Winter/frozen golf? Love it or hate it?

[NoSpoon]

Hi everyone, 

Like most of us here, I'm an avid golfer. There's nothing I love more than a perfect spring day, 70°, no wind, and just enough cloud cover to reduce my sunburn a bit. However, I live in New England and those days are few and far between. 

Over the course of the winters, I usually get impatient for golf season to start. Occasionally courses around me will open for a "nice" 38° weekend, and I will go play 18 frozen fairways and greens. Other times I'll grab some time on a simulator, but its expensive (and if I'm being honest, the short game isn't even close to realistic). 

My question for you all, at least those who have to contend with the winter months, is what do you do? Do you like to go out and play winter golf? Grab some time on a sim? Suffer through golf withdrawal until spring returns? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

[silver & black]

HATE it! I usually just sit it out unless someone wants to play sim golf.

Edited February 22, 2020 by silver & black

[LeftyHawk]

I feel your pain. My remedy is a combination of those you mention plus. Prior to this year I would, after the courses closed, I would hit the range, they also have an "indoor" range which resembles an indoor batting cage with a really high celling.  But that closed this year. So I try to get to Top Golf at least once a month just to beat balls, work on chipping and putting in my basement. And if I'm lucky I can squeeze in a couple of golf trips to warmer places during the winter. But I'm usally the first one on the course as soon as they open in the spring and the last one out there in the fall.

Chris

[NoSpoon]

1 hour ago, silver & black said:

HATE it! I usually just sit it out unless someone wants to play sim golf.

I get it... The problem is I also hate not playing golf for 5 months! And sim golf isn't my favorite 

[Mr. 82]

Winter golf ain't no picnic down south either.  We had a frost delay this morning, and with all the rain we've had it's mudballs everytime you hit it.  Factor in a 15 mph wind that is constant at our course, and club selection can be a bear.

Handicaps typically start rising in December, and only start to come down in middle March or later, about the time the time changes.

I can't complain honestly though, because the thought of 100 degree humid days in August has me thankful for the weather we currently have.  I'm honestly not sure what is worse, as playing in 100 degrees and sweating through your clothes by the 4th hole is almost not worth playing in either.

[chisag]

... I think the best way to play golf is relaxed, both physically and mentally. I have a loose grip, with loose arms and my game depends on freedom of movement and my back appreciates 80* and above. When I need to pack on extra clothes because it is cold, I have learned what I do with cold clubs and balls has very little relation to golf. So it did not take me long to give up on playing in the cold and understand living in Chicago was a problem. Thankfully about 15 years ago I started going to the PGA Show in late January. Orlando is usually pretty nice that time of year so I go a week before and a few weeks after and that really helped. Add another trip or two when I could get away for a week and it made winter bearable. But now, on the precipice of retirement I went to Phoenix for March and April two winters ago and absolutely loved it. I went back last year for Jan-May and I was in heaven playing 107 rounds in 117 days. This year a herniated disc derailed my Phoenix plans and then a family problem caused a further delay but I will finally be leaving for Phoenix the first week of March and stay til June when I know it is warm enough to come back to Chicago. 

... Courses and ranges were jammed full here today with temps around 50's but with 15+ mph winds and knowing Phoenix is a few weeks away I refrained from pulling/straining anything by running out and hitting balls when I have not swung a club in 3 months. Living in a cold weather climate is just recklessly insane for those of us that truly love the game. 

[Shankster]

4.5 dreaded golf-less winter... I hate winter!

But, as long as the course is open I’m down to play.

You only get one shot at life, golf when it’s 33° or 73° it sure beats not being able to golf at all.

[NoSpoon]

1 hour ago, Shankster said:

You only get one shot at life, golf when it’s 33° or 73° it sure beats not being able to golf at all.

This might be one of my favorite quotes ever. I 100% agree! 

[silver & black]

15 hours ago, Mr. 82 said:

I can't complain honestly though, because the thought of 100 degree humid days in August has me thankful for the weather we currently have.  I'm honestly not sure what is worse, as playing in 100 degrees and sweating through your clothes by the 4th hole is almost not worth playing in either.

I hear ya. We have those days in Ohio too. Maybe not 100*, but high 90's and suffocating humidity is the rule in July and August.

[Kenny B]

Courses here are open year round unless it snows, which is not very often.  We have no sims as far as I know.  If it stays cold for a week or so, then golf is a completely different game... ball bounces more in the fairway, and you can't land a ball on the green or it's off the back.  Lots of chipping to hard greens.

I look at it as a challenge.  How would I play a hole to get the best score if I can't play it normally?  Example:  Hole #4, elevated tee par 3 playing 140 with carry over a bunker; grassy mounds left and right.  Carry the bunker and your next shot is a 25y uphill pitch shot to hard green that runs away toward that bunker.  I've found that playing to the right, the ball will come down off the grass mounds, if not on the green then close to it.  In warm weather that doesn't work; the ball stays on a severe downslope.

It may not be normal golf, but I'm not sitting inside tapping on my computer.  Oh wait!!  

[silver & black]

14 hours ago, Shankster said:

You only get one shot at life, golf when it’s 33° or 73° it sure beats not being able to golf at all.

When you have poor circulation in your feet and hands, there is nothing fun about cold weather. I would rather play in 90* heat than play when it's 45*.  Cold weather is a no go for me. 

[SteddyGolf]

I actually enjoy the challenges the winter conditions present. If the course is open then I’m usually up for the challenge.


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[mdgboxx]

I have played in -4 F temps with 10-15 mph wind gusts.
I live on the Montreal South-Shore. I was a member at the International 2000 GC, in Lacolle, Qc. It prides itself of being the first to open and the last to close in Quebec. It is located 3 miles from the Champlain US border crossing.
In 2007, I played my last 36 holes on Jan. 7th, 2008. I was back on the course on March 16....I was 62 yrs/o at the time.

 

[silver & black]

13 minutes ago, mdgboxx said:

I have played in -4 F temps with 10-15 mph wind gusts.
I live on the Montreal South-Shore. I was a member at the International 2000 GC, in Lacolle, Qc. It prides itself of being the first to open and the last to close in Quebec. It is located 3 miles from the Champlain US border crossing.
In 2007, I played my last 36 holes on Jan. 7th, 2008. I was back on the course on March 16....I was 62 yrs/o at the time.

 

You sir, have balls of steel...lol.

[mdgboxx]

3 minutes ago, silver & black said:

You sir, have balls of steel...lol.

To those who asked how or why, I would reply: "It's a different kind of Golf"
Aside from being a lunatic, what else could I answer?

Edited February 28, 2020 by mdgboxx

[Kenny B]

At my old course a 9-hole exec we played all year long.  We don't get much snow (usually), but one year we got an inch or two.  Temp was below freezing.  The pro shoveled off the greens on holes #1, 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9, and a path from the front of the green toward the fairway. When we missed the green... likely, we moved the ball to the grass in front of the green and chipped from there.  That was the route we took... 6 holes!   Headed to the clubhouse and a hot fire, a drink or two, and repeat 2 more times.  

[mdgboxx]

At the *International 2000* they would close after the first "permanent" snowfall, which is around mid/late December and then, in mid March, they will bring a snowblower for the fairways and a plow for the greens. The course is frozen solid, so, no damage.

[HardcoreLooper]

2 hours ago, Kenny B said:

At my old course a 9-hole exec we played all year long.  We don't get much snow (usually), but one year we got an inch or two.  Temp was below freezing.  The pro shoveled off the greens on holes #1, 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9, and a path from the front of the green toward the fairway. When we missed the green... likely, we moved the ball to the grass in front of the green and chipped from there.  That was the route we took... 6 holes!   Headed to the clubhouse and a hot fire, a drink or two, and repeat 2 more times.  

I love it.  Growing up on the Jersey shore, we didn't get a ton of snow, but we did get snow every winter.  We'd sneak out onto the course where we worked and play as soon there was more grass than snow.  We'd just use yellow balls.  We'd also have temporary greens until March; we'd actually start our high school season on temp greens.

In Central VA, we don't get much snow, but we do get cold weather from time to time.  The cold doesn't bother me much as long as it's not windy and my back is cooperating.  The winter is a great time to play match play, or play with a short set, or come up with any excuse to play without keeping score.  I've hit a green by bouncing a ball off a frozen water hazard, and I've hit a wedge into a green so frozen, the ball bounced like it hit a cart path.

 

 

[mdgboxx]

5 minutes ago, HardcoreLooper said:

I've hit a green by bouncing a ball off a frozen water hazard, and I've hit a wedge into a green so frozen, the ball bounced like it hit a cart path.

And THAT, right there, is the beauty of playing a different kind of Golf. The secret is to never use your wedge. It's much safer to punch an 8 iron or more. Think of it more like bowling...Especially par 3s

Bouncing off a frozen water hazard is a classic. A no-insert putter is also the ultimate tool.

I would also keep 4 balls in my inside pocket and rotate on every hole. Dunlop SoLo and Precept Lady were the best. 

I contacted PING about sub-zero temps, and here is what they replied:

If you ever loose a Fine Tuning Insert in your PING club, for whatever reason, we will replace it (FTI) at no cost to you whatsoever.

I was playing S-58 irons at the time. My winter driver was a Srixon W-506 and the Srixon FWs are still in the bag to this day.

[HardcoreLooper]

22 hours ago, mdgboxx said:

And THAT, right there, is the beauty of playing a different kind of Golf. The secret is to never use your wedge. It's much safer to punch an 8 iron or more. Think of it more like bowling...Especially par 3s

Oh yeah.  Learned that lesson pretty quickly.