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Winter Lessons

SkiBumGolfer

SkiBumGolfer

Tremendous slouch
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Dec 14, 2012
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Location
Pottsville, PA
Handicap
9.7
I know no one wants to think about it right now, but the offseason for many of us is approaching. For us in the Pacific Northwest, we can still generally play with an extra layer or two, but the handicap season is over for 3 or 4 months and the courses get a little soggy and slow. In previous years, I've take this time to take a few lessons and try to improve my swing while I'm not trying to post scores for handicapping, as in my mind it takes the pressure off since the scores don't "count". This offseason, I plan on trying to ingrain some of the good developments I've made in my swing this year, while making tweaks here and there to combat the sneaky little OTT move and hoping to add a little clubhead speed if possible. All of this under the eye of an instructor, maybe a lesson or two a month.

Does anyone else prefer the inactive season as a time to make swing adjustments and improvements? Share your plans for offseason improvement.
 
That's what my pro does. Summer lessons at the range involve short game practice and target focus. Winter time we head indoors to work on my swing with the flightscope. Although we've been working on my swing lately to get ready for #staffproto.
I like this system.


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last 2 golf seasons I've walked most rounds. Now I'm down to 205lbs, which I haven't been since high school 20+ years ago. Seems I always gain that weight back over the winter, even with playing around 40 hockey games. So my goal is to stay in golf shape. Not big on gyms, so unsure what this will entail yet.
I also have my indoor hitting area in my house, and do plan on taking lessons again this winter, as it for sure dropped 5 strokes off my game this season. I was lucky and found a good instructor that knows I will practice, and practice to get what he's teaching. He's not afraid to challenge me. I'm estimating I've put in 300+ hours hitting indoors the past two winters, and don't see that changing this winter.
 
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I usually just head to the heated outdoor range at a local private club that's open to the public and hit some balls. It's nice to swing while there's snow on the ground, even if only a couple times/month.
 
Move down to SoCal Ski and we can tee it up year round man
 
That's what I've traditionally done. Winter = swing work with an instructor. It is great because the range is always open and very few people are at the course. Plus, you tend to hit the ground running when the official season starts up again.
 
Awkward silence said:
Move down to SoCal Ski and we can tee it up year round man
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Haha oh don't worry we can play year round here, it's just a little chillier! The blessing in disguise is that the courses are usually uncrowded, so you can always get on and play pretty fast.
 
I plan on continuing my progress this winter, but I haven't yet decided if I'm going to drop the coin on a lesson plan or not. I think if I do it will be purely focused on my tee game.

I generally hate hitting off mats and getting lessons off of mats just doesn't jive with me.
 
I plan on taking some, but more towards the latter part of winter like starting in Feb-Mar hoping to be going in the right direction for the spring.
 
ArmyGolf said:
I plan on continuing my progress this winter, but I haven't yet decided if I'm going to drop the coin on a lesson plan or not. I think if I do it will be purely focused on my tee game.

I generally hate hitting off mats and getting lessons off of mats just doesn't jive with me.
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I don't love mats either, but IMO the fundamentals don't change no matter what you're hitting off of. There's still plenty of value in a lesson given on mats, so long as you ingrain that with work on the course as well.
 
This off season, I am going to work hard on building club head speed. It has been sagging for me recently, and I really want to get the numbers back up there again.

Hopefully working with the professionals at the winter golf school here will make some significant improvements with my game.

In all seriousness, some of the courses here could be shutdown within the next 2 - 3 weeks, so winter practice is creeping up pretty quickly.
 
As far as golf goes, I'm not always happy to live in Texas due to the heat of the summer, but in the winter I'm sure glad I live here! There's really only a few days each winter where we get snow/ice and can't play.
 
I haven't taken many in the offseason because it's usually to cold to work on the game. This year maybe different if the guy at the range does an indoor sim for rent or I decide to make the drive to a decent range with heated bays
 
This offseason i don't think i will do much as far as golf goes. I do plan on focusing on strength training, and getting in better shape overall. Now that i am down to normal weight, i would like to build more muscle.
 
I ice fish and work on clubs in the winter. I'd rather hold out and not do anything to work on my game until it is spring and go time.
 
Well, SkiBum, I plan to go to my local driving range a couple times a week, take a tune up lesson every six weeks with my pro in Tacoma, and if the weather isn't too soggy or too cold, I might go out to Lake Spanaway or Allenmore and play a round or three. They're saying we're not going to have too wet or cold a winter. We'll see about that. This is the Pacific NW. Like the weather? Wait 5 minutes.
 
I typically take advantage of the off season to take lessons and work on my swing. I'm happy with where my swing is now so will generally use this off season to get back in shape.
 
InTheRough said:
Well, SkiBum, I plan to go to my local driving range a couple times a week, take a tune up lesson every six weeks with my pro in Tacoma, and if the weather isn't too soggy or too cold, I might go out to Lake Spanaway or Allenmore and play a round or three. They're saying we're not going to have too wet or cold a winter. We'll see about that. This is the Pacific NW. Like the weather? Wait 5 minutes.
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Yes, but similarly - if you hate the weather, wait 5 minutes hahaha
 
I will be heading back to lessons this off season again. Indoor lessons are almost a must when it comes to the off season. We get about 5 months of unplayable weather and cabin fever is a real possibility here if you golf.
It also gives you a running start toward next season. Your swing is good and you start playing at mid season or better form right off the bat. I can't think but that an indoor program with at least a few clean up lessons to get things back in shape would help a lot when you can't get out and play.
 
Just got the lesson plan I bought in the spring extended until this time next year, glad to be starting back up.
The inability to play/practice much this year I feel has diminished my results.
 
Michigan Slice said:
Just got the lesson plan I bought in the spring extended until this time next year, glad to be starting back up.
The inability to play/practice much this year I feel has diminished my results.
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Nice dude im going to be looking into something myself here real soon
 
I took a series of lessons with an instructor over the winter last year, and it was probably the best thing I could have done for my game. It really gave me time to work on some of the swing issues I had, without feeling the urge to get out and play. Let me focus on the changes I needed to make.

I'll probably do the same this year, and maybe focus a bit on putting, which has been my downfall this year.
 
I need to find a new pro to work with down here. Going to try to get that sorted this week. I plan to take a few lessons this winter. I should still be able to get out a bit, but I want to get a pro I can work with steadily, hopefully.
 
mpeterson said:
I took a series of lessons with an instructor over the winter last year, and it was probably the best thing I could have done for my game. It really gave me time to work on some of the swing issues I had, without feeling the urge to get out and play. Let me focus on the changes I needed to make.

I'll probably do the same this year, and maybe focus a bit on putting, which has been my downfall this year.
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Did u have a spot somewhere to work on the findings from the lessons? Thats where i struggled 2 winters ago...take leason then hard to work on tweaks since cant swing Club indoor
 
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