scoring different in different seasons

[terryxo]

hi all

I am about 16 handicap player. I started golfing last year and my goal this year was to become a bogey player which I have accomplished. two weeks ago I played a single digit for the first time. It wasn't like +8 or +9. I actually played +4.
From my personal point of view, I think it is because that I have played under the winter rule which allows players to pickup and clean the ball when the ball is stuck on the wet ground. I know it has to be played that way but I feel like I have played almost half of the game on a perfect lie. I have putted better than other round for sure but I still don't feel like it was a real single digit round.

do you guys also score better playing under winter rules?

I don't think I can play that score if I played during the summer on the same course.

[Jaywun]

Holy cow, you shot 4 over and you started playing last year! I'm so jealous. Anyways, I believe you shot a legit +4. Only if you lift clean and place in the fairway. If you disturbed your ball in any way while off the fairway it wasn't legit. Anyways congrats. And I'd say your on your way to scratch.

[ezmorningrebel]

my home course has very thick, punishing rough and i'm not the most accurate of drivers so i find myself in it quite a bit. during the winter it thins out and the course plays a bit easier until you get to the greens, which are harder and faster during the winter. another reason i find i can shoot better during the winter is there are less people out on the course and i can play unimpeded. my head stays in it and i score a lot better during a 3.5 hour round rather than a 5 hour round.

[casperino101]

Well done on your +4, most courses play a bit shorter in the winter as well but for instance at my course i find the greens much more playable in the winter because they are more receptive! ( we have small greens, which in summer are very firm and you have to bump and run which means relying on the bounce) I much prefer winter golf, but as long as i am out there on the course i am happy!

[terryxo]

thank you all, I guess I'll have to see what I shoot when next season begins.

[limoric]

yes, not only are the greens more receptive, they play less break...

I normally shoot worse in the winter, no roll means the course plays longer and the rough is way more punishing. I play the greens as they read, so I often miss a bit to either side. That said, winter is for practice, so I normally play a few extra ball. Your winter rounds don't count towards your handicap index anyway...so I would use the whole winter to just work on shots and play a real round once every other week or something like that...

[meenman]

It never really gets bad enough here to legitimately play *winter rules*

The scoring doesnt change much - the fairways are firmer allowing for more roll, but the extra layers of clothing seem to offset it.

[Zach Attack]

It never really gets bad enough here to legitimately play *winter rules*

Haha, Im jealous of you Florida guys!

[saevel25]

Winter rules can help, you be suprised how difficult golf can be if you play strickly by the rules. I play strickly by the rules a few times a year, but i usually play league rules, which probably takes 1-2 strokes per nine holes off my golf score.

I tend to play better golf in the summer, i am not a wet ground player, i take pretty deep divots and usually hit the ball first, but barely first. This leads to me having a higher trajectory, hit solid shots, and take monsterous divots. but in the summer when it dries out i take better divots and really strike the ball better, i can hold greens because i hit a high shot. I love fast courses

[soloredd]

I play terribly in the winter. I think a lot of it is due to just being cold, I can never get comfortable and I hate playing with tons of layers on. I usually stop playing around the middle of November and just go to the range to work on short irons/putting/chipping. I might go out for a round in the afternoon if the weather lets up a bit or if I take a trip down to San Diego.

Other than that, I look at it as a good time to recharge my golfing batteries and get away from it for awhile.

[CassinoNorth]

yes, not only are the greens more receptive, they play less break...

Yep. I'll hit 3 or 4 off the tee if I'm out there by myself and let people play through if they come up.