Tips for Playing in the Cold Weather

Tips for Playing Golf During the Cold Season

1. Check your golf shoes and make sure they’re waterproof. If they’re not, you might want to think about buying a new pair. When cold weather comes, it brings frost and moisture on the grass along with it. This can soak your shoes if they’re not waterproof. Besides the waterproof shoes, a thick pair of socks will give you more comfort. I personally like to double up on socks during the cold weather.

2. When dressing for the cold, put on layers of clothing, as opposed to wearing thicker items like a heavy coat. The extra layers will provide more warmth and you’ll have more room to manoeuvre when making your shots. Long sleeve shirts/roll necks are great for these times. You may also want to think about thermal golf underwear (compression layers) if the temperatures are going to be low enough.

3. Always wear a hat that provides warmth for the head and protects the ears. You might not be nominated for the fashion person of the year, but you’ll never have to worry about frostbite, or a headache from the cold.

4. As far as your game is concerned, you should be aware that the ball won’t travel as far as it usually does. During cold weather, the air is denser or heavier, which slows the flight of the ball and the distance it will travel. You might have to use a different club than you normally would for a given distance. For example, a 6-iron might have to be used for a distance that you would normally use a 7-iron, and so on. 5. With the winter rules in play you do have an advantage when on the fairway, but in other areas on the course assess the position of your forthcoming shot. Stand with your back to the flag and “grade” your lie. Think traffic lights – attack (green), lay up (yellow) or knock out sideways (red).

6. For shots close in to the green keep the ball low. The chip and run reduces the chances of miss-hits and unpredictable bounces – compared to the high lob shot so reach for the 7-iron and not the pitching wedge.