Now that the winter months are upon us, I wanted to share some tips with you to help you score well and enjoy the game.
Lots of layers – OK, it might sound like a no brainer, but wrapping up warm is a must for when the colder weather arrives. To help keep you at the perfect temperature, wear several layers rather than one thick, bulky one. This will help you stay mobile, and you can add or remove layers to stay at the right temperature.
Play the yardage you are hitting that day – When the weather is cooler and wetter the air becomes thicker and denser, so the ball won’t travel as far. If you hit your 7 iron 150 yards on a hot summer’s day, be fully prepared to see that same club fly 135-140 yards in the winter. Warm up on the range and try to gauge how far you are hitting the ball that day.
Adjust your clubs – A lot of modern drivers and woods are adjustable. You might consider playing around with the loft and weighting to maximize ball carry, as with wet fairways you will lose distance from lack of roll. A golf simulator is the perfect place to do this. Try adding some loft if you can and add weight to the bottom of the club. These will both promote a higher ball flight and more carry. There are a lot of factors to consider here though. Your personal swing, driver head, shaft and ball will all affect the outcome of a drive.
Get a grip – With wetter ground, it can be easy to slip mid-swing and make a mess of things. Make sure you have shoes with sufficient traction. Golf shoes are more affordable now than ever and comfier to wear. So staying as steady as a mountain goat has never felt so good on the feet.
I hope these tips help you stay on the fairways and greens during the next few months. Stay warm, have fun and have a great Thanksgiving!
Photo Credit: Photo by Ard Hesselink at Flickr Creative Commons.
During the inclement WInters in some countries, WInter rules are introduced to allow for variations in conditions. These ‘rules’ are often (in UK) between November to March.
For example, temporary greens may be used while the regular greens are reseeded. These temporary greens are usually a little nearer, allowing for the ball not travelling so far in cold weather.
If you ball plugs in a soggy fairway then you would be allowed to lift it, clean it and replace it within about 6-8 inches of its original position. You are allowed to do this to clean your ball on the fairway, as mud is often a culprit in winter.
If you are standing in casual water and it seeps above your shoe sole, you can drop the ball elsewhere (nearest point of relief and a clubs length)
These extra ‘winter’ rules just make the game more playable in adverse conditions.
Some great rules knowledge Elijah, thanks.
I played many Winter matches in the UK when I was younger. Things can get really interesting when the ground freezes and the bounces become somewhat unpredictable! 🙂
Lots of people are there who cannot live without doing their favorite activities in their daily schedule. Even i am also one of them who loves to play golf wherever i can. So if i went for any tour, i always try to set up things in a way that i can play golf while i am on trip or while traveling also.
Mostly i prefer to arrange my trip with the best travel agents who also take care about my hobby of playing golf. They suggest me nearest and best golf club from my stay.
Hi Tom,
Great you enjoy playing golf in winters. Though I’m not a golf fan, guess Good for you then. I recently published a post about some driving and car maintenance tips in winter season at : http://safe2drive.ca/winter-safety-tips . Would appreciate if you can give some feedback on this. And also, it’d be great if you can share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter.
Enjoy reading your blog.
With Regards.
Great insight. It is true- the more specific you make your goals, the more likely you are to reach them!