10 Essential Winter Golf Tips to Survive and Thrive

It's that time of year again when many of our golfers in the Northern Hemisphere reach for extra layers to beat the chill, and playing in boldly coloured shorts and t-shirts seems but a distant memory.

Refusing to put the sticks away during rough weather is one of the most admirable characteristics of the avid golfer. If you brave the harshest of winter elements each year, as well as frozen fairways and temporary greens, we doff our cap to you.

To help you enjoy your winter rounds and help get your game 2022-ready, we've listed a few essential winter golf tips below.

Keep Playing

It's impossible to underestimate the importance of momentum in golf so, to be playing your best at the start of next season, you'll need to keep swinging over winter.

Finding the time to hit the golf course allows you to keep refining your golf swing while also testing your ability to score well in the trying conditions at this time of year.

Set realistic expectations

If you're going to enjoy your winter rounds, it's crucial to come to terms with the fact that - most of the time - you're going to play below your best.

When setting your expectations for the day, make sure to factor in any rough weather and poor course conditions.

If you do manage to put one of your best scores together in the face of everything Mother Nature has thrown at you, after giving thanks to the golf gods, share it on your Hole19 app's social feed and your social channels.

Layer Up

When you manage a round, it's important to 'layer up if you're going to give yourself a chance to shoot a good score.

Of course, you won't want so many layers that your swing feels restricted, but an extra thermal top and a waterproof jacket would be a good start. Some thermal socks will also come in useful, and perhaps a snood could help keep the bitingly cold winds at bay.

Also, wet weather golf gloves can be helpful when the heavens open as they can provide more grip the wetter they get.

Spend more time warming up

Before you hit the first tee, you will need to spend loosening yourself up the round ahead. It's best to allow a little more time for stretching in winter than you would at the height of summer.

As well as stretching before you hit a single ball, spend time at the driving range working your way through the bag. Start by hitting half shots with your wedges and gradually build yourself up to a few drives.

Walk with your bag

Walking with your golf bag in tow is a great way to keep you loose throughout a winter round. Of course, it's not always possible for every golfer, but if you can carry, it'll keep the blood pumping and the body temperature up.

You'll swing more freely and potentially save the course from further damage at the same time.

Pushed for time? Play 9 holes!

Shorter daylight hours, coupled with work and family commitments, will reduce many golfers' ability to play complete 18 hole rounds. Don't let that keep you away from the course, though.

If you're struggling to find the time for a full round of golf in winter, squeezing nine holes in at some point throughout the week will still have its benefits.

Take an extra club

As every Hole19er knows, understanding how far you hit each club is imperative to finding greens in regulation. It generally makes sense to take an extra club in colder weather as the ball won't travel as far. If you hit 8-iron from 140 yards, for example, grab a 7-iron instead.

That's where Hole19 comes in.

Your app will provide accurate GPS yardages to the hole, while our Premium plan will give you a greater understanding of your club-by-club distances.

Continue to work on your putting

The realities of winter can present rapidly changing course conditions, which puts every facet of your game under pressure.

As you adapt, you may miss more greens-in-regulation than you would like. Suddenly, you'll find yourself facing quite a few par-saving (or bogey-saving) putts throughout the entirety of your round.

Dedicated putting practice during the week and 10-15 minutes before your round should have you holing your fair share to keep your score ticking along nicely.

As far as putting on winter greens goes, it's essential to be a little more aggressive with your putts and aim for less break. Try putting to a point at the back of the hole to be sure your putt gets there.

Have one eye on next season

From the start of winter, you still have a solid three months to work on the weakest areas of your game before the new golf season arrives.

Despite the scarcity of daylight, there will be times when there are very few golfers on the course - particularly during the week. You could take this as the perfect opportunity to try new shots, test out new equipment and generally experiment a bit more.

Hit the simulator

If you're unlucky enough to live in a part of the world where there is little let-up in the poor weather, get yourself down to a local golf simulator to work on any new ideas you're trying to implement, as well as your distances through the bag.

While driving ranges are great, simulators can provide essential data on trajectory, club speed, spin axis, launch conditions, carry distance, total distance etc.

We hope this collection of golf tips helps you continue on your journey to golf improvement, despite the challenges winter golf can bring.