Editor’s Diary: Play your links golf in the winter

Links golf in the winter is an amazing thing. So much so that this golfer believes the best time to head to the seaside is not in June and July but rather at this time of year. Slap bang in the middle of winter.

Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous, but at least hear me out…

Right now, there is a bigger difference between the experience of playing somewhere like North Berwick, as I was lucky to do recently, and pretty much anywhere inland.

Yes, we had to carry mats round with us to protect the fairways (personally I would rather kick my ball into the semi-rough and play from there on the rare occasion I hit a fairway). Yes, we had to bring several layers. And yes, the breeze whipping off the North Sea and down the Firth of Forth was fresh to say the least.

But apart from that, this was real, proper golf. Apart from being a touch slower, the greens were great to putt on. We could bounce our chips in. There wasn’t a tee mat in sight. Links golf in the winter is the real thing.

And best of all, when we’d finished, our shoes and trousers were as clean as three-and-a-quarter hours earlier, which is how long it took to bounce round with a minimum of fuss and tees invariably adjacent to the previous green.

Off we came with ruddy cheeks and warm hearts. Now, you compare that to a soggy or frozen parkland at this time of year with patchy, bobbly putting surfaces, winter tee mats, temporary greens, bare trees, wet rough and muddy fairways.

Give me a nice summer afternoon and pretty much any course I can think of is an appealing prospect.

But at this time of the year the contrast is nothing if not stark.

Better still, links golf in the winter is cheap. A winter green fee at North Berwick is just £45. Well under half the summer rate. And apparently, it never snows on Scotland’s east coast. I had a quick look and you can play all three courses at Carnoustie for £100. Even a round on the Old Course is only £88.

You’re still here? I don’t know what you’re waiting for.

VAT rebates are here

Private clubs are finally starting to receive rebates for VAT paid on green fees. There are a few caveats and most are getting less than they expected but nevertheless it’s great news for clubs up and down the land, many of whom have faced significant financial pressures in recent years.

I only hope they are able to use the money to improve their facilities and build a brighter future rather than merely to settle existing debts.