December’s Tip of the Month Standing Up to the Seasons: A Primer on Winter Golf

BY RYAN WILLIAMS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

Sitting here writing this month’s tip while it is raining outside has forced the acceptance that winter golf has arrived. With the shorter days, colder temperatures, and sometimes nasty storms, this season provides challenges unique from other, kinder parts of the year. That said, golf in the months between November and March can still be very enjoyable and foster growth in all of us as players. For this month’s tip, I thought I would share some keys to success for your upcoming rounds.

Dressing for Success:

Being prepared for the elements begins in your closet. Tour caddies never earn their commissions more than in bad weather weeks. They work tirelessly to make the game feel as normal as possible for their players. Here are some of the key ways:

• Hands: I listed this item first on purpose. If I had to choose one single part of rain gear, it would be rain gloves every time. They are designed in such a way that they grip better the damper they become. A sturdy grip is crucial during any round, but especially in the rain. Keep a pair in your bag all the time to be prepared! We also have the G-Tech Sport Vest that acts as an electric handwarmer! If your hands get cold, that would be a solid investment!

• Body: whether you own a $400 top-of-the-line Gortex rainsuit or $50 set off of Amazon, having a jacket and pants to keep you dry as long as possible is a must. You will be most thankful if the conditions are starting to affect your scorecard in adverse way. Nothing adds to the sting of a double bogey like your clothes getting soaked.

• Headwear: There are numerous styles but keeping your head dry and warm is also a key to keeping your spirits high! Mine makes me look like a scarecrow, but with a beanie on underneath it my hair stays dry and my ears stay warm! With that in mind, be sure to have with you a beanie for those dry but cold and windy days!

• Feet: Waterproof shoes are an absolute must! From days as a cart boy, nothing made me more miserable than cold and wet feet! Be sure to wear a pair of shoes that can work any time of the day, even in the mornings when the grass is still full of dew!

Warming Up:

I mention to students all the time that PGA Tour Players do not use the driving range as a means of “warming up.” I promise you that their bodies are ready to move a club aggressively long before their first ball is struck. Sometimes, a winter early morning tee time makes hitting balls an impossibility because of daylight. In such case, I would highly advise a dynamic mobility and stretching routine so that your body is ready to rotate and swing a golf club. A warm-up that activates your core and glutes as well as opens up your hips, shoulders, and hamstrings can go a long way to getting your round started in a decent fashion as well, most importantly, preventing injury.

Mindset:

Golf is an inherently unfair game. The best players of all time understood that and, rather than blaming the course or just plain old bad luck, took ownership of what happened them on the course. Johnny Miller, one of the game’s great players, acknowledged in his book, “I Call the Shots,” that his attitude held back his career to some extent. In his chapter on other great players, he described that Tom Watson, winner of 5 Open Championships, seemed to actually enjoy bad bounces. Proper Links Golf and Open Championships, because of their proximity to the sea, are often played in weather not unlike our winters. Thus, those that have success in such conditions tend to be those that embrace the challenge, rather than diminish the original form of the game as unfair. In the words of Dr. Bob Rotella, I would encourage all of you to “embrace the challenge of the day, whatever it may be.”

Bad weather requires acceptance to handle it as a player. Trying to fight mother nature by imposing a more “normal” style of golf on a tough day is foolhardy at best. Here are some examples of things that must be accepted:

• Hitting more club: because the ball is sitting on dormant Bermuda grass, likely has more moisture on its cover, and temperatures are cooler, it will simply not go as far. In our scratch league here at the club, I hit a 5-iron from 214 yards on the 16th hole (7 River). It was hot, a little downwind, and I was swinging well that day. Put me in that same situation on a winter day and I would very likely be hitting my 19-degree hybrid. 7-irons that once went close to 180 yards might be hit from 145 on a cold morning. I urge you to be willing to grab one extra stick!

• Lies: Winter Rules is an accepted concept at most courses. This involves, when in the General Area, bumping the ball into a good lie. If you are playing a tournament that allows you to do so, then please do not give yourself a competitive disadvantage by not cleaning and replacing your ball. In more casual situations, however, I would encourage you to play your ball as it lies. Will you hit the ball as solid or score as well? Probably not. Will you grow as a player by learning to strike the ball in any type of lie and better understand how to score regardless of the conditions? Almost assuredly!

One of Woodbridge’s best players, Russ Humphrey, is also among our most die-hard winter golfers. It is not uncommon for Russ and I to be the only ones playing on a cold, rainy, or windy day. I cannot help but think the way his mind works plays a huge part in his success as a player!

Let’s use him and Tom Watson as an example, play some great rounds, and most importantly, enjoy the game this winter at Woodbridge!