Upside to Fall/Winter Golf

The past few days have been chilly in the Northeast. I played Friday and the windchills were in the 20s (the sun was shining). I played as a soloist and it took 2 hours and 10 minutes to walk 18. Saturday the windchills were in the 30s and our 3some played in just over 3 hours. Yesterday was even nicer...got up to the low 50s, but the course was still deserted and our 4some went around in 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Sure, I prefer to play golf in nice warm weather, but the upside to Fall/Winter golf is you often find yourself with a golf course that is pretty much empty. If you are dressed for it you can be quite comfortable. The only downside might be carts. I walk 99% of the time, but one gentleman in our group always takes a cart and in the cold weather he never really gets the opportunity to get warm.

Aside from the on course differences, I think the amount of practice you can put into your swing during the winter is awesome. Taking advantage of indoor lessons or your own garage set up can go a long way to starting the next season off right. It's a part I enjoy and helps me get through to the spring.

I prefer walking, especially when it's cold out. Like you said, it's hard to stay warm in a cart.

Playing Saturday it was 35 degrees when we teed off, we were the only ones on the golf course. Yesterday was 10 degrees warmer and we played in under 3 hours (we had to skip a par 3 to go around a 4some we caught who wouldn't let us play through). Between the cooler weather, OSU football, the Browns and Bengals on tv, it's a beautiful thing.

Played yesterday in the 40's. Maybe a total of 5-6 people on the course. Fast rounds, as many practice balls as you want, and serenity. What is there not to love. No carts, but walking is preferred anyway. It's a good way to keep warm. I play yesterday with only irons, as I am trying to sort out the low irons in my bag, and like working on longer irons into greens.

Today... snowing. Expecting 3-6 inches. Glad I got out yesterday....

I find that once the temps start to even get below 60, the courses start to empty out. Under 50.... they start to become ghost towns. As the years go on though, my desire to play in sub 50* temps is becoming less and less.

Playing frozen fairways is AWESOME. Frozen greens however............

Love winter golf though. Exactly for the reason the OP states!

BT

Upside? Palm Springs in February!

Lol, played this weekend and the frost delay backed right up to our tee time. Our mostly empty course became more like a kids soccer match, a giant slow mass of people moving along.

Played this weekend as a single and it was about 30 degrees out. A little windy too which wasn't great but once you got walking it became pretty tolerable - it's not summer golf but it's ok. Between the leaves, muddy conditions and frozen ground it was preferred lies everywhere, but if you think of it as a practice round it's still ok. I enjoy the quiet as there isn't many people out playing (only 5-6 people on the course when I played), but you are limited as few courses are open throughout the year in my area. Get the right clothing and layers and you're usually warm enough. Still playing golf so that's a good thing and looking foward to better conditions next spring.

I too played on Friday as a single. It was about 30 degrees and very windy. I teed off at 8am and for the entire front 9, I was the only person on the golf course. As I putted on 9, a car pulled into the parking lot with a threesome. When I finished playing, there were still only two cars in the parking lot (excluding the cars in the employee section of the lot). It's supposed to be a little warmer this Friday. But, I don't expect to see many more people this week than last.

I would certainly echo the beauty of empty courses. I know a lot of people who simply won't play if it is below 60-65*. But, for me it's the off season rates. I love paying half the normal summer rate to play some of the better courses in the area.

> @Ri_Redneck said:

> Playing frozen fairways is AWESOME. Frozen greens however............

>

> Love winter golf though. Exactly for the reason the OP states!

>

> BT

It is a little bit of a drag to have to pound your tees into the frozen ground. Someone had posted some pics of some cones they had made specifically to fix this problem...

As far as winter golf is concerned, the ony upside is every day is a day closer to spring.

In SoCal, many of our courses don't overseed. Once that first frost comes, any Bermuda grass in the fairways goes dormant and you get an extra 10 to 30 yards of roll. Definitely a welcome consequence even though the added distance on the ground is just about neutralized due to the decrease in carry because of the lower temps! LOL

Upside is very few people playing and definitely the ability to practice for long periods on a hole that you like. Nothing better than taking a lot of balls and throwing them all over the course and working on your game from 110 yards in.

I take an alignment stick and work on my distances in 10 yard increments from 110 to 40. It is great to get the feedback from the turf rather than a driving range mat, good to work on divot pattern and reinforce what distance you prefer so you know what to play to on long par 5's.

Listening to the wind, the birds the stillness.

> @gripandrip said:

> > @Ri_Redneck said:

> > Playing frozen fairways is AWESOME. Frozen greens however............

> >

> > Love winter golf though. Exactly for the reason the OP states!

> >

> > BT

>

> It is a little bit of a drag to have to pound your tees into the frozen ground. Someone had posted some pics of some cones they had made specifically to fix this problem...

I pack an icepick this time of year. Makes putting your tee in frozen ground a lot easier. And use plastic tees this time of year as well as they won't break like the wooden ones do.

Here in Tucson sure winter weather is nice but rates double. I don't mind heat and I'm cheap so summer is great.

Played a nice course last week for $24 with temps in the 80s so that was a pleasure.

I have a hard time adjusting to swinging with 4 layers of clothes on but after a few holes it all sorts itself out. The worst thing beyond even temperature is the low light. I have a hard time seeing golf balls in the air under great conditions......with the sun barely over the horizon forget it. I just walk out and hope I find it somewhere.

> @gripandrip said:

> > @Ri_Redneck said:

> > Playing frozen fairways is AWESOME. Frozen greens however............

> >

> > Love winter golf though. Exactly for the reason the OP states!

> >

> > BT

>

> It is a little bit of a drag to have to pound your tees into the frozen ground. Someone had posted some pics of some cones they had made specifically to fix this problem...

These

https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/1788831/diy-tee-tethers/p1

this was the tee type i knew growing up. Exactly that. Not a new invention at all but very convenient

Damn it WRX. I didn't even know winter tees were a thing until now. Now I've had to order the birtee pro tees so I avoid possible injury from trying to tee up on a frozen tee box.

I’ve grown to enjoy the late season rounds with a few layers to brace the cold.

Later starts due to frost, less people on the course and a good challenge finding the ball as the leaves drop.

It’s a different game than summer golf. Those of us with 4 seasons learn to adapt.

Yeah I don't mind winter golf for the most part. Unfortunately this year has been a very wet autumn and the courses are all suffering. Most of them have partial closures in place. There's no fun playing off mud and all you're doing is trashing the course :-/

For some reason my game is better suited for simulators. Simulator season and gimmes within ten feet is the upside to winter in Wisconsin! Haha

Winter here in Florida means high prices and snowbirds who play as fast as they drive. Give me the feels like 110 days when no one plays haha

Autumn/Winter in SoCal is perfect walking golf weather IMO. I can dress comfortably and walk/play at my leisure.

In winter I do a lot of experimenting. I try different shots with different clubs and play from different tees.

Winter golf is a good time if you find the right combination of clothing.

With the exception of this year, because I moved, most of my friends would be back in town in south Florida. So summer for me was the time to practice and get better, winter was time to play and gamble. This year not so much...which blows but it’ll be a nice transition

I don't mind winter golf early in the winter. It's late winter, after looking at dormant Bermuda for months, when the ground never dries out, when the course looks all beat to death that I don't like. Just thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies.