W L
GOLF
WINTER GOLF
BY TOM ATKINSON , PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL few months . Take a hat , snood , and most importantly some warm gloves out with you , cold hands will severely reduce if not eliminate your feel .
2 . Play quicker
This is a great opportunity to practice ' ready golf '. Being out there is a bonus but the often bad weather means you ’ ll want to play quickly . If you ’ re ready , and it ' s safe to do so then play . No one will berate you for getting them around the course in less time .
3 . Use the off-season wisely
Winter golf is here folks , this is a time to take your golf less seriously and just enjoy playing .
Why do I say this ? Winter in the UK affects the efficiency of your game . Golf equipment works better in warmer conditions , both your clubs as well as the ball . The cold reduces the elasticity of the metal in your clubs , resulting in less efficient energy transfer to the ball . What will you notice therefore ? A significant loss of distance with each club .
Chipping also becomes more difficult , the turf becomes softer , the bounce of the club becomes less forgiving then if it gets frosty , the club may even bounce off the surface , it ' s difficult !
There ' s no better time to work on your game than over the winter when scoring is less important . Get some lessons , identify your weak areas and go and improve them . Many places now offer , as we do at Heswall , some superb indoor facilities .
4 . Prepare properly
It ’ s always important to warm-up before a round , but in the winter this is even more important . Your body is starting colder and it will take even longer to be fully golf-ready . Show up early and make sure your body is ready to go , this also helps get your mind right . Stretching will help , hitting some balls on the range before you tee off will help even more .
As you wrap up to face the cool winter climate , you reduce your flexibility because of the clothes you ’ re wearing . This will have an effect on your swing speed , which will also mean that you need to club up . Factor this in , if you think it ' s a 7 , hit a 6 , after all the back of the green usually poses less of a problem to you .
There are a couple of skills you ' ll need to learn . The punch shot is a great way to beat the wind and play strong , have a look back to the ' Stinger ' shot in August ' s edition for a refresher . You ’ ll also need to be confident with the muddy lie shot , this requires very tidy ball striking and the ability to really clip the ball off the turf . Practice these and you ' ll prosper .
Here are a few quick tips , a mini guide to winter golf : 1 . Layer up
Thick woolly jumpers have been replaced by modern materials that are light , flexible and warm , midlayers we call them . Layering up your clothing is definitely the way forward , bulky items will restrict your swing , loss of speed is the last thing you want over the next
5 . Enjoy yourself
Above all , go and get some fresh air , enjoy it , get some feedback from your ball striking but don ' t take your score too seriously , Putting is also much more difficult so you ' ll miss some of your better putts . The world ' s best golfers chase the sun around , there ' s a reason for this !
60 wirrallife . com