Swapping indoor golf and the driving range for an occasional winter round has proved great fun, writes Northern Golfer editor Dean Bailey
Given the horrendous winters we’ve gone through over the last couple of years, it was all too easy to abandon thoughts of playing golf on turf for six months and circle a March return on the calendar.
However, with some milder conditions this winter, I’ve loved being able to venture out on the golf course more often and appreciated everything these rounds have thrown at me.
A mix of locations is still required in wintertime in northern England – whether it’s the driving range or indoors – but there’s nothing like grabbing your clubs and walking the course.
I’m not going to go as far as playing in sub-zero conditions, or when the ground is frozen solid – those days are behind me – but I’ve had great fun getting out with a pencil bag for 10 holes when there has been a little bit of winter sunshine.
It’s important to not take winter golf too seriously. Depending on where you’re playing, the course will be shorter and softer than normal, and there may be winter rules in force. None of this should bother you – it’s a small price to pay to get outside and keep your game ticking over.
None of us should be out there trying to emulate tour players in the Middle East or Hawaii. Nor should we expect to break records wearing a wardrobe’s worth of gear.
This is the time of year when golf is full of little moments of joy rather than long-term ambitions and grinding out a score. Enjoy the moments like driving the green on a shortened par four, or spinning it back into the hole on a soft green.
The camaraderie out on the course is also different at this time of year, and that should be embraced as well. It’s still a bit too cold out there, so don’t make it miserable as well!
For those who enjoy the competitive edge of winter leagues and the like, I hope you’ve made the most of it this year and have a final or a prize to pick up in the weeks ahead.
Winter golf isn’t about the quality of every shot you play – there are few great prizes remembered for decades which are fought over in January and February in our part of the world. It’s about getting out there, staying warm, and remembering that you could be walking around a supermarket instead.
Embrace the conditions, wrap up warm, relax a little, enjoy a very different challenge on the golf course, and make the most of the final weeks of winter.
Spring is just around the corner!
