What do you northern guys/gals do in the winter months to keep on top of your golf game?

[SpoiledRotten]

I don't have that problem with climate, being in central MS, but for you guys that have deep snow 4 months or more during the winter months, what do you do to keep polished? Keep playing, using black balls or something or do you just find something else to do and hope you can still hit the ball when the snow melts?
We have cold weather, but I've still played with the temps being 35*. I just don't have the snow to contend with.

[johny]

I'm very interested in this thread! Being that I live in Montreal, there's no way I can play from November to atleast mid-april. There's a few indoor practice field. What I do, it's not specifically for golf, but I train to get stronger and more flexible, the past 2 or 3 seasons I really noticed that even though my swing didn't improve during those off months, my distance did.

[Shripe]

Well, I haven't been golfing for long but both ranges I'm familiar with either are domed or have heated stalls... I'll have to give the latter a try late this year since I like that range, though it is a bit costly per bucket. Of course, weight training always helps maintain things.

[SpoiledRotten]

I would think that is a bit costly at a heated range, but I guess it depends on how much you want to keep the game going during the winter. More comments on your situation up there?

[etlreams]

Here in Minnesota, fall usually shuts the courses down in October and sometimes (like last year) as late as November. I usually take Nov (if courses are closed), Dec and Jan off. I might putt or chip around the house, but the clubs are retired.

Come Feb and March I start hitting a local indoor driving range. Perhaps as often as once a week, but on average about every week and half or so.

It's just a big bubble about 75-100 yards long. Can't see your whole shot, but there's enough room to see if it's straight or trailing off to the left or right. It is expensive. During the week 8-5 it is about $10 a bucket, during 5 p.m. - close and weekends they charge $10 by the half hour

There is also a heated bay driving range where you hit outside. Tried it once last year but didn't like it. Too cold to enjoy and too bright to see your ball.

Ranges and sometimes courses start opening up in March, usually.

[etlreams]

I should say..... the other thing to do is visit golf stores. It's funny. You can tell those who are serious about golf. We just kind of aimlessly wonder golf stores, dreaming of the days of green grass. It's also an excuse to swing the club and hit balls. Script usually goes like this:

Desperate Golfer: "Hey, I'm interested in buying new irons, can I hit these?"

Annoyed Clerk: "Haven't you been interested like once a week for the past two months?"

Desperate Golfer: "Yeah...I'm just indecisive."

[ECT]

I live in MA and during the winter months I would go to the heated driving ranges. Also, take one trip south to Florida.

Just recently I started taking indoor rock climbing lessons and plan to do that as well as ice climbing during the winter to keep fit.

ECT

[nevets88]

I try and play year round in NYC. My threshold is around 40*. I was able to play a couple of times a month during the last winter. One day in January, it was 50+*.

Otherwise, I fly south for a couple of days a couple of times a winter. I love Florida, especially in December. Great weather.

[jamo]

There are a few indoor driving ranges near me. One is a soccer dome that has hitting bays during week days before 3;30 because kids are in school and there are no soccer games at that time of day. That place is the best because you can see where the ball goes. The other places just have a tarp about 5-10 feet from the hitting bays that you hit into. Also I occasionally use video tape to make sure my mechanics stay good (or improve, if I'm working on something). Really, the winter is the best time to work on your swing because you don't need to worry about taking it to the course.

[saevel25]

Do not hit of golf mats, it just throws your whole game off, i hate them

Slow swings with a mirror to keep up muscle memory. Just go through each position stop reverse then proceed on to the next. Do it as slowly as possible, this will drill in muscle memory.

Work out, best thing to help your game, strong core will definetly up the level for next seasonn.

You can work on your putting stroke inside.

[WUTiger]

saevel25 has a good game plan.

Slow swings in the mirror, and swing drills can help with your timing.

If temperature gets into the 40s (Fahrenheit) for a day or two, one of the local ranges opens up; shed area is sheltered from the wind. Also, I disagree on hitting off of mats . Now, not all mats are created equal. Recent versions will let you put in a wooden tee. Also, when hitting off the mat I can tell from feel and sound (and flight) if I have hit the shot fat, thin, or about right.

And, winter is a good time to get ahead on around-the-house and at-work tasks and repairs so when spring comes, you actually have time to play golf.

[saevel25]

Well driver swings are allright, but any traditional hard mats i would stay away from.

I love the local community golf course here, its open as long as there's no snow. My boss gets winter gloves and plays when its in the high 30's

[jamo]

Do not hit of golf mats, it just throws your whole game off, i hate them

Mats are better than nothing.

[blackxpress]

The only time I don't play is when there's snow on the greens and the course is closed. I missed 5 weeks this winter because of that. I very nearly went insane. Spent a small fortune at the driving range. Every day I went and hit two jumbo buckets (covered, heated tees). I would hit balls for a while and then go inside and practice my putting, go back outside and hit some more balls. Sometimes when cabin fever gets really bad we play indoor golf. It's fun but expensive and nothing like the real thing. Other than that, if the course is open I'm out there. I played one day this winter when it was 16 degrees out. Amazing how far the ball goes when the fairways are frozen solid.

[alf174]

There are a handful of courses that stay open year round; ranges with heated tees or heated dome; a couple of simulators that host winter leagues; and of course vacationing in Florida.

[alomar123]

Well almost all the courses here are still open, but theres no way I will play in the snow, so I do nothing.

[JWL1957]

The wife and I tend to play alot more bedroom golf during the cold snaps. We put the putter in the hole and leave the balls out.

[Rexx]

I play in basketball and bowling leagues (plus pickup volleyball) during the winter months. Generally don't touch a club from sometime in November/December until sometime in March/April. Fortunately, it usually doesn't take too long to get the swing back (actually shot a 78 right out of the gate this year... somehow). But I'm a fair weather golfer, so I usually don't play unless it's at least 55-60 degrees -- the break of the seasons is nice and helps to keep the motivation up (for all the different sports, not just golf).