The best way to get through the Winter

The best way to get through the winter is a short golf blog post that outlines the dos and don’ts during winter.

The majority of golfers are not even thinking about golf at this time of year. They have already packed up their kit for the winter months. The grips are worn and the grooves are still dirty. Lots of broken tees and empty chocolate bar wrappers fill the pockets of the bag. No doubt the waterproofs are still rolled up in a ball, festering from the last round of golf that you played months ago.

Most of you will come out of hibernation in spring and spend the first 2 months of 2022 blaming everything but yourself for the poor performances that you will put in on the golf course.

Why do you do this every year? Why not get into the golfing mood now?

Follow my winter tips to help start the season with a bang.

Fitness

Make a start to your season by getting outside for a walk. That’s right, it doesn’t have to be the fitness nightmare that everybody has in their winter minds. Get out for a walk and increase the distance & difficulty as you go.
If you wish, you can join a gym. Most gyms have a taster membership for a month or three.
Your local PGA Professional may have some kind of bespoke fitness or exercise routine that he/she can offer you.
There are also plenty of good websites out there offering advice on fitness and exercises for golfers.

Nutrition

Now that the festive season is behind you, it is a good time to think about the 2022 season. Most golfers will think about exercise or going to the driving range but not many golfers think about their diet. This is one of the most important parts that an athlete needs to address to enhance their performance. It isn’t rocket science, eating smaller portions, to start with, will make a difference. We have all over-indulged over the past few weeks so it is time to ease off a little.
Plenty of vegetables and fewer convenience foods. Try to cut out the sweet & sugary snacks on an evening.
Think about eating less but more often. At least 3 times a day, if not 4 times if that is possible. Make breakfast your most important meal of the day. Try to get as many nutrients from your breakfast as possible. Nuts, Seeds, Oats and fruit is a great start to the day. Make sure that you evening meals are eaten earlier. No more food after 7pm will help your sleep quality and enhance your golfing performance.

Lessons

Your local PGA Professional will offer tuition packages over the winter months to help you get your game on track. You may want to increase your clubhead speed, gain ball strike consistency or even cure that ugly slice. Sharpening up your short game would be my advice. You can hide a multitude of sins if you can chip and putt.
Course management or even a little golf psychology may be just the key to unleashing your inner golfing beast.

Practice

In the perfect world, you should have a training schedule. It may be that you play once a week and practice once a week. It really doesn’t matter as long as you balance the two. Sadly, most golfers spend most of their time on the golf course. They will then complain that it took them 4 holes to get their game in order. They may find that there is a dip in performance around the turn. Just practising is also contra-productive. You can improve your ball impact and consistency but the feel factor may still leave you on the course. It is also difficult to judge the distances if you haven’t played in a while.
I strongly recommend that you visit your local PGA Professional and ask for a bespoke training plan to suit your game.
If you haven’t done already, try out an indoor golf simulator for some much-needed winter golf enjoyment. There is no need for winter clothing and you can take your time with your friends for a relaxing game over a beer or two.

Equipment Check

This is the perfect time of year to get your equipment checked over by a PGA Professional. It is more than likely that your grips will be worn down and will need replacing. Make sure that you have the correct size fitted onto your clubs and don’t forget your putter. The putter is usually overlooked, even though it is the most used club in your bag. The grooves on the clubface will be worn and may need a quick re-cut. Ferrules may need replacing. Don’t forget to check your shafts. Make sure that they match and that they are suited to your swing speed. Don’t forget your golf bag. I have often seen that an old golf bag is a cause for the wearing of shafts and grips. A new golf bag can make a big difference.
You should also check your gloves for wear and tear. Make sure that you use all-weather gloves for practising. You may also want to replenish your golf ball count and buy some new tees.
All PGA Professionals will have an M.O.T. service for your kit. Ask them now and avoid the mad rush.

What do you think of my ideas on how to beat the Winter?

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Main image at Pixabay