what to do in winter for golf

I live in Illinois so when winter comes i am lost. I usually go to the gym and work out trying to bulk up for next season, but it always seems that when the next golf season comes around i feel like i lost my old swing and have to start over. what do you do in the winter for golf?

Simulators

There are indoor hitting ranges in Bloomington and Springfield. You can use those a lot especially during your Christmas/Winter break. Even just swinging a club a couple times a week can help. When you swing make sure it's with a purpose. In the Winter months you're able to look into your swing and make changes so when swinging, try focusing on that one thing that you want to change. If you want to keep your swing then just practice on making it repetitive. Those should help.

Also, bulking up in the off-season is good, but it won't necessarily help with distance. Distance comes from acceleration through the golf ball. Tightening certain muscles will help, but you have to know which ones. My advice is to run and stay in shape. Get toned and fit, but not jacked. Stay flexible, too. Doing these things should help you have a very productive off-season.

I have tried simulators and indoor ranges to no avail. My game is sooooo much worse when i come off the winter months. This year I am going to try to take some lessons and hopefully my back will cooperate enough to be able to do some regular stretching/lifting/excercising.

I really need to find a sugar momma (or hit the lottery) so I can just play year round in different locations.

I would seriously consider doing a stretch-band/flexibility type workout instead of "bulking up" over the winter season.

I'm a believer that increased flexibility and toning may provide you with a smoother swing, while bulking up may actually mean more tweaks for your swing come springtime.

I use the winter as an opportunity to evaluate.  I look at each component of my game and I figure out what goals I want to set for next season.  I start to work towards those goals with practice sessions in the golfdome.

Sort of this...

Its definitely good to work out and put on some muscle. BUT make sure you spend time with stretch bands, and/or Yoga...to retain or increase flexibility.

I live in Pennsylvania, so I'm in a similar boat come winter. I may only have a few more weeks where I can comfortably golf, my plan for this winter is a hitting net at my sisters. I don't have the room in my apartment to set up a net, but she has a nice empty heated garage. You could try to set up a similar thing, or if you have any indoor ranges you could try those. There are also a couple golf stores that I know of that will sort of rent out a simulator for a while so maybe look into that.

Don't know what city you live in, but I live in Bloomingdale and there is an indoor 100yd driving range I go to. I like it better than going to the simulators. Keeps my swing grooved throughout the winter.

I've got one of those cheap 6' putting mats so I'll just drag it around the home and putt from every possible location.  The foundation in my apt is a bit warped so I get to see low grade breaks from any direction.  I'll work on holing those short chips too, as long as the ball barely leaves the ground.  I also check my setup, takeaway, and swing positions in the mirror all the time.

Golf video games are fun too.  It keeps you thinking about course strategy while your actual play is on hiatus.

While I don't have it as bad as you, living in Washington means I might get to play once per week for the next 4-5 months; this is if I'm lucky as a fall/winter like last year will mean maybe once a month. During this time I look to increase my exercise program which includes yoga, stretch bands and a yoga ball. Last winter I set up a place in my garage to be able to hit balls off a rug into some padding. This turned out to be a big help as I would hit 50-100 balls multiple times per week. I felt like my swing was able to stay grooved throughout the winter. I plan on doing the same thing this fall/winter to keep the swing in shape.

I am not a member of GolfTec because they are too expensive for me. But maybe you can get lessons and unlimited use of their indoor driving range. Hopefully there is one near you and hopefully they have a plan for whatever your price range is.

I use a golf dome up here.  Unfortunately it's quite expensive ($25-30 per hour) and rather far away (30 minutes) so I only go once every couple of weeks.  I tried a simulator league last year as well but it wasn't as fun as I'd hoped.  I don't think I'll do it again this year.

You can do many things during the winter.

Firstly, work on your swing positions every day in front of the mirror in your house (do your due diligence in researching the good info on this forum that explains the various "good" positions you want to be in.  You don't want to practice the "wrong" positions of course).  Or reference my last point below....

Secondly, as it pertains to the gym, when you are there like others have mentioned, focus on stretching; however, I would also focus heavily on your core muscles: lower back, abs, legs, etc.  Also, read up on plyometric work which is EXCELLENT training and great for the golf swing.  Plyometric work involves a lot of medicine ball exercises that help to improve balance, generating torque, power and flexibility.

Lastly, find a local pro in your area that offers indoor lessons. You don't need to hit balls that fly 200+ yards to do good work.  A good indoor pro can work with you even though you are just hitting into a net 10 feet in front of you.  A good pro in the winter will work on your positions to ensure that you are swinging the club in a good fashion.  You can work with a pro like this once, twice a month and inbetween sessions, work on the same positions you two worked on together at home.

Embrace the winter for what it is I hope you are able to keep your game as sharp as possible for the summer.

Good luck...

Winter is a great time to get into good shape for the season, and also work on putting and slowly ingraining swing mechanics as mentioned above.

Personally, I am planning on doing Kettlebell exercises combined with P90X.

I live close to the Des Plaines Golf Center which has outdoor bays but they have heat lamps (which still... it's freaking cold).

Some great tips for those in the colder areas.  For myself, I'm actually located in Los Angeles, so my winters consists of putting on a longsleeve and shorts and hitting those courses!

Opti-shot… Havent you seen the commercials?? Hahaha

I've tried GolfTEC in the past with some nice success. They have a variety of locations around Chicago. They're nationwide, so others could take advantage as well. If you're not within the Chicago area I'm sure there are a variety of other simulator options...or indoor driving ranges.

A dome becomes my friend every winter. Not the same as outside on grass. But it can keep me making contact and let me work on things. Mine is 83 from matt to back wall.

Indoor golf dome, which I try to hit once a week just to keep swinging. They have simulators as well, but they aren't great.