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Winter Golf Tips

So the snow has come, and gone, and come again – it’s Winter golf time here in our area. Here are a few things that you can do to help keep your score down during this time of the year.

Warm-up/Stretch Time

This may sound like a very simple idea, but it is probably the most important thing to remember when we talk about Winter golf. The cooler the weather, the longer it will take your muscles to get loose and ready to go. If you typically hit range balls for 10 minutes before going out, try at least doubling your warm-up to 20 minutes. Also, add some general stretching to your warm-up routine. While some golfers stretch before they go on the golf course, not nearly enough do this on a regular basis. Many of the PGA Tour players stretch for up to 45 minutes before even going to the range to hit balls. Whether you do it at the house before leaving for the course or do it on the range, make sure you stretch your large muscles out to get them ready to go as early as possible. This will help you eliminate the feeling of “finally getting loose” on the 15th or 16th holes.

Choose Your Equipment Wisely

Ok, so you like your Pro V1 – you love your Pro V1. But when it comes to Winter golf, you are not going to see the benefits of that golf ball as much as you will during the Summer time. Try switching up your golf balls – to a lower compression ball (and often a cheaper one as well). Some great suggestions include the Titleist NXT, the Nike Karma or Juice, the Callaway HX Hot Bite, or others that fall into this category. The benefit of the Pro V1 comes from when you can get full compression of the golf ball, making it spin properly and maximizing the distance as well. The lower compression golf balls are easier to compress during the cooler months and will result in longer shots, straighter shots, and more accurate shots. And again, the bonus is that many of these golf balls are cheaper than the elite level golf balls that you play during the Summer months.

Choose Your Club Wisely

The final tip for Winter golf is to choose your club wisely. Not your club maker, but what club you are going to hit. The cooler the weather gets, the less likely your golf ball is to fly as far as it normally does in the Summer. Point blank – your 6 iron is not going to fly as far as it does in the Summer – no matter how well you hit the ball. Take an extra club, possibly two. Keep your ego in check and hit the “correct” club during your Winter rounds and you will have much more success. Many golfers have trouble hitting a 7 iron on a par three when they normally hit a 9 iron to the very same hole during the Summer months. The golfers who control their ego, lower their expectations a bit, and work with the elements will be the golfers who keep their scores lower during the Winter months. And if you think this is not important, remember this…The Virginia State Golf Association has changed the handicap rules this year and golfers in Virginia will be posting scores year-round. This is different than in the past when posting scores stopped after November and didn’t start again until March. This year, every round you play in the Winter will count when calculating your handicap.

Keep your handicap in check and your Winter scores lower by following some of these simple thoughts and we look forward to seeing you on the golf course in March for the first JPC Tour event!!!

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