1. Check your golf shoes and make sure they’re waterproof. If not, you might want to consider buying a new pair. When cold weather comes, it brings frost and moisture on the grass along with it. This can soak your feet which can lead to an overall feeling of discomfort.
2. When dressing for the cold, put on layers of clothing, as opposed to wearing thicker items like a lined sweater. Multi layering will provide more warmth and you’ll be able to easily remove a layer if necessary. Under Armour compression garments are great for these times.
3. Always wear a hat that provides warmth for the head and protects the ears. You may not be nominated for the most fashionable person of the year award, but you’ll never have to worry about frostbite, or a headache from the cold.
4. Performance gloves are an essential piece of kit in the cold. New materials have allowed manufacturers to create pairs of gloves which are highly effective in combating the cold and wet. All of this is achieved without any compromise in feel.
5. During cold weather, the air is denser or heavier, which slows the flight of the ball and the distance it will travel. You might have to use more club than normal for a given distance. For example, a 6-iron might have to be used for a distance that would normally require a 7-iron, and so on.
6. With the ground getting softer it is important to keep the grooves on your clubs clean. Clean grooves impart backspin on the ball which in turn creates flight, so include a dry clean towel and a 3-in-1 multi-club cleaner as part of your kit.
7. Your risk of injury increases with cold stiff muscles, so keep moving. This is not the time of year for reading putts from ten different angles (there is no right time of year for that). If possible get to the club in time to do some gentle light stretching before launching a missile off the first tee!!
