5 Reasons to Keep Golfing This Winter

Fires are lit, coats and gloves are on, and your clubs are snugly stored in the garage for safe keeping for the next three months. Wait? What? Who told you that you had to press pause on working your handicap down? If anything, a long winter break is going to drive your score up. You need to toss your bag back into the trunk and get out and swing.

Cold wintry days don’t make for ideal playing weather, but we’ve got five reasons why you should keep golfing this winter as the thermometer drops.

1. Cheaper Greens Fee

While this benefit does not apply to all courses, there are a number of clubs that drop their fees over the winter months. Less demand, lower prices. Check with your local club to see their winter rates.

2. Less Crowded

This goes handed in hand with the first benefit of golfing in winter. Beautiful, sunny days bring more people outside. In effect, you’re stuck waiting to tee off on each hole. Winter weather, however, cuts the crowds and your wait time.

3. Winter Golf Rules

Take advantage of Winter rules:

**Note: Each club varies as to which winter rules they allow and the exact details of each rule**

• Preferred Lies – Adjust the lie of your ball. Distance allowed is determined by local club. Remember to mark your ball before you pick it up and do not move further than allowed by club.
• Embedded Ball – Typically relief is entitled only near closely mowed grass through the green. Some clubs allows free relief in the rough as well during the Winter.
• Cleaning Your Ball – This rule allows you to mark your ball, clean it, and then keep playing.
• Casual Water – If water is visible under your feet or the ball when you make your normal stance, this rule entitles you to free relief.

4. Deals on clubs

Winter can be the perfect time to get a new set of clubs. Golf retailers have to clear old inventory to make way for the next season’s new releases. This allows you to try clubs you’ve been interested in without breaking the bank. To save even more, look for deals on used clubs. If they were released the same year, you know they don’t have more than a single season of play in them.

5. Get ready for spring

“The only way to improve your swing is to take a three month break and not practice” – said no golfer ever. You might not be playing your best over the winter months, but not playing is almost guaranteed to make your feel rusty come Spring time.  If nothing else, head to the range a few times a month to keep your head and your body in the game.

Just get out and have fun this winter. Remember to dress warm and comfortable.  Also, make sure to tell the club house to have a large hot chocolate waiting for you when you finish your round.

If you have any tips or tricks for playing through the cold, leave them in the comments below.