25 reasons you should be playing winter golf
11. Carveries
After 18 holes of hitting driver, 3 wood, 3-iron, 3-iron, wedge, putter, on a 350-yard par 4, with the wind in your face, there’s a certain longing for the comforts of home.
If you’re lucky, the clubhouse cook has been working hard to prepare those cosy joints of meat and vegetables for you to enjoy when you head into the dining area after you’ve called it a day on the course.
Beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes – what’s not to love? Clubhouse carveries: like Christmas dinner, but without the silly hats.
12. You’re cooped up all week
You get up when it’s dark. You spend all daylight hours in an office. When you get home, it’s a dash from car to front door through the drizzle.
You do the same on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. This isn’t healthy, and by the weekend you’ve got to break the cycle.
At such times, it’s just a joy to be outside, even if you are wearing up to two-thirds of all the clothes you own and the wind-chill factor is increasing by the minute. Embrace the conditions, breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds sing and give it a ride with your driver.
13. Courses are shorter
Admit it, part of you is appalled at the prospect of playing a course at ‘only 6,100 yards’. Imagine that.
You pride yourself on being able to hit the ball 250 yards (carry, which isn’t true) and now your masculinity is brought into question by not playing off the tips.
You like saying ‘tips’ as it makes you sound highly skilled and knowledgeable. And, what do you know, the course is more than long enough. That 320-yard par 4 – ‘I might knock it on’ – still needs a 9-iron and it’s the same thing as ‘normal golf’.
14. You can play fun formats
In the summer, there can be a relentless procession of medal and Stableford competitions. At this time of the year, it’s all about getting out there and having fun without the pressure of returning a good score.
We’re off the forward tees, it’s preferred lies and the greens aren’t perfect so why not enjoy a different format. Team games are ideal, and especially ones where a lost ball isn’t the end of the world and you can pick up if a partner or team-mate is in prime position. Anything that keeps us all moving is good, and a bit of entertainment is even better.
15. The joy of halfway houses
Oh dear, you’ve forgotten your flask. But don’t worry, because at the halfway point there’s a waystation where you can find all the tea, coffee, hot chocolate or Bovril (other hot drinks are available) that you’ll ever need.
Wrapped up beneath six layers of base layer, thermals, T-shirt, jumper, fleece and waterproof jacket, there’s no point being body-conscious so who’s going to know if you purchase a couple of chocolate bars to enjoy during the rest of your round?
After all, you need all that sugar to convert into heat – I mean, that’s just science.
