We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Winter Golf, Practice and Goals

I dont think I am going to play at all. Just pack up the sticks and enjoy the family.
 
I have a heated range and go to the sims when I get the itch. I am going to practice the heck out of my putting. Get a nice comfotable stroke that repeats all the time. That ought to drop a few shots...
I do like to hit balls once or twice a week. I know they do not go as far but it sure is fun watching ball flight and replaying all those troublesome holes from summer.
 
I'm still going to play most of the winter. As long as it's in the 40s, I'll still get out and play. I'm planning on getting a few more lessons from our club pro to work on the swing change he has me doing. Besides that, I'll just be practicing and playing a little. Luckily, we don't have much of a winter here.
 
It's been over 3 weeks since my last swings. Snow has made it's more permanent presence here, about 2-3 inches. On the horizon though, is a Xmas break road trip to South Carolina/Georgia way. It'd be so cool to meet some THPers and perhaps get a round in. My wife and I are leaving the village Boxing Day morning, arrive in Columbia, SC or go a couple more hrs. to Atlanta, GA., evening of the 27th. I see about 3-4 days of golf for me, then we'll make our way up the coast towards D.C., Maryland. That'll be my golf fix 'til spring time.
 
If there is NO snow, I will play if the temps are above 40-45 Degrees. Otherwise it's:
1.) indoor putting (on my BirdieBall Putting Green)
2.)Chipping off my carpet
3.) Hitting the range which has covered/heated bays.

It's not ideal but thats what you get when you live in the snowbelt of Massachusetts.
 
Probably going to work on muscular strength, no winter golf for me!!!
 
This is my first winter in Ohio and we have a really nice, "golf dome". Its got hitting bays, as well as a little chipping area and a practice green. Im looking forward to going there a couple times a week and keeping my game in shape.
When I lived in Wisconsin, all we had was a range with outdoor hitting bays and space heaters. It was OK and was better than nothing but when its 10 degrees, even space heaters dont help much.
 
I have high ceilings in my garage, high enough that I can swing irons. I bought a practice matt and a Medicus iron and have started working on my swing with that practice tool just about every night.

I go to the range @ once a week (covered) and hit balls. I don't hit a ton of balls, this is mostly meant to be feedback to confirm how the at home work is going, and also to get some work in with the woods.

Usually the weather isn't so bad in Portland that we can't golf during the winter, its just that it is cold and wet enough that a little extra motivation is needed (also, a willingness to lose balls that plug and can't be found), so I occassionally get out and play on a nearby executive course.

We bought our kids some children's clubs for Christmas. I am interested to see how this plays out. If it goes according to plan I'll take them out to the short game practice area on the weekends - which should be completely open this time of year - and introduce them to the game by working backwards from the hole (putting > chipping > pitching). If this actually comes to fruition this could be a new element of my winter plan.
 
Out here, winter just makes the day shorter and start out a little cooler. The only thing you have to avoid are the winter storms which will bring rain for 4-5 straight days which is what we are about to get this week. I continue to try to play a round at least once a week and work on short game at least one evening a week after work. In between that I hit balls into my net in the yard or garage, depending on the weather.
 
Above freezing and little to no wind, I usually go and play.
 
Canio said:
There was already 1/2" of snow when I left for work at 6am this morning. We expect 3-6" today. So my golf days are for the most part over for the winter.

I expect to take some GolfTec lessons and be able to practice at their indoor facility after the first of the year. There may be a couple of weekends of moderate temps, enough to play, but not too many.

The fairways and greens will be rock hard, so as others have said, you adjust what clubs you play and how you play. More indoor putting until you get bored out of your mind watching football and putting!!! At least the beers will help that!!

Then, the football season ends. Bored, bored, bored. Work on your clubs if you can. Feb, most of March (sometimes all) and into April before you can actually play a round.

One vacation in Feb or March to see friends in NC. Yea, I can take my clubs!!! Then, back to northern NJ.

I don't see how our 'to the north' friends do it. Oh yeah, they have hockey. Oops, not this year, yet. I guess those curling clubs will be full to overflowing!!! LOL.
Click to expand...

Curling is awesome! Apart from that I live in the golf dome in my city. I go almost every day.
 
As this is my first winter playing (since I was "reborn" back in June), I'm at the point where I'm itchin' to play no matter the temp. Had the opportunity to play a round yesterday with my Dad, and though it wasn't my best day, it was definitely enjoyable. A 10am tee time found us teeing off at 36 degree temps and frost hardened fairways/greens. Though the frost had melted, the greens were especially fast (faster than I had anticipated). By the turn, it was almost a balmy 50, and conditions were softening/warming up. Just getting out and playing, and not having frozen fingers was a plus. Deflinitely played a few more bump and run type shots.

(a skulled shot is a form of bump and run, correct?)
 
dadoffive said:
As this is my first winter playing (since I was "reborn" back in June), I'm at the point where I'm itchin' to play no matter the temp. Had the opportunity to play a round yesterday with my Dad, and though it wasn't my best day, it was definitely enjoyable. A 10am tee time found us teeing off at 36 degree temps and frost hardened fairways/greens. Though the frost had melted, the greens were especially fast (faster than I had anticipated). By the turn, it was almost a balmy 50, and conditions were softening/warming up. Just getting out and playing, and not having frozen fingers was a plus. Deflinitely played a few more bump and run type shots.

(a skulled shot is a form of bump and run, correct?)
Click to expand...

sure is, but the run is just lightning fast lol
 
There is a couple of courses near me that are open whatever the weather!!!! But this winter im not going to stop like last year im going to double my efforts on my swing and really groove my swing. Next year I really want to join a club and enter some comps.

What I have been doing lately with my pro is learning every aspect of my swing and where it needs to be so I can spot what im doing wrong, So i dont need to pay someone everytime summit is broke. for example last weekend I was hitting fat and I didn't know why turned out my takeaway was slightly inside the line. now I understand where my club needs to be and more importnantly I need to be during my swing im hoping to push on theid winter.

My main goal though is to get my father-in-law hooked after we brought him some clubs for christmas.
 
Playdough said:
Above freezing and little to no wind, I usually go and play.
Click to expand...

This. We were lucky last year... I usually try to play or make it to the range every week or so. Obviously the weather can impact this. This year I think that I am going to try and incorporate lessons to my regimen as well.
 
I still play through the winter as long as the temps are above 40*. Of course with daylight savings I can't make it to the course/range during the week, so my practice dwindles. I mainly work on putting indoors or go to golfsmith to hit clubs at night and days that are too cold for outside activities.
 
you dont need to practice Junior. your that good
 
Great thread Ryan. This is the time of year where I'll camp out at the range. I got an honest evaluation of my game and I really need to get serious about a few parts of it. Putting and wedges are the focus this winter, maintenance on the other parts but hard work on the short stuff. I'm tired of mediocrity.
 
I'm lucky in that I have an indoor mat and net. The two things I really need to work on this winter are 1. Maintaining my spine angle throughout the swing. 2. Having my hips rotate ahead of my shoulders through impact. Right now there is not much separation between them at all at impact.
 
I haven't touched a golf club since September! Ughhhh.

But I'm about ready to start some winter practice. I struggled toward the tail end of my season but so much of it was just a lack of practice/reps. I'll hit up our super awesome golf dome and start working 2-3 days a week. Need to really work on my ball striking with my driver and long irons this winter.

Might finally pull the trigger on some GolfTEC this winter/spring as well.
 
I'll be doing a lot of work on my short game through the winter. There's a couple courses that stay playable that I'll get out to. It's really just the heavier rain that I have to worry about keeping me from getting out for the most part. I'll practice my swing in the garage and putting in the living room at nights then hit the range or course on the weekends.
 
I will put more time in on the range than on the course this winter, although the winters here in georgia are not as brutal as the north but high 30's here with a breeze is brutal for us southerners .
 
During a typical winter, I play in an indoor golf league on a pretty good simulator.
That helps keep my swing loose and somewhat close to ready to play in the spring.
This year though, I will be rehabbing my shoulder from the surgery I had in October.
The doc said 5-6 months before I could play golf, but I am doing my best to shorten that time and prove him wrong.
 
My winter golf plan is to continue with my indoor-home putting practice, but I'm committed to improving my swing by eliminating the early extension/casting/early hand release problem. I'm convinced that it is causing me real consistency problems with all of my irons especially and also sucking the distance out of my driver. I have about 4 months to do this and I'm starting this coming Sunday with an instructor with an indoor facility. Yay!
My goal is to hit the 2013 spring golf season running and ready to lower my scores.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top