, a much shorter course would give a lower Slope if measured officially).

Also, the skills the lower handicappers have in thinks like approach shots and putting can be neutralised (especially putting) if greens are in bad condition. Whereas, higher handicappers who miss who are poor putters and miss a lot of putts, the bad greens doesn't really cost them too many shots relatively speaking.

Could be other factors of course, personal to you. Maybe preferred lies give you more confidence in ball striking? Maybe you are comfortable playing in colder wetter conditions, whereas other players face a bigger mental battle? Or other areas I've not thought of

Yes .
The bobble theory comes into play in winter.

A good putter get it online 8 out of 10 puts if he gets a bobble either way it will miss.

A poor putter who misses the line 8 out of 10 has a chance to hole the put if it bobbles towards the hole and brings the ball back online.

Not scientific but is definitely true atm.

I find chipping and pitching hard in winter just guessing where to land it.

 

[SatchFan]

Swings and roundabouts for me. I'm a short hitter so the extra run I get in summer means it's easier for me to reach the longer par 4's in two. The greens in autumn and winter are far more receptive and I just find it easier to judge with pitching and chipping, so scoring is pretty much the same all year round.

 

[jim8flog]

As someone else reminded me - lift, clean and place in winter makes quite difference.