winter golf

Winter is just about here again. Just wondering what you all do to keep the golf ticking over? Our club has no medals between the end of October and beginning of March, only a Greensomes knockout which is pretty poor show in my opinion. Over the past couple of winters I've taken it upon myself to run a winter league for our group and will be running the third installment this winter. A good chance to get some competitive but friendly games in over the winter. Each year its grown a little, first year 7 pairs, then 9, and now 13 - just as the group has got bigger i guess. Anyway, at least we've something to look forward to -

Play in our club's Winter league. Get's me out and about for at least 10 rounds over the Winter.

Our last medal is tomorrow and we will not get another qualifying comp until first week of April next year.Seems ridiculous really as we could easily get another few weeks decent conditions.What the club do is run quite a few team comps ,scrambles etc.We have our usual saturday game but by far the best option over the winter is the county alliance playing every thursday at virtually every course in the county for a nominal green fee.

We too have team competitions during the winter (bowmaker, greensomes etc) and a stableford / eclectic (around 6 rounds - non qualifiers).

CONGU want everyone to have qualifiers all year round, but at our club when we hold winter qualifiers, people just don't enter!

Both my clubs play comps over the winter off the yellows. At my main club they tend to be non qualifiers. Both hold a winter knock out (4bbb).

Personally I see the winter as a time for a lot more rangework and some bounce rounds punctuated of course by a big exotic Xmas trip to somewhere hot & sunny and this year is no exception.

What's a bowmaker competition?

Bowmakers are usually stableford compettions when you have a team of three golfers and one score out of three counts on the first 6 holes, two out of three on the next six and finally all three count on the last 6 holes. Of course, that can be amended to have 4 players and 2, 3 and 4 counting on the progressive groups of 6 holes. The point is that the pressure builds gradually through the round and the whole team has to really concentrate on the last 6 holes.

Very appropriate thread.
Snow in the forecast over the weekend.

What??? Already Kwini ??

We have 2 simultaneous winter league competitions (socially organised rather than by the club). Format of 4BBB matchplay. Yellow tees, often a few (but not many) temp greens, full diff (ouch when you're the low man). Each league has 16 teams, we have the 15 league games in our own league for the prizes and then a league versus league final day (1st v 1st 2nd v 2nd etc).

If it's open, it's on. It's a good way of ticking over for 16 weeks and often more fun than summer golf.

JAS,
Not unheard of for here, though we're in a Valley so hopefully will avoid it.
System dumped plenty of snow the last couple of days from Montana (extinguishing wildfires that have burned for more than a month) and the Dalotas thru the Northern Lakes though.
Brrrr

golfermartin wrote:Bowmakers are usually stableford compettions when you have a team of three golfers and one score out of three counts on the first 6 holes, two out of three on the next six and finally all three count on the last 6 holes. Of course, that can be amended to have 4 players and 2, 3 and 4 counting on the progressive groups of 6 holes. The point is that the pressure builds gradually through the round and the whole team has to really concentrate on the last 6 holes.

Sounds a fun(ish) format. Never played it but is there any problem with magic pencils and ridiculously improbably scores? Golf is said to be a really moral sport but there's plenty who'll happily cheat if it means they win a cup or get their name(s) on a board.

Roller I try really really hard to convince myself that woolly hats, mitts, handwarmers and bounces over frosty ponds are good fun, I really do but no matter how hard I try, it's still much more suffering than fun. The biggest benefit of winter golf is that it helps you appreciate summer golf!!

navyblueshorts wrote:

golfermartin wrote:Bowmakers are usually stableford compettions when you have a team of three golfers and one score out of three counts on the first 6 holes, two out of three on the next six and finally all three count on the last 6 holes. Of course, that can be amended to have 4 players and 2, 3 and 4 counting on the progressive groups of 6 holes. The point is that the pressure builds gradually through the round and the whole team has to really concentrate on the last 6 holes.

Sounds a fun(ish) format. Never played it but is there any problem with magic pencils and ridiculously improbably scores? Golf is said to be a really moral sport but there's plenty who'll happily cheat if it means they win a cup or get their name(s) on a board.

It is a fun competition and there's not much more prestigious than a few balls or bottles of wine at stake. I may be naive, but as far as I am aware, we have never had any "magic pencils" at ours in club comps. It has been known at Charity Days when outsiders arrive and the prizes have a little more value!

Oooooohhh, the very thought of the first thin on a frosty morning sending a shiver down my spine already!!

JAS - it is fun. Honest. No, really. Promise...

Roller_Coaster wrote:JAS - it is fun. Honest. No, really. Promise...

Aye but the Isle of Man benefits from much milder winters than the mainland

Here in cornwall we have a single figure winter league competition around every 3 weeks. Courses include West Cornwall, Bowood, Perranporth, newquay, Trevose and St Enodoc. Good deal, off medal tees all for £16 each round. Keeps you ticking over nicely in the winter with about 40-50 players at each event. At end of winter a team is selected to play a match against local pros.

Will not play much on my regular course over winter, I will however be playing a bit on other courses when I get the chance and my group get the time off work together.

To keep the swing in groove, we are now back at the virtual golf weekly - short shirtsleeves, no wind (parp), coffee or beer on the go, no under armour (satans work) and this week, we played Pebble Beach again!!

matelot golfer wrote:Here in cornwall we have a single figure winter league competition around every 3 weeks. Courses include West Cornwall, Bowood, Perranporth, newquay, Trevose and St Enodoc. Good deal, off medal tees all for £16 each round. Keeps you ticking over nicely in the winter with about 40-50 players at each event. At end of winter a team is selected to play a match against local pros.

That is a good deal Matelot, the only one I haven't played out of all that lot is Bowood. Are you in the Westlake at Trevose next weekend? I'm in and I'm playing a practice round on the Sat too

Sorry Jas, not this year. I am unable to make it next weekend. Played Trevose last Monday in a charity event. Course is in good nick, roughs up but looks worse than it plays, greens also in good condition. You'll have a good comp if weathers ok. Seem to remember it was a little wet and windy last year. Then again that could have been virtually any day!!

That's good to hear it's in good nick, shame you can't make it and yes it was shocking conditions last year. I couldn't reach 16 with the driver both rounds.