Anyone else in the northern climes frustrated with this weather?

[LiveActionPro]

What's it to you if he is?

[dak4n6]

It makes exactly 0.000000000000 difference to me. I'm making light of the hardcore political rant in a thread that is supposed to be about the northern clime and its relation to the game of golf.

Is that OK buddy?

[Golfingdad]

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

[14ledo81]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

Considering I don't have much form to begin.... Seriously though,  I would say I am definitely off.  It does not seem to take to long to get back close though.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

Honestly, I never found any drop-off in the 25 years that I played golf avidly in Colorado.  We would often be able to play off and on during the winter, but some winters forced a 3 month hiatus from the game.  It never seemed to matter to me - even my short game and putting seemed to take the layoff well.  The fact is, I often played some of my best golf in the first two or three weeks of the season before the bad habits and overthinking crept back in.

[Deryck Griffith]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

This is the indoor golf dome that I frequent during the winter here in Toronto.....

http://golfdomemississauga.com/

http://golfdomemississauga.com/gallery/

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

A month or so.

I played a few rounds down in NZ a few weeks back - shot in the high 80s. Putting/chipping/short irons usually stay O.K - driving and long irons take the biggest hit.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Deryck Griffith

This is the indoor golf dome that I frequent during the winter here in Toronto.....

http://golfdomemississauga.com/

http://golfdomemississauga.com/gallery/

Hey, that's pretty cool!  Not the same as being outside, I imagine, but at least you're hitting some. :)

[Deryck Griffith]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Hey, that's pretty cool!  Not the same as being outside, I imagine, but at least you're hitting some. :)

Absolutely!  From the mat that's most central to the back part of the dome is about 65 yards which allows enough time for you to know how the ball is flying in the air.  Meaning, if I'm practicing my shot pattern (which is a slight cut), I can see that I'm "actually hitting the cut" before the ball slams into the mesh...

[iceman777]

In RI we got spoiled last year . I played through January and it was 80 a couple of days in March . Looks like from next week  on it will be 50s or higher . This is my last year of crappy winters and no golf . My last child goes to college in the fall , so wife and I can get away for a few weeks in winter , IF I have any money left . In a few years trying to convince her to move to Aiken SC , a few miles from Augusta , and live in RI only 4 or 5 months in Spring and Summer . Let's hope .

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

You have probably seen on my swing page, my entire posture and swing fell apart.  I did not really have anywhere within' 30 minutes of my house or work for swinging the club.  I literally took two and a half months or so off.  Thankfully last month a place opened up within' minutes of my house, although they just have nets and $27/hr simulators to use.  I feel after a month or so now of working on things, I am back where I was.  I was surprise how far I slipped and realize I cannot go that long without swinging again.

[jamo]

I'm curious: Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next? Does it take awhile to get back to form?

Great questions, and I'd be interested to see what some other people answer. When I'm in Massachusetts, I go to this place: http://www.forekicks.com/marlboro/content/index.cfm?fuseaction=drivingrange It's got four soccer fields, a futsal field, and two basketball/volleyball courts (plus a weight room and gym for members). On weekdays they put up some hitting bays in half of a soccer field. Balls are a tiny bit pricey, but it's warm, they keep it relatively humid (as opposed to the dry, dry air outside), and there's no snow. You see about 50 yards of ball flight, and if you avoid the lunch-time rush (it's right near a bunch of office buildings) there's plenty of space to set up a camera. I actually saw someone with one of those Swinkeys the other day, which is the first time I've ever seen another person film besides myself there (I still prefer my tripod). I used to go to this place as well: http://www.nglcenter.com/facilities.html but there isn't really enough space to set up a camera, and if I'm not going to see ball flight I've at least got to be able to film. Delaware apparently does not know that golf can be practiced indoors, but they always seen to be good for an unseasonably warm day every few weekends in February and March, so I go to an outdoor range when I can. Starting in April it's consistently warm enough to go outside, which is nice (actually, the last few years I've been able to start in March, but it's been colder longer this season). I've been pretty much shutting it down though from October to December the past few years though. Partly because the autumn and spring are much windier than I'm used to in MA (and I despise the wind), and partly because there are no decent cheap golf courses in the area. I try to not define golf "seasons," only because I'm always working on changing something, whether I can hit golf balls or not. I think that helps curb the big drop-offs, and I spend less time cleaning stuff up I already worked on (emphasis on less time, not no time ;-)).

[Deryck Griffith]

Originally Posted by jamo

Great questions, and I'd be interested to see what some other people answer.

This is another place we have in the Toronto area.

http://www.launchgolfcentre.com/index.htm

You can hit balls outside year round (they have heaters in every swing bay).  However, when it gets windy, the heaters aren't that effective and the balls are rock hard when it's really cold.

[jamo]

This is another place we have in the Toronto area. [URL=http://www.launchgolfcentre.com/index.htm]http://www.launchgolfcentre.com/index.htm[/URL] You can hit balls outside year round (they have heaters in every swing bay).  However, when it gets windy, the heaters aren't that effective and the balls are rock hard when it's really cold.

Yeah, most of the ranges in MA have some of those overhead heaters. I'm not too keen on those though. The balls are rocks like you said, as are the mats, and the heaters are either ineffective or they catch on fire (which I've had happen a lot). Plus it gets windy and just altogether uncomfortable. I can see my ballflight, sure, but who knows whether that's how I'm actually swinging it or if I'm hitting it that way because I'm wearing five layers.

[Valleygolfer]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I'm curious:

Do most of you guys have indoor ranges to go practice during the winter?  If not, and all you get to do is stretch and swing in front of a mirror in your house, how much of a dropoff do you find frlom the end of one season to the beginning of the next?

Does it take awhile to get back to form?

This year I have been playing a indoor league where I spend about an hour weekly playing nine holes and practicing swing mechanics. I also have taken three different trips to the golf and ski warehouse, where they are gracious enough to let me swing away in the track man for about 35-45 minutes each time. I also take practice swings on my mat in the house as well but not a huge amount. This is the first I have done this but I have heard from my other friends it is like not missing a beat.

Last year I didn't do as much. When I went out the first few times I actually played pretty well but dropped off for a few weeks after. Idk if it was poor course quality or me stiffening up.

[LuciusWooding]

I just scurried out to play 18 after work, it hit about 55 today on Long Island. Got some sun and a decent bit of wind. I had to wear a jacket, and the greens were in awful condition so no gauge of putting, but a decent afternoon.

[Russtopher]

My local range couldn't open until last week due to blizzard damage, and it's been in the 30's since it opened. I found a range with heated bays not too far from my office, but aside from 2 quick excursions while on the way back from meetings, I haven't really been able to get out at all. This past summer was my first "real" summer golfing, and I've been itching to get back out there. Up to now, I've been swinging daily, sometimes using the Tour Tempo tones but mostly just working on stance, grip, etc.

We used to have an indoor range inside a dome a number of years ago, however after the dome collapsed it was never re-opened.

[flintcreek6412]

We spent the last 5 days in the NC mountains hoping to play lots of golf.  The weather didn't cooperate but we did get a round in on Saturday when it 50*.  We then had rain and flurries the rest of the time.  Tuesday it cleared up and hit about 35* with 20mph wind.  That was all I needed.  We northerners are used to cool weather so we had the course to ourselves.  Literally, we were the only ones on the course all day.  And we even got to play on bent grass in NC when almost every other course is dormant Bermuda.

Be patient northerners, it's coming soon!!