5 easy tips for playing golf in the winter

The freezing winter weather made its way down to Florida this week. I thought when I moved to South Florida I’d be getting out of the cold for good, but Mother Nature had other ideas.

With the PGA Show in Orlando for the week, me and some friends decided to hop over to Streamsong for a winter round. The forecast wasn’t great, but despite the poor weather, we had a great time.

If you’ve got a cold and wet weather round coming up, here are five tips you can use to make sure it’s an enjoyable day.

1. Pack rain gloves

Prior to the round, one of my friends bought me some rain gloves for the day — and thank goodness he did. With rain coming down throughout the day, my normal glove got wet and slippery. Once I switched to the rain glove, though, things got considerably better. While it was still a bit soggy on the course, at least I didn’t have to worry about my grip slipping. If you’re playing in poor weather, rain gloves are a must.

2. Get the proper gear

A must in the cold and rain is proper gear. if you’re not outfitted properly, you’re going to have a terrible time. Things you need include, rain pants, a rain jacket, rain gloves, a rain hat, an umbrella and a fresh towel. Packing some hand warmers is a great idea, too.

3. Manage your expectations

Playing in bad weather is much tougher than playing in pristine conditions. It’s important to remember this going in, because you’re bound to hit some poor shots. Remember this when you do hit the inevitable poor shot and don’t let it get you down.

4. Enjoy the experience

Sometimes you’ll play a great course in poor winter conditions. When this happens, remember to embrace the experience. It might not be ideal to play in crummy weather, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the course. I tried to keep this in mind as we played Streamsong through the elements.

5. Keep it fun

A great way to forget about the elements is to keep things light. You’re probably not going to shoot a career-best in poor weather, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have some fun. Come up with a game you and your playing partners can play so you can stay competitive and have some fun while you’re doing it.