winter conditions wish-list

with the summer competition season drawing to a close this month for most clubs, here are some of my wishes for the fast approaching winter season with regard to the adjusted course set up - feel free to add some of your own.

- rough
all 2nd cut rough cut down to 1st cut rough height. in soggy weather the ball sits down even in the semi. playing the last couple of rounds the 1st cut has been as punishing as the 2nd cut normally is through the summer, with the clubhead getting caught up and twisted at impact.
this measure would also help to speed up play over the winter - our group had 4 extremely time consuming occasions on saturday looking for balls which had crept less than a yard into the 2nd cut, but buried themselves in so it was easy to walk within a couple of feet without noticing them. my ball was found on 2 occasions at the 4 1/2 minute mark and it was really unsettling anticipating having to walk back to the tee despite having a good line on where the ball was headed and knowing it was less than a couple of yards in from the semi.

- temporary greens
please choose some reasonably flat pieces of fairway this year which don't alter the length of the holes too much. it really makes such a difference to the enjoyment levels of playing in the winter when you feel like you can go for a few putts, and those 2-3 footers are makeable. some of last seasons temps were a joke - i can't believe for a minute they were selected by a golfer!

- mats
please don't make me play off mats - i'm happy to find a nice spot in the semi rough. also, on the par 3s where mats are installed on the tees, please give them a clean once in a while. the amount of
wet muck i had to clean off my glasses last winter was significantly draining my tolerance levels.

- weather
no snow, and if possible not so much rain either. be great to have some dry and crisp winter games this year, rather than the usual mud/snowfest.

- competition and banter
our posse has expanded again this year so looking forward to getting a good few rounds in with some of the newer members, and the regulars. we've set up a 4bbb league again and this season there are 9 pairs involved - really looking forward to it.

My winter wish list centres on Easyjet keeping their flight prices to Paphos down. Will be taking my spare clubs on the first visit, leaving them there and hoping to have a few long weekends during the depths of the winter.

I'm also hoping that California doesn't get the wind and rain battering it got the week before Xmas last year.

That aside I'd settle for a mild (frost free), relatively dry winter at home.

The thought of water proofs, winter gloves, greens and tees makes me feel ill, think I will hibernate till next spring

Just some dry weather.

Let's face it, this is Britain, so we aren't going to bask in 70 degree temperatures, but just plenty of dry days without a howling gale would be good. Frankly, I'd take a soaking every Monday en route to the office of I could have a dry weekend.

The only thing I require in winter is for no snow, no rain, can be as cold as it wants as long as the course is open, no matter how long the rough I'll play it

I seem to play more in the winter than the summer despite much preferring dry warmth. This could have something to do with being in a winter league and injuring my back in spring which meant I didn't touch a club for 3 months of summer.

I guess that being in the south of England our conditions may be a bit better than Scotland but I would always go for a crisp sunny day over wet one. But a wish list that I have control over would involve having something on the tee to say how much shorter the hole is playing if it is a winter green. We have a second flag on the pin to show that it is a winter green but there can be quite a difference in distance. One hole is even longer.

Like bam bam I would go for keeping the rough short and getting rid of the fallen leaves that hide balls.

Fortunately we don't have mats on the fairway and I like playing off the couple of tee mats that we have.

I am also going to try a new tactic this year in the rain of accepting that I am going to get wet and try two wet gloves rather than getting annoyed trying to keep the grips bone dry.

289

the rain glove is without doubt the best piece of kit i own. i gave up on keeping everything dry years ago. havent used a brolly for 2 years now but i found playing with two gloves a bit strange.

as for the wish list......no frost or snow please

Lieger - I've always used a wet glove but I'm going to have a go with two.

Was up in monsoon in Scotland this August and despite one wet glove and cord grips I struggled so thought I would try the two gloves. Works for Tommy Gainey

Autumn: No more bloody rain.
Winter: Good early snowfall with plenty more (90 - 100 inches would be normal) to follow, but NO thaw so that the snow insulates the greens from ice and resultant winterkill.
Late winter: Early Spring: No snow after February, March can be dry and sunny. If we're lucky we'll be able to open up in early April with greens and tee boxes in fine condition, putting greens and short-game practice area too. Normal rainfall service may also be resumed.
Thank you.

twoe

Why not try the winter gloves, they come in pairs, they not only help you grip the club well in the wet, but also keep your hands warm on cold days, I can honestly swear by them.

Thanks old par. I'll give them a bash. Can't make me any worse at the moment!

old par

are the winter gloves not alot thicker than a standard golf glove?

Try American golf

http://www.americangolf.co.uk/search/index_q:underarmour%20winter%20gloves.aspx

They are not thick and very comfortable