When the clocks go back and the nights start drawing in, you know that the weather is about to turn if it hasn’t already. That makes a round of golf, all that bit more harder as you are adding a battle against the elements to the list of things to contest with around the 18 holes. However, it’s not all bad as we take a look at some of the more positive ways to approach winter golf from around the web and our own thoughts too.
Get Your Clothing Right
There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing – so the Swedes say anyway. With this in mind it’s a fine balance between keeping warm, keeping comfortable and being able to move properly. You need to have clothing that doesn’t restrict your swing but has breathability and a base warmth so that you are comfortable. Take a look in the Midlands Golf Superstore here at Four Ashes and the guys will be able to give you advice on clothing and more.
Mum was right, hat and gloves are a must
While the layers can be taken to a technical level, you can’t beat a good hat and pair of gloves to keep you warm. We lose a lot of the heat from our body from the top of your head so that’s an easy way to stay warm. As for the gloves, well there’s nothing worse than trying to get your grip right with frozen fingers!
Halve your round
If a full 18 holes is just too much when it’s cold and wet then look for a good quality nine hole option instead. You can probably get round in a couple of hours so it’s not as gruelling and if you pick your timing right, you could still catch the low lying sun and make the most of the little bit of sunshine.
Three-sy does it
If you’re just looking for a quick challenge that still keeps your game at a good level then think about a par 3 course. There are some really good courses that might not be as easy as you first think and it definitely keeps you on your toes. It’s a different challenge and a different style to a full course but just enough to ensure that you get a good golfing workout
Make sure your ball stands out
Yes we know that most of the time a yellow ball would be found on our driving range but a high viz yellow ball makes it easier to find if you’re digging around in leaves or even a heavy frost. Nearly all of the ball manufacturers make a quality version of their balls in yellow so it’s not difficult to get hold of them.
Keep your body warm
It’s very much about endurance on a round of 18 holes so the last thing you want to do is put your body at a disadvantage. With this in mind, don’t drink alcohol because it lowers your body temperature. Instead drink a couple of cups of coffee or green tea which raises the body temperature and this will help you as you play.
Get ready for when it’s warmer
If playing a round isn’t too appealing through the winter months, you can still practice on our driving range and our pitching area too. For a low cost of a bucket of balls you can practice your drive into the evening on one of our 28 floodlit bays. With our Power Tees, you don’t even have to bend down to put your ball on the tee. You could also take in some lessons to brush up on your technique, our expert golf pros can work on everything from little niggles in your style to starting from scratch. If you get too cold while you’re doing that, we serve Costa coffee literally a few steps away in the café/bar or you can enjoy a pint afterwards.
Get social
Playing in the cold and wet can be a gruelling exercise so make sure that you have someone with you. It is a sociable sport after all and if you are playing with someone else it can help to inspire and push you. It makes it so much more difficult to give up if someone else is there pushing you on.
Look out for competitions
There will be golfing events and competitions that run throughout the year so if you need some extra motivation to play, a competition could be the answer. If you think you’ve got a chance and the prize is worth winning then it’s a great way to motivate yourself to get out there and keep playing all winter.
Keep your balls warm
Cold balls don’t fly as well as warm ones so use two balls on your round and alternate using them on each hole. Keep one in your pocket while you use the other one and then keep swapping them. It’s simple but will make a difference!
So there are plenty of ways to make winter golf a bit more pleasant. At the end of the day, if you really love playing then there is always a way. You could always book a trip abroad if you really want to play a round in the sunshine but if not, these tips and everything we have here at Four Ashes Golf Centre can certainly help.