Winter work

Well that's more or less it then, season over (I've got one more qualifier left at Woodhall Spa a week on Friday but I have already started winter swing changes)

It's been a bit of a disappointing season really, not helped by the most miserable summer I can remember. Early season optimism washed away and seasons target of Cat 1 missed. Also another winless season (apart from a turkey voucher in the turkey shoot (don't worry Gael, Mac) I'll check that the bird was killed humanely and not on an SSSI :-s ). In saying that it wasn't as bad as last year and I've ended the year only 0.2 higher (there just wasn't that big one off lucky day like last year).

So...down to winter work. Making a change at the moment and hoping its gonna bed in sooner rather than later, currently seeing my pro once a week until I jet off on holiday and hitting circa 800 balls a week on the range. Will continue that until I go away and probably for a good month or 2 after I come back. Weather permitting I'll be getting down to short game work by mid Feb. The East Lothian trip in March should be a good measure of how things are coming together. Also resolved to doing a lot more core work and strengthening as well as stretching in the gym over the winter.

What does everyone else do in the winter? A focussed program, clubs in the garage until spring or carry on playing as normal?

Me? I just carry on playing as normal

Playing this sunday at Lytham on reduced green fees.

Forecast for strong winds and rain. I don't mind the rain too much but the wind is normally a round wrecker.

I'm too hooked to fully give up in the winter but it is harder to get a round with my mates as they mostly shy away from the cold.

I actually shoot some decent scores during the winter - preferred lies and soft greens mean a guaranteed good connection and a chance to attack greens.

I too carry on as normal. Well, one lap a week. Just enough to keep things in sync really. Social BBFB matchplay winter league so competitive enough to make me want to do well and play properly rather than go through the motions.

Otherwise I think i'd hang em up and that would simply makes the membership seem a lot more expensive.

I don't generally embark on swing change programs (not saying I don't need to mind!). In terms of bedding in any changes doesn't the windy and cold weather hinder the bedding in process (although I appreciate that the close season is the only risk free block of time without impacting the h/c unduly).

Interesting to see the comment about preferred lies meaning almost guaranteed a good connection. I find that the soft fairways mean that it is much easier to get it a little bit fat, particularly with short irons. It might be my imagination but the ball doesn't seem to ping forward as well as it does off firm summer fairways (not that we've had much of that this summer just gone).

Probably don't do much specific work pre-March but try to keep playing the odd game throughout the Winter - our club Winter League is a really good incentive for this even it sometimes gets derailed when there are too many hip flasks going about mid-round!
Once we get to some slightly better weather I tend to put in quite a lot of basic ball-striking practice, particularly with mid-irons, along with some focused pitching and short game practice. Don't bother with putting practice until after our club's hollow tining etc in the early season has settled down.

Interesting range session tonight in a screaming left to righter :-/ Any cut spin at all and it was headed for the right boundary fence.

I don't play qualifiers over the winter but do play winter KO (4bbb) and bounce rounds as well but don't really take it that seriously. The focus is more on practice.

It's a good point about cold windy weather hindering the bedding in process Roller, I suppose it's good to have a fairly sheltered covered range for hitting loads of balls. The other thing of course that hinders the bedding in process is playing competitively...just that extra notch of pressure can affect timing, or the sub-concious reverts to what it knows (usually pre change flaws).

I'm already looking forward to the more focussed pitching & short game practice Navy but your right about waiting for better weather at the end of the winter.

golfermartin wrote:Interesting to see the comment about preferred lies meaning almost guaranteed a good connection. I find that the soft fairways mean that it is much easier to get it a little bit fat, particularly with short irons. It might be my imagination but the ball doesn't seem to ping forward as well as it does off firm summer fairways (not that we've had much of that this summer just gone).

Feel the same way about this gm. Don't get the benefit of hitting down during the winter due to the soft turf.

800 balls a week??!! when are you turning pro?
been up to the range the last two days myself. finally got hold of the demo irons I've been waiting for in my spec. they feel lovely, though i'm swinging like a dog after a couple of weeks off. doesn't seem to take much of a break before i lose my game. better find it soon... kilspindie tomorrow then 1st round of the club winter knockout on Saturday.
planning to order the new irons this weekend so i guess one of my winter targets will be to get completely settled with them. hitting quite a few poor shots with the demo simply because i'm admiring the club and forgetting to keep my focus on the ball on the way back!

Ha ha..I'm a million miles away from that Barra, given this seasons performance I came to the conclusion that I just didn't hit enough balls over the winter to bed in changes. Not going to fall into the same trap this year.

Really looking forward to next season as I've been through the disruption of changing my clubs this year too so I won't have that distraction next year.

I've heard Kilspindies quite nice (well name an East Lothian course that isn't!!). Is that as a visitor or a members guest?

members guest - £8 bargain - pity i played like a beginner ...
did hit a cracking 4iron in to 3feet on the signature 8th...missed the putt though i did make up for it with a nice two later.
ordering the new sticks tomorrow i think. hopefully a winter will be long enough to bed them in. don't think they'll be too different to my current sticks.
feeling a bit blue on the golf front. felt i was really getting the game into good shape a few weeks ago but its really gone off the rails. normal a bad round for me is 8-9 over, but feel the way i'm going i could easily be shooting in the 90s over the next few games.