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How Does Winter Impact Your Game?

JB

JB

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Or any extended break
 
The first (and worst) place rust shows up after any extended break is in my short game.
 
The biggest thing I notice coming back is my hands/touch is pretty awful. Around the greens at the beginning of the year is usually rough.

Another thing is my swing starts out pretty inconsistent
 
Getting my legs back is the toughest part. I walk a ton (20,000) steps per day, but golf course walking is much different.

Basement putting translates well on the course. But it’s a struggle big time with chipping and short iron game feel for the first few weeks.
 
Winter is usually when I play my worst golf. I actually improved this year as I stopped taking so many chances around greens by just putting off tight lies instead pulling out the 60*. Shot a personal best 86 during my last round by simply managing the course… and leaving my 60* wedge in the bag.
 
I play less during the winter due to family travel and the cost of golf in PHX. But my short game gets better because I spend more time at the practice facility. I am usually ready to go in April when the prices typically come down and I can play more.
 
Speed and short game the most
 
So trying to keep my game in shape during the winter actually messed up my game more than when I just ignored golf and went in to last year "cold". I tried the same thing this year. Haven't taken a real swing (besides maybe 20 swings at The Grandaddy) since mid October. Usually my short game takes a hit. Like last year, I was shanking chips for about a week or so. Other than that though, I was pretty solid and didn't lose a ton. I'll be very interested this year how my driver swing goes in the early going. I made a big takeaway change and I'm hoping that it stayed with me after not swinging for a long time.
 
Here in North Texas we don't officially have an off-season and having to report all scores they definitely suffer in the winter and my handicap is the highest it will be all year. Course conditions are at their worst as the grasses used predominately for the fairways goes dormant, so all lies tend to get very tight. Add to that, there is a lot of moisture from either the weather or, in late winter, from the course itself watering to try to promote growth resulting in little roll and a lot of mud being picked up on the ball, shoes and clothes. Then there are the cold temperatures and wearing several layers of clothes that don't help, and, if still cold, finding your shoulders up around your ears promotes a lot of thin shots.

Despite all of that, having lived in the Chicago area for over 20 years, I'll take the poor weather and conditions over not getting to play at all.
 
Tempo goes to crap and can take anywhere from a week to a month to square away again.
 
I usually do not pick up or swing a club during the winter. However, it’s my short game and putting that is affected most.
 
Usually I hit the ball pretty well when I come back. My chipping/pitching and lag putting can be a bit spotty when I first come back sometimes.
 
I had my first round of the season on Friday. Noticed a few things:

  1. Walking 18 holes after multi-month layoffs... was tough. Got home and was exhausted.
  2. Short game and chipping was inconsistent. This one was probably 50% due to layoff and 50% the muddy, soft winter conditions.
  3. Course conditions were pretty bad. We've had a lot of rain lately and the course should've banned carts. You can see the deep tracks they leave behind.
 
95% of my golf is then played indoors. I play almost all of it at a nearby place. Leagues, Tuesday scrambles etc. I get an absolute minimum of 8 hours per week......
 
Extended breaks, because I guess that I’ve gotten used to them due to recurring injury, haven’t been a problem for me. I’m more often than not surprised by my first round back, scoring very well. Swinging easy, low expectations, translates well to golf. Who knew? Shame I can’t maintain, though.

But, winter? Colder weather necessitating wearing layers just crushes my swing. I’ve flaws that I’m helpless to change but I can time-up well enough when unencumbered. When I have to add anything beyond really just a thin and stretchy underlayer, my swing is done. I just lose all sense for it and am sentenced to scrambling. It’s also why, as long as it’s not cold, I won’t wear rain gear. Instead, I’ll just embrace the soak.
 
I go broke. 😒
 
I hit indoors quite a bit during the winter but it takes a few rounds to get used to hitting on uneven ground and out of the rough.
 
I think it’s honestly good for me. It creates an excitement to get back out there and play. It allows me too much time pondering new equipment tho haha
 
I lose momentum over the winter — swing typically takes a step back and touch needs to be rebuilt — but the break is actually kind of nice. It recharges my golf batteries. I love the anticipation of spring and starting the golf season.
 
When winter comes, golf ends for me. For the most part, I don’t play between early mid-October and late April/ early May.

It’s a bummer and my game suffers but, between my work schedule in winter, and the weather, I don’t have the ability to play.
 
Makes me love the game.

I get to spend months missing it and longing for it. I get to play golf swing and tinker indoors. Once the courses open up, I'm chomping at the bit to play and my love never waivers.
 
I need repetition to play well and that’s an issue in winter. That and my hands become really stiff due to arthritis in them that it’s hard to swing well when it’s that cold.
 
Destroys it. Absolutely wrecks it.

Won’t happen anymore with an easily functional indoor setup now, but this last year it broke what at that point was the best I’ve ever played in my life.
 
At times it’s made me feel like a lose momentum but my game is finally carrying over. Took a slightly different approach this year and I feel like I’m in a really good spot for 2024
 
First round back is fantastic, then I slowly regress back to the mean.
 
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