Winter v Summer

[Mrs Wiggles]

I recently had a discussion with someone regarding the handicap rules, although I am still a little unsure. From what I understand all players are to give cards in after every social game, and at my club the new screen as been installed in order players can do so. I think this is a great idea, and may help go towards stopping all the squabbling that goes on at present. The problem is that handicaps may now vary considerably from summer to winter. I presently play off of 16, and during the summer months I was achieving this quite easily. I now find myself playing on a wet course in the cold with strong winds, and hitting 16 has become almost impossible. I honestly believe the difference over 18 holes has put at least 6 shots on to my average handicap. The question is, what difference do you think the winter months make to your golf ?

 

[cliveb]

I honestly believe the difference over 18 holes has put at least 6 shots on to my average handicap. The question is, what difference do you think the winter months make to your golf ?

I tend to agree that scoring well is more difficult in winter. Wet soggy ground punishes poor contact mercilessly. Couple that with the loss of distance, and it makes things tough.

Mind you, the first time I ever broke 80 was in January. So go figure.

 

[TheDork]

Are you finding winter harder than summer ? Winter for most will be much easier, shorter course, forward tees, no rough which usually means no lost balls.

 

[HankMarvin]

Are you finding winter harder than summer ? Winter for most will be much easier, shorter course, forward tees, no rough which usually means no lost balls.

Totally agree with the above, winter golf is so much easier you just need to read the “ I played today thread” loads of great scores posts at this time of year and in the summer you don’t read that to often

 

[Mrs Wiggles]

Are you finding winter harder than summer ? Winter for most will be much easier, shorter course, forward tees, no rough which usually means no lost balls.

We obviously play on very different courses. Our course is exactly the same length, and we don't have winter tees, our rough is presently dreadful, as the green keepers inform us it is too wet to cut. Oh, and I forgot, the greens are like putting on a mine field.

 

[duncan mackie]

I recently had a discussion with someone regarding the handicap rules, although I am still a little unsure. From what I understand all players are to give cards in after every social game, and at my club the new screen as been installed in order players can do so. I think this is a great idea, and may help go towards stopping all the squabbling that goes on at present. The problem is that handicaps may now vary considerably from summer to winter. I presently play off of 16, and during the summer months I was achieving this quite easily. I now find myself playing on a wet course in the cold with strong winds, and hitting 16 has become almost impossible. I honestly believe the difference over 18 holes has put at least 6 shots on to my average handicap. The question is, what difference do you think the winter months make to your golf ?

Start with your first premise.....because it's incorrect.

Basically, absolutely nothing changes under the initial implementation of the WHS; Q comps and supplemental cards as signed up for before you head out.
Exactly the same as today (although cat 1 equivilent players - there are no cats going forward - get to be able to submit supplementals ahead of the current terms)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We obviously play on very different courses. Our course is exactly the same length, and we don't have winter tees, our rough is presently dreadful, as the green keepers inform us it is too wet to cut. Oh, and I forgot, the greens are like putting on a mine field.

I share some of this. We play the same length course so its currently playing as long as it can. The rough is thick and heavy and so finding a ball and then advancing it is a problem. The sand in the bunkers is wet and heavy. On the plus side our greens are holding up well and still putting around 9 on the stimp and pretty true. Definitely not an easy proposition and I far prefer summer golf especially with some warm sun on my back

 

[jim8flog]

I recently had a discussion with someone regarding the handicap rules, although I am still a little unsure. From what I understand all players are to give cards in after every social game, ?

Where did you get this idea from?

When the World handicap System comes in during 2020 it is proposed, in the UK, you will still only be able to submit scores from Supplementary Rounds (as present) Qualifying Competitions and from Society rounds which are run as 'formal' events.

 

[jim8flog]

When you play any competition at any time of the year the effect on your handicap is based upon the competition standard scratch which will vary according to the conditions and how well the whole field plays and will generally be different winter to summer so you are expected to play to worse in winter compared to summer.

 

[Wolf]

Is there any real difference winter v summer unless you play in really bad conditions. I find generally speaking as long as its a dry day the course is no harder to play. If anything it makes approach play easier.

The ball doesn't fly as far due to the air pressure but most places have forward tees which normally makes up for that fact and softer greens means can be more aggressive.

I guess it's horses for course so to speak but, generally speaking play very much your own game as normal with a bit extra club and you should be near enough around handicap more often than not

 

[duncan mackie]

Is there any real difference winter v summer unless you play in really bad conditions. I find generally speaking as long as its a dry day the course is no harder to play. If anything it makes approach play easier.

The ball doesn't fly as far due to the air pressure but most places have forward tees which normally makes up for that fact and softer greens means can be more aggressive.

I guess it's horses for course so to speak but, generally speaking play very much your own game as normal with a bit extra club and you should be near enough around handicap more often than not

Good summary.

The variation in conditions on any particular course at any particular time may suit some better, and may create challenges for others. In exactly the same way as some courses themselves play easier, or harder, to different players and their capabilities, at any time of year.

 

[patricks148]

Winter is much easier IMO, shot course, no rough and slow greens.

Even shows in the scoring in the Dunbar winter stablefords, summer 37 points would win, at the moment 40+ scores off 3/4 handicaps

 

[Imurg]

I find that the lack of run is compensated by the fact that you can go for pins knowing the softer greens will stop the ball.
In summer, the extra run enables a shorter iron into the green...
Swings and roundabouts really

 

[Grant85]

Certainly inland courses in Glasgow I’ve played through winter months play far easier at this time of year. Especially if temp greens are on. As others have said, generally the rough is cut back to let some air into the grass and the tees are forward to protect the main tees through wet winter months.

Not uncommon to shoot in the 50s net and not win the sweep.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Is there any real difference winter v summer unless you play in really bad conditions. I find generally speaking as long as its a dry day the course is no harder to play. If anything it makes approach play easier.

The ball doesn't fly as far due to the air pressure but most places have forward tees which normally makes up for that fact and softer greens means can be more aggressive.

I guess it's horses for course so to speak but, generally speaking play very much your own game as normal with a bit extra club and you should be near enough around handicap more often than not

Sorry but I disagree. We don't have forward tees so our whites will by and large be more or less where they are in summer so the course plays as long as it can. That means longer clubs into greens and if you miss target your playing from wet sand in bunkers or chipping from muddy lies. Add in wet semi-rough and penal rough and its as hard as it gets. Last comp I played (Nov stableford) div 1 was won with 37 points and div 2 on 36 and I was second on 34. CSS was 72 (SSS 70)

 

[garyinderry]

Do you play clean and place during the winter?

 

[Wolf]

Sorry but I disagree. We don't have forward tees so our whites will by and large be more or less where they are in summer so the course plays as long as it can. That means longer clubs into greens and if you miss target your playing from wet sand in bunkers or chipping from muddy lies. Add in wet semi-rough and penal rough and its as hard as it gets. Last comp I played (Nov stableford) div 1 was won with 37 points and div 2 on 36 and I was second on 34. CSS was 72 (SSS 70)

I did say generally speaking most course Homer, that does mean there will be some exceptions to that rule such as yours.

Plus you mention winning score is 37 points which is still an under handicap score, yours was within buffer as well even if you take CSS out of it and used purely SSS. I'd suggest knowing that fact alone despite the length of course and rough that it wasn't playing that much harder or if any harder at all, unless you have a lot of much lower scoring in summer. Which if you do have scores a lot lower than this more often then without having played your course I'd say based on the scoring mentioned its probably playing as it should more often in winter than it does summer.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I did say generally speaking most course Homer, that does mean there will be some exceptions to that rule such as yours.

Plus you mention winning score is 37 points which is still an under handicap score, yours was within buffer as well even if you take CSS out of it and used purely SSS. I'd suggest knowing that fact alone despite the length of course and rough that it wasn't playing that much harder or if any harder at all, unless you have a lot of much lower scoring in summer. Which if you do have scores a lot lower than this more often then without having played your course I'd say based on the scoring mentioned its probably playing as it should more often in winter than it does summer.

Without trawling back through HDID and checking I couldn't give you a factual answer. However if you leave this example aside and taking it from a purely personal perspective, it feels tougher. I feel there is more pressure on hitting target, especially greens as the short game becomes far harder from muddy lies, wet sand and wet grass. Add in gusty winds and a lack of roll off the tee and I find it far harder to compile a good score

 

[Wolf]

Without trawling back through HDID and checking I couldn't give you a factual answer. However if you leave this example aside and taking it from a purely personal perspective, it feels tougher. I feel there is more pressure on hitting target, especially greens as the short game becomes far harder from muddy lies, wet sand and wet grass. Add in gusty winds and a lack of roll off the tee and I find it far harder to compile a good score

That's completely fair enough it being a personal thing and I can totally understand where you're coming from with that as it's generally colder meaning less carry, softer underfoot meaning less rollout, and short game has to be a lot more aggressive due to slower conditions which some people do struggle with.

I'm intrigued by your building a score point though, out of interest do you go out there with a number in mind of what you need to or want to score? Do you put pressure on yourself to make a score instead of letting the round develop naturally?
I've often found winter is much like any day your playing in a comp with a card in hand, the mental barriers go up because we assume its automatically harder or we have to hit a number. Personally I don't go out chasing a number, I prepare myself before each shot to be consistent and try to trust myself to execute it as well as I possibly can, if I hit a bad shot accept walk on then start the process over again for the shot at hand. I find that allows me to focus on the shot I'm hitting at that time and not on what the number is going to be at the end and invariably it looks after itself.

 

[GOLFER1994]

Only started playing again after a long break towards the end of the summer and already cannot wait for the spring to arrive! Course is playing quite a bit shorter which is favouring the older lads i play with and with teeing up/placing you are looking at 42+ points to even think about top 4.
I personally have not found it any easier with the weather as i am finding myself playing less and my rounds tend to be more just to get out on the course rather than compete however I do still enter the comps and put in my cards.