Opinion & Analysis
Timeless tips to beat the cold: The GolfWRX Guide to Winter Golf
This story is part of our new “GolfWRX Guides,” a how-to series created by our Featured Writers and Contributors — passionate golfers and golf professionals in search of answers to golf’s most-asked questions.
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It’s been said often, and rarely disputed, that a golfer will play through anything. Not even a downpour of biblical proportions immortalized in the movie Caddyshack can keep Bushwood’s resident bishop from squeezing in a quick nine.
So if you’re one of those golfers who is willing to venture outdoors when it’s cold and windy, on days that require running the defroster on high, here’s a GolfWRX Guide for extending golf into the winter season and enjoying it.
Before You Hit The Course
It’s safe to say that many golfers suffer from complacency. We have all found ourselves at times grabbing any old polo shirt out of the closet, flinging our golf bag into the trunk of our car, sprinting to the first tee, not bothering to hit a practice bucket. And in the summer — we can get away with it.
Winter, however, is harsh and uncompromising. But it doesn’t have to beat you up; all it takes is a little preparation, so let’s get started.
Golf isn’t always thought of as a physically demanding game, but it does take some flexibility and coordination, especially when it’s cold out. If you’re one of those weekend warriors who thinks a sit up is something you do when you’re relaxing on the couch, a little exercise can keep your game from going into hibernation. A good way of loosening up before your tee time is with a 20 to 30 minute warmup at home. Titlelist Performance Institute has developed a routine consisting of a series of flexion and extension exercises that hit all the major muscle groups involved with playing golf. The routine doesn’t require any special equipment and it’s easy enough to do, even for a person leading a sedentary lifestyle.*
Once your body is warmed up, it’s time to prep your golf bag. Make sure it’s stocked with extra tees, balls and towels. If this sounds like overkill — believe me — it’s not. Tees tend to snap more easily in the cold, balls always seem to find a pile of dead leaves to hide in and you’re always toweling off something — whether it’s a sand wedge caked with dirt or your nose dripping with snot. Don’t make a rookie mistake and use a single towel for both.
I also recommend bringing a golf bag hood to cover your clubs and an umbrella in case of precipitation. This is especially true if you happen to live in a traditionally wet corridor of the world such as the Pacific Northwest (West of the Cascades) where the average monthly rainfall is at its highest from November through March.
Lastly, don’t forget about snacks and water. You should be able to pick up these items at the course in case you forget, but never rely on a muni to maintain a half-way house in the middle of winter or expect to see beverage cart girls zig-zagging between fairways like they do in-season.
Of course any discussion about playing in cold weather has to mention apparel. The keys to dressing warm and staying dry? Layers and fabric. Look for clothes that you can easily coordinate without adding unnecessary bulk. When evaluating a garment, ask yourself — is it lightweight, breathable, water-repellent and / or wrinkle-resistant?
Here’s a simple cheat-sheet even the most fashion-impaired can follow:
- When choosing socks, cotton is fine, wool is better. Pick a pair that are a decent length. I prefer wearing compression socks — they’re great for keeping your calves warm and help with reducing lactic acid buildup in your legs the following day.
- Except when it’s mild out, I strongly advise wearing a base layer consisting of a compression shirt and pants. Almost any sporting apparel company worth their ilk produces a decent product, but I personally like Under Armor’s form-fitting ColdGear collection for retaining body heat.
- For shirts, any type of technical fabric that wicks is fine. Some golfers enjoy wearing shirts that sport a heavier weave in winter such as pima cotton or a poly-cotton blend. In terms of pants, you’ll need pair that are waterproof and windproof for really lousy weather; on better days you can’t do much better than with Maide’s Highland Pant which earns high marks for its traditional style and great fit.
- Keep it simple with knits; stick to classic colors and silhouettes that can be worn on and off the course. The chunky and often-times scratchy sweaters of your father’s generation have been replaced with lightweight knitwear made from performance wool fabrics that don’t get in the way of your golf swing.
Depending on what you have on and the conditions you might encounter while golfing, you may want to bring a jacket or pullover that you can easily put on or take off as needed. Make sure you buy something wrinkle-free that you can fold up and shove into your golf bag. As far as footwear, it goes without saying that you should wear something water-proof.
When it comes to accessories, keep it simple. A warm hat, a stick of lip balm to carry in your pocket and a solid pair of gloves. FootJoy sells one of the best rain gloves in the industry and a pair of DryJoys Cart Mitts are easy to slip on and off between shots (in frigid conditions). On sunny days, remember to wear sunglasses. Too many people still think that temperature affects the intensity of UV radiation when in fact it doesn’t. Exposure to the sun’s rays can be just as damaging in the winter as it is in the summer.
At The Golf Course
So you’re all bundled up like Hagrid in Harry Potter and you even managed to arrive to the club with plenty of time to spare. But from the moment you shut off your car’s engine and feel that first blast of cold air, you briefly consider putting your car in reverse and heading home.
If you’re expecting to hear some irrefutable advice that will help you conquer the cold and save you strokes playing on a surface hardly more forgiving than concrete, I’m sorry to say you’ve come to the wrong place. Bad shots and bad weather are made for each other. We’ve all experienced the thin shot that stings your hands, the skulled chip from a bare lie, the long approach that comes up well short, maybe even the dreaded shank. And if you happen to be playing in the rain, well, that’s a whole other level of suck.
That being said, attitude plays a crucial role in determining how you cope with the elements and your mental state. You’ll have a much better time out there if you come prepared with a game plan and set your expectations accordingly.
Use the extra time you have before your round begins to hit some balls on the range. Your goal here, as it should be at any time of year, is to establish a rhythm and a feel. Don’t allow yourself to be preoccupied with distance or direction; after all, you’re hitting frozen golf balls off a more frozen mat. If you have time to spare, drop a few balls down randomly just off the putting green and practice your chipping. Your ability to recover from a bunch of less-than-stellar shots short of the green might be the difference between playing for keeps or just playing to keep warm.
When it’s time to tee off, always elect to walk the course if the opportunity presents itself. Golfers who keep their bodies moving between shots are less likely to feel cold and stiff. With any luck, the course will be half empty allowing you to play 18 holes at a brisk pace.
While it’s possible to post a good score in the winter, don’t be obsessed with grinding out a low number. In fact, forget stroke play altogether — give alternative formats like match play, best ball or Stableford a chance. You might find that these games give your weekend matches some much-needed zip in the off-season. It might even encourage some of your less courageous golf buddies to get off the couch and join you.
As for my actual advice on play, let common sense prevail: Move up a set of tees, club up in cold weather, learn to hit a punch shot and always keep your primary golf ball as warm as you can between shots.
When your round is over, hurry the hell up and get warm. If you’re not accustomed to grabbing a meal or a drink at the club’s grill room, make an exception. There’s nothing better than sharing a table with good company, eating a burger hot off the grill and poking fun at all those unfortunate souls who won’t celebrate making a birdie till Spring.
*Disclaimer: Always gain clearance for your training from a doctor or well-qualified exercise professional before commencement of an exercise regime.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole1 day ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole1 week agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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Dan
Dec 25, 2014 at 12:45 pm
I live in MIchigan and have found that flannel jeans are a great way to go. Try Land End or Eddie Bauer.
I’ll be out again tomorrow…. December 26.
Pingback: Wailing At Wintry Woes - The Golf Shop Online Blog
Mark Davis
Nov 10, 2014 at 5:31 pm
Perhaps most importantly, have fun playing all bundled up! (I’m not talking about windproofs here… I’m talking about playing on those odd sunny days up north when when all the hazards are frozen over (rub of the frozen green, I guess) and you don’t need headcovers to do the “headcovers under the arms” drill.
Get out, warm up really well, get some legwork in and bash the bloody ball around. A few solitary hours to think about important stuff whilst doing what you love. (If you bring a group, there’s bound to be a whiner, ruin the whole experience which is difficult enough to begin with.) Big fun, can’t learn anything (except which booze to bring next time and which Kleenex are the softest), defy the gods and play through despite. Oh, and thanks for the flask info. Essential stuff.
And keep an eye on those airfare sales to Florida or wherever.
God love the Northern Golfer.
Mudder
Nov 10, 2014 at 4:49 pm
I prefer rain pants over regular pants to stay warm as well as dry. So long as you’re not wearing heavy denims underneath it works pretty well without restricting your swing. The bonus is that you can take off the rain pants when you go into the clubhouse and look normal without having mud on your pants.
Double Mocha Man
Nov 10, 2014 at 11:23 am
Winter golf is the solution to slow play! It’s too cold for the golfers in front of you to play at a summer’s snail’s pace, if they’re even there. And it’s too cold for the summer slowpokes to even be on the course. But yes, it’s never too cold for that flask.
gvogel
Nov 10, 2014 at 8:16 am
Patagonia makes a synthetic puff pullover that is very warm.
Keep a couple of extra balls in your pocket, and put a warm one in play on every tee by rotating them.
Walk and carry 8 or 9 clubs.
MikeOZ
Nov 9, 2014 at 6:59 am
Move to a warmer climate, then you can play all year round!
Johnny
Nov 9, 2014 at 3:25 am
What’s the problem with leaving your clubs in the garage over winter? Would be good to know since mine live in the garage all year round
Chris C
Nov 8, 2014 at 9:41 pm
I strongly recommend an electric vest.
Jason
Nov 8, 2014 at 12:10 pm
Decent article. But, no mention of a cart cover, hand warmers, extra propane, etc? Bringing a heater without a cart cover is insane!
davepelz4
Nov 7, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Sun Mountain makes a microweight shell that you can wear that will not constrict in the least and also conserves body temp. if you need to add a layer, add this.
other paul
Nov 7, 2014 at 8:47 pm
I recommend hitting 30-50 balls a day in the garage into a net. It is helping my ball striking so much that I make keep the net up and do it all year! I play Vgolf in the winter a few times a month and my scores are usually 2-3 strokes better then on course. I just put in two rounds of 75 and an even par on 9. I actually hit more balls last month then in August and September combined and my game is improving so fast. Picked up a couple miles an hour of club head speed to.
bradford
Nov 21, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Careful, the simulators favor a very particular swing that will destroy your game on soft ground.
Titleistfan
Nov 7, 2014 at 8:40 pm
No mention of best type of head gear plus I want that Kaymer mouth scarf (anyone know what it is?)
Windproof jersey and pants essential as is a goretex beanie hat
Ronald Montesano
Nov 8, 2014 at 8:26 am
http://www.blackflyfishingstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=382_188
Here it is, Titleistfan.
RM
Andrew
Nov 8, 2014 at 8:32 am
Think Kaymer wears a ‘snood’ round is neck. Galvin green do one as do a company called Buff (worn by a lot of cyclists)
Andrew
Nov 8, 2014 at 8:33 am
*his*
Mike
Nov 7, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Nice article,
Try this, stay home shut it down for the winter and take a break most are not going to play ny the rule and cheat since the conditions are not season ready.
Mike Belkin
Nov 7, 2014 at 4:47 pm
A flask and a good match are my essentials for a winter round in New England
Ponjo
Nov 7, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Try some hand warmers called Hot Rox.
nikkyd
Nov 7, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Hard to do where i am. Greens are tarped for the winter 🙁 its hard to get backspin on a ball in 30 inches of snow anyways. Hey, whats it like putting on those spray painted dormant bermuda grass greens? Does it feel like putting on artificial turf? Are the greens receptive to approach shots? I was looking at the greens the big guys are playing on down in mississippi, the greens are GREEN. Noone said anything about them being painted
Ken
Nov 8, 2014 at 7:49 am
Here in the Nashville area there are a few courses with bent grass. They are mostly green throughout the winter. The Bermuda greens quickly go dormant and get fairly slick and brown. Sometimes it’s like putting on tile.
ABgolfer2
Nov 7, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Hockey.
J
Nov 7, 2014 at 11:30 am
Pocket warmers…I’ve found you have a tendency to keep the body warm just by walking and carrying your clubs, but when your hands are cold the game is very hard to play. You lose feeling on everything. Plus, I alternate balls, leaving one in the pocket with the warmers. This may or may not help with compression on the tee shot.
Jim
Nov 7, 2014 at 11:24 am
Great article and advice on how to keep playing through the winter. Layering is the best advice as well as using sunglasses. Switching to a yellow ball really helps when there are leaves or even low light levels too. But maybe the best ‘advice’ is to simply enjoy the quiet on the course during the colder months as you’ll likely be one of the only ones there (at least in the Northeast)and it’s terrific.
sgniwder99
Nov 7, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Amen to that. Living in Rochester, NY for the better part of a decade, there was one winter when I was able to play all winter long due to an unusually mild winter. That was quite an experience. The courses were actually closed, but the munis would let you walk on. Most days I’d be one of the only people out there, and it was dead quiet. Great change of pace from normal in-season play. It was also…interesting playing the same pin placements for 4 months straight.
bradford
Nov 7, 2014 at 10:40 am
Also wanted to add, WALK. If they don’t force you to take a cart, don’t. Keeping moving will keep you warmer.
Jay V.
Nov 7, 2014 at 10:36 am
A lot of people forget the softer golf balls. They really make a difference in the cold. Put the V1s away and pick up Z-Star SLs or Q-Stars. You’ll feel the difference, hit them further, and won’t care as much when you lose one.
Mike
Nov 7, 2014 at 10:33 am
Great article. I plan on playing much more this winter, and this will help out a lot!
Ken
Nov 7, 2014 at 9:14 am
Probably just an oversight, but there’s no mention of choosing wisely when purchasing a high performance winter flask. By ‘high performance,’ I mean that something on the wee side … 4 oz … is selfish. Friends always ask, “Do you have a little extra?” Of course, I realize that brown water imported from Kentucky or Ireland is at odds with E-Bars and bananas, but what the hell.
Rusty Cage
Nov 7, 2014 at 9:57 am
Ken,
If you’re looking for a flask, you can’t go wrong with this beautiful 5oz model from Seamus Golf: http://www.seamusgolf.com/products/dogtooth-lined-draw-chord-pouch
Ken
Nov 7, 2014 at 10:32 am
Now we’re talking! Thanks.