Winter Practice vs Playing

[Birdie2]

Hi All,
Wanted to get some other views on this. I'm thinking of not playing at all this winter and using Saturdays and Sundays for practice only during the winter. The thought being, it's a good time to work on swing changes etc. Maybe play once every 2/3 weeks. Anyone else do this and seen the benefits?

 

[User101]

I've been considering the same, and I suspect there will be a far bigger benefit to your game come the season, as long as the conditions you practise in are fine, our place is pretty frozen just now, so probably no benefit at all.

 

[shortgame]

I'm mostly doing this mate with only the occasional game out on the course

Working on technique

Was getting a bit stale ouf on the course so hopefully come the Spring the swing will be better and I'll be hungry...

No guarantee though

 

[Hobbit]

Seriously thinking of doing the same, until mid Feb and the move to Spain. We've got a driving range and a very good practice area. I'd rather spend 30mins there hitting 100 balls than 4hrs freezing out on the course, hitting, e.g. 14 drives.

 

[Birdie2]

Thanks All, I'm not going mad then!

 

[patricks148]

i'm of the opinion that winter gold isn't really about the golf, its a walk and catch up with mates. i would rather wonder around for 2 and half / 3 hours having a Craic, than hitting frozen balls.

 

[guest100718]

i'm of the opinion that winter gold isn't really about the golf, its a walk and catch up with mates. i would rather wonder around for 2 and half / 3 hours having a Craic, than hitting frozen balls.

yeah i played today with friends and had a good laugh. its all about getting out and enjoying the day and sometimes the golf isnt to bad

 

[HomerJSimpson]

With the OP here and would rather work on the swing changes and improve the short game and only play every few weeks to get feedback on the course how the work is progressing

 

[chrisd]

I went out in a 3 ball today, we had a fun round in frosty cold conditions. But then I can practice any time in the week

 

[duncan mackie]

i'm of the opinion that winter gold isn't really about the golf, its a walk and catch up with mates. i would rather wonder around for 2 and half / 3 hours having a Craic, than hitting frozen balls.

Exactly.

Put another way, the answer to "why you play golf at all?" will lead to the answer to what to do in winter!

 

[jim8flog]

The social side of the game is every bit as important as actually playing so the decision is easy for me, play with my mates.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The social side of the game is every bit as important as actually playing so the decision is easy for me, play with my mates.

More than happy to work on my game for a few hours and then retire to the bar and join my friends that have been out and playing, have a laugh in the warm.

 

[Dasit]

I am overhauling my swing with lessons all winter.


Plan is to not play for a month and just practice the swing. Practicing short game and putting seems a waste in the winter as the ground is frozen or muddy etc just general rubbish condition.


Hoping by the time the weather starts getting better in early spring the swing will be improved, obviously big project but right time of year

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I will continue to play all through the winter, as I always do. I don't though worry about medals or scores, and concentrate on any game changes and having a laugh and fun. I have no intention of increasing time spent at a range, with their harder mats because of the cold, bashing the arms and doing probable damage to the forearm and wrist tendons (as I have done before).

 

[Blue in Munich]

Not sure about not playing, but certainly upping the practice by taking advantage of a local driving range offer; unlimited balls, curry & a pint for £15. :thup:

 

[3565]

I went on our practise ground for couple of hours then went to play 9 late on. Always good to play to see if the changes make any difference on course, as you've not got the wide open space of the range.

 

[Hobbit]

More than happy to work on my game for a few hours and then retire to the bar and join my friends that have been out and playing, have a laugh in the warm.

If you're going to practice for "a few hours" you might as well go out and play. Surely that's no change from a summer regime.

 

[Digger]

I actually don't mind the winter on course, preferring a nice cold morning to slugging it around in 30 degrees in the summer. It's the short days that keep me off the course more than the weather, so Winter golf for me consists of a Wednesday evening at the range, and this is more a social thing than serious practice, (breaks the working week up and stops me bouncing of the walls at home with cabin fever) and either a Saturday or Sunday morning round if it's not wet and windy!

 

[PJ87]

Spent £295 on my “winter” practice (will last a lot longer and will prob save me money) driving range finally did their double top up of credit (had just broken into the real £50 I spent from when I last doubled) so put £100 on my card doubled to £200.. then spent £195 joining the little 9 hole course that’s attached to the range.. lasts a year but just means I can practice real course situations aswell.. so far I’ve played 3 lots of 18 round there.. almost had the place to myself in the most.. so if I want I can just practise certain distances

I think it’s £295 well spent as will prob last until next November

Summer evenings down the little course after work to keep the golf bug satisfied when it’s a week of earlies but not light enough to get a full round in

 

[Imurg]

I think range time is overrated
You're playing from a perfect lie on a mat with nice right angles on it that make it easy to align yourself. Also there's no pressure on the shot.
Grass ranges are often sodden at this time of year and if you're spending hours on there, you may as well spend hours on the course- playing real situations that will affect your next shot and your score.
Playing from real lies makes you think - p!aging from a mat doesn't.
That's not to say range time is useless but give me a choice of range time or course time and I'm feeling up on the first...
You learn to hit balls on the range, you learn to play golf on the course.