Winter Schedule

We had some chat on the "anything goes" thread about what you will do over the winter to keep your game going and Jas suggested a dedicated thread for this might be worthwhile. So here it is.

What is your plan over the winter?

What will you do at home? (net in garden, putting mat, launch monitor, chipping in garden etc)

How often will you go to the range?

Will you get lessons?

Does your course hold up in the winter or not?

Do you have a second course at the coast, or will you plan trips to the links?

It would just be good to hear what people get up to and how you keep things going.

Biggest gains for me have been improved putting and a consistent draw as well as learning some other shot shapes.
I intend to focus on that.

I cant recommend putting lessons highly enough. Probably the biggest factor in going from scratch to +2

Super

You mentioned you had a putting mat on the other thread. What model do you use?

As I agree that putting practice over the winter could be key to better scores.

Mac, ive got a Puttout mat, but it wasn't practicing on a mat, it was modifying my technique and putting stroke

Keeping the flat stick working will be high up my list too. Some indoors but outdoors too when I can. I’m going to to back through all the tailored Phil Kenyon video stuff.

I will range as well, aiming for weekly. Probably at one of the courses that has a good short game area as that’s almost as important as putting.

I’ll use the net & the garmin to get really familiar with the new irons over the winter.

Depending on the weather I might make a couple of links days out in Feb, got a pairs event in early March at Trevose & St Enodoc

Barring any lunatic lockdowns we should at least be a bit further ahead of where we were this year come the season starting

So, as my mate has gone back to Glasgow, when does the weather get half decent for ne to invite myself up with my clubs?

beninho wrote:So, as my mate has gone back to Glasgow, when does the weather get half decent for ne to invite myself up with my clubs?

Glasgow is like Manchester in that it rains, a lot.
Therefore unless hes a member on an Ayrshire links course forget it until May at the earliest.

super_realist wrote:

beninho wrote:So, as my mate has gone back to Glasgow, when does the weather get half decent for ne to invite myself up with my clubs?

Glasgow is like Manchester in that it rains, a lot.
Therefore unless hes a member on an Ayrshire links course forget it until May at the earliest.

Is Troon ayrshire? Though I played there I'm an August and it was like November day.

Yes. Nice course to get onto

super_realist wrote:Yes. Nice course to get onto

It's lovely, but probably a bit above my level. Though always the highlight of my yearly, before covid, visits.

Ben

As super says, if it is a links you will be playing then as long as the weather isn't terrible on the day you can play on great conditions all year round.

beninho wrote:

super_realist wrote:

beninho wrote:So, as my mate has gone back to Glasgow, when does the weather get half decent for ne to invite myself up with my clubs?

Glasgow is like Manchester in that it rains, a lot.
Therefore unless hes a member on an Ayrshire links course forget it until May at the earliest.

Is Troon ayrshire? Though I played there I'm an August and it was like November day.

Come across to the east coast and Fife. Played in quarter-final of the 9-hole winter knockout yesterday (my knees don't like 18 holes any more) and it was like a spring day. Warm, sunny, cloudless skies and hardly any breeze. And I won! Today, on the other hand, is overcast, windy and cold. Glad I got it done yesterday

well done lp I have just booked a week in tenerife in jan where I shall play my entire winter schedule of two rounds in a buggy in the sun.Then maybe try again in april hip permitting.

beninho wrote:So, as my mate has gone back to Glasgow, when does the weather get half decent for ne to invite myself up with my clubs?

South West and South East Glasgow can be really nice, even as soon as March. The North side isn't quite so predictable, there's more rain from the hills up there.

As others have said you can always decamp down to one of about 20 excellent links courses in Ayrshire where the courses are always in good condition. The rough doesn't present much of a problem in winter.

Obviously Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry are top of the range, but there's good value at Darley, Lochgreen, St Nicholas and Girvan, they are good and much cheaper.

dynamark wrote:well done lp I have just  booked a week in tenerife in jan where I shall play my entire winter schedule of two rounds in a buggy in the sun.Then maybe try again in april hip permitting.

What courses are you playing Dyna?

As a rage session the other day and something didn’t feel quite right, strikes just weren’t flush so I got the camera in it, lol and behold I seem to have developed some horrendous head movement in the swing. It goes down and right during the backswing, pretty much stays there at the stop then goes even further right on impact, looks absolutely shocking and no idea where it’s come from.

Once aware I had another session very conscious of it, again had the camera on it and bugger me it’s getting worse but I can’t feel myself doing it. Given the extent of the movement it’s a miracle I’m making any decent strikes. When I look at vids of good ball strikers a common point is that they all have steady heads throughout the swing.

Anybody else had any similar kind of issue?

Jas

That is a weird one. Problem with all things golf swing related the fix is unlikely to be the obvious, so probably nothing to do with not moving your head. If you are worried then you might have to see the pro.

Many good players lose head height in the downswing but rarely would they move it left or right.

My only guess is that you are sliding a lot of weight one way or the other and your head is moving to compensate and provide balance. But again, probably best to see the pro.

Think it’s part of getting old Mac, I’d probably benefit more from a Physio’s loosening me up than a Pro