PREPARING FOR WINTER GOLF
W L
GOLF
PREPARING FOR WINTER GOLF
BY TOM ATKINSON , PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
So the winter is here , and it feels to golfers like it has come around quickly this year ! You need to keep playing during the off season so you can hit the ground running come spring . That said , let ' s make sure you are prepared for winter golf .
Start with your clothing . Make sure you layer up , base layers , polo ' s mid layers and gilets are the perfect way to keep warm without restricting your swing too much . Single bulky layers won ' t do you any favours , and can ' t be removed as easily as you warm up . Your hands are the most important asset in winter , so keep them warm with gloves and mittens , you must not also discount snoods and woolly hats .
Change your footwear to something waterproof , and with plenty of grip , stability is important for your golf swing and dry feet will be crucial .
Chipping around the greens can be tricky in winter , my best advice is to take the element of chance out of it where possible , what does that mean ?
A ball coming in from any sort of height will be reliant upon how it bounces , if at all . Some greens may have wetter pockets throughout them , meaning little or no bounce upon landing , this is a game of Russian roulette .
Take the chance out of it by running the ball across the surface , look to the lowest lofted club possible as a first choice , the highest loft as a last resort ! Here you can see the loft difference between my 58 ° and my 8 iron .
You can now get hold of your favourite golf ball in a brighter colour , this will help you identify it through the darker skies and amongst the leaves around the course so think about making the switch . Some of the best players in the world now play yellow balls .
It ' s even more important to warm up thoroughly in the winter when your muscles and joints are cold , stretches , star jumps , jogging on the spot will all get the blood flowing . As is always the case , some warm up shots before you play will help massively .
And so to the golf , the ball WILL NOT travel as far in the winter , the colder air affects the aerodynamics of the balls flight , not only that but there will be no roll on the ball once it lands , this is the perfect opportunity to club up , most amateur golfers won ' t hit enough club through the year let alone the winter , so take one or even two more than you think you need , you will be amazed as to how many more shorter putts you will have , not to mention that the trouble is invariably short of the green !
Go out and enjoy the winter as best you can . It can be great for improving your ball striking and your shot making skills . Embrace it . Good luck .
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