Good News for Cold Weather Golfers...

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

The Winter Solstice has come and gone!!!  We just passed the shortest day of the year and from now through late June, daylight will be getting longer.  That means golf season is just around the corner.  

 

Sorta...

 

Kinda...

 

Call me an optimist....

 

 

Everything you need to know: December solstice 2014

December solstice

 

December solstice 2014 is coming up this Sunday, December 21 at 23:03 UTC. Celebration time!

 

Sunlight on Earth, on the day of the winter solstice. The north polar region of Earth is in 24-hour darkness, while the south polar region is in 24-hour daylight. Gif via Wikimedia Commons.

Looking for this? NASA quells rumor: Days of darkness in December 

Late dawn. Early sunset. Short day. Long night. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year. Meanwhile, on the day of the December solstice, the Southern Hemisphere has its longest day and shortest night. This special day is coming up on Sunday, December 21 at 23:03 UTC (5:03 p.m. CST). A fun fact about the coming solstice is that it occurs within about two-and-a-half hours of a new moon. No matter where you live on Earth's globe, a solstice is your signal to celebrate. Follow the links below to learn more about the 2014 December solstice.

 

[wbealsd]

So, I'm not the only one that celebrated this weekend

[hckymeyer]

Come on John, you already know it's going to be sometime between March and May before we get to play again.  That's about a month and half down and somewhere between 4-6 to go.

[Kenny B]

Come on John, you already know it's going to be sometime between March and May before we get to play again.  That's about a month and half down and somewhere between 4-6 to go.

What's this "before we get to play"? John's going to San Diego.

[ZenGolfer]

Its supposed to be 60 degrees here in Ohio on Xmas eve.  Winter?  What winter?  Not that Im complaining.  I will be glad when March gets here and the warm weather is here to stay though.  

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Come on John, you already know it's going to be sometime between March and May before we get to play again.  That's about a month and half down and somewhere between 4-6 to go.

 

Told you - I'm an optimist. As far as I'm concerned spring is right around the corner....

 

A trip to San Diego doesn't hurt, though...

[wbealsd]

Told you - I'm an optimist. As far as I'm concerned spring is right around the corner....

 

A trip to San Diego doesn't hurt, though...

Nor, does a trip to Orlando

[hckymeyer]

Sometimes I hate all of you

[Kenny B]

Nor, does a trip to Orlando

I went to Orlando in mid-January 2007 to play golf and froze my ass off! Had to buy a sweater.

[wbealsd]

I went to Orlando in mid-January 2007 to play golf and froze my ass off! Had to buy a sweater.

Compared to January in "Sunny South Dakota," playing in a sweater is definitely a step up - lol

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Sometimes I hate all of you

 

Those who dare learn to live with slings and arrows...

[JBones]

I celebrated by playing today.  Didn't hit it great, but scrapped out a +1 71.

[Kenny B]

Compared to January in "Sunny South Dakota," playing in a sweater is definitely a step up - lol

No, that was in addition to my rain jacket and rain pants! I think the temperature was in the low 40's, about the same as at home! However, it probably wasn't as bad as you had it. My friend lives in Chillicothe OH and at that same time, he said it was -2 degrees.

[markb]

My last round of the year in Northern Utah was on the 20th.   I forgot to take my bag of balls that I keep in the toasty house and had to play with cold stones left in the car.   Drives went at least 15 yards shorter, more like 20.   Now it has finally snowed, so we're done for 2014.

[revkev]

It's supposed to be 80 here today.

 

Signed,

Suffering for Jesus in Florida!

[MattF]

Sometimes I hate all of you

 

Hate me too...I'm going to Florida in February for a week. 

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

It's supposed to be 80 here today.

 

Signed,

Suffering for Jesus in Florida!

 

It's rough work, Rev - but I know you'll take this one for the team! 

[revkev]

Truth be told I'm suffering because today is my normal day to play and I can't - too much work to do so the 80 will go to waste on me.

 

Of course the nice thing about here is there's always tomorrow or in this case - Friday.

[hckymeyer]

I've got 4 hours booked on the simulators for Monday.  It's not quite the same, but it's better than a poke with a sharp stick.

[dru_]

I'm planning to play 3-4 rounds in the next 10 days.  All probably in the mid 50's

 

[revkev]

I've got 4 hours booked on the simulators for Monday.  It's not quite the same, but it's better than a poke with a sharp stick.

 

I learned to embrace the simulator when I lived in Sheboygan - Believe it or not it was very helpful for my short game - you can't really "feel" what's going on so you have to learn that knee to knee produces a pitch that will fly and roll out a certain distance and then adjust longer or shorter accordingly.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I learned to embrace the simulator when I lived in Sheboygan - Believe it or not it was very helpful for my short game - you can't really "feel" what's going on so you have to learn that knee to knee produces a pitch that will fly and roll out a certain distance and then adjust longer or shorter accordingly.

 

Just bought 5 hours of time at a heated/sheltered driving range in Chaska -- Groupon deal for $69.  At least I can see how badly the swing has deteriorated over the past month or so....

[dru_]

Barbajo, I feel for you.  My swing is in shambles as my fitness levels are changing with the massive ramp up in base work for next summer's Ironman races. Keeping myself from turning my hands over as my core strength and flexibility has come up so much....  Just UGLY....

[hckymeyer]

Just bought 5 hours of time at a heated/sheltered driving range in Chaska -- Groupon deal for $69.  At least I can see how badly the swing has deteriorated over the past month or so....

It's 36 out and the snow has melted so i hit a few 7i's into the 12th hole from the back yard and it felt great.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

It's 36 out and the snow has melted so i hit a few 7i's into the 12th hole from the back yard and it felt great.

 

Oak Marsh was open today -- have half a mind to try and play.  The other half won out though...

[Blade]

Last week it was in the 50s and 60s here in the Denver area, but too busy with work to think about playing. Haven't played since early August and not because of weather obviously. Ridiculous. And now after moving, I don't have a back yard to hit balls back and forth or a golf room anymore. Geez, what did I get myself into?

[markb]

My last round of the year in Northern Utah was on the 20th.   I forgot to take my bag of balls that I keep in the toasty house and had to play with cold stones left in the car.   Drives went at least 15 yards shorter, more like 20.   Now it has finally snowed, so we're done for 2014.

 

Speak of the Devil -- and the snow melts!

 

Rained Saturday, snowed Sunday, course open again on Tuesday.   Man, I love Utah.   Mid forties and I played 27 with nobody on the course.  

 

This time I remembered to take my house balls.   No roll out, lots of plugs, but with the tees up for the winter, it put me in Scor range all day long.    -1 for 27 holes, with 24 greens hit, 3 birdies and 2 bogeys.   Just a grinding, chunk-a-chunk mechanical day.   Scors were superb again.   All three birdies were kicks ins thanks to Scor approaches.  I'm getting them fine tuned for distance using the Rev's grip down recommendations.   Take off 7-8 yards by gripping to the bottom "button", take off 4-5 gripping between buttons.  I've never been so fussy about distances before.  Now I laser everything.

 

Aldia Rogue Black also kept me out of trouble all day.   No lost balls, no big curves.   It's just a more stable shaft as guys have said.   I'm not seeing big boomers with it.   Normal shots.   It does launch high and with some spin.   On a wet day like today, I got no roll out.   But tight, predictable close to target line shots.   I like it and will keep it -- unless the Silver proves to be better.