[PCCraig]

For most of the United States and parts of Europe it's becoming that time of year when the Sun sets far too early, the ground gets cold, any rain is usually borderline ice, and the air is a dry cold. BUT...when there isn't any snow on the ground and the Sun look like it's peaking through the clouds a bit when you ask yourself: I wonder if I can play?

I have great memories of when I was in high school my friends and I had a rule: if there wasn't any snow on the ground and it was over 40* we would be playing someplace (if it was really nice out we would seek out uncovered greens with many times playing 5 hour rounds at Cog Hill in January). Greens or no greens. Sure your irons are going 30% shorter and you're playing to temp greens, but when else are you going to walk out in extra clothes just to try to shape the ball around the frozen fairways? A couple advantages...fast play and firm and fast fairways 

So this leads me to my question. Where are your favorite places to play in the "off-season" and why? What makes it worth it for you to head out in the cold to play on a particular golf course?

[Evan_Green]

Pat, I had a great experience a couple of years ago playing in Texas in March (Texas Hill Country/Austin). The grass was still brown in the fairways and the conditions were quite fast and firm. A very different playing experience than would be the case after April when the dormant grasses come back and its plush. The course that sticks in my mind was Cimarron Hills as being the most fast and firm of the group - it was worth being out in 45 degree windy weather for.

[Doug Ralston]

I live in Cincinnati. During Winter, we will play where it is low 40's and low moisture. Our favorite is a 4hr trip south at Dale Hollow Lake State Park in Southern KY. It is a very fun course, and the fairways are a superior zoysia. They are brown in Winter, but they are still very firm, with virtually no bad lies. The downside is that the rough becomes sparse and the ball will roll out through it often, leading to deep woods and lost golf balls. OTOH, many a Ti-Tech to be found in there too *wink*. Tends to be 10 to 12 degrees warmer than Cincy. Great days!

Doug

[Tim Gavrich]

I have played golf in every month of the year in Connecticut, thanks mostly to two golf courses about an hour from me.  The first is little Fenwick Golf Course, a charming, charming nine-holer where Katherine Hepburn used to live and play.  There's an IMO piece about it on here and it is also profiled in Anthony Pioppi's To The Nines.

The second, which I've posted pictures of in the past, is Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton, CT.  It is largely a Donald Ross routing, save for three holes across a road that were built when the land for three others was acquired, if I recall correctly, for the Pfizer plant that sits nearby.  The three holes--now the 15th, 16th, and 17th, nonetheless fit in alright with the rest of the golf course.  Shennecossett ("Shenny" to the locals) in winter plays as close to a links as I've seen in the US.  They try to leave pins in the greens in the winter as long as there isn't snow (which there often isn't in that part of the state).  If anything, the 5th green might have a temp and there might be some temporary tees.

EDIT: The link to my original Shennecossett thread: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,39545.0/

[Mark Smolens]

One vote is cast for the only realy choice. . . the Reverse Jans!

[Jim_Kennedy]

I'll second young Tim's choices. I've been to Fenwick and Shennecossett in the off season and they are fun. Ground is hard, greens are firm and fast, and no one plays slow for fear of frostbite. 

One thing about Fenwick, it wouldn't seem out of place if you noticed Ouimet and Vardon playing ahead of you.   

A little closer to home for me is Winding Brook in the Hudson Valley, below Albany, that stays open year round, weather permitting. Quebecois invade the place on many winter weekends as its only a morning's drive from Montreal (by car, not sled).   

I can't say that I do it much anymore though, too rickety. 

[Steve_ Shaffer]

For me, a trip to courses near Atlantic City, NJ is good for off season golf. Sandy soil there means good drainage. Places like Blue Heron Pines and Twisted Dune. One such trip during a warmer day in January about 15 years ago resulted in my first hole in one at BHP.

[hick]

The weather in newport was great for golf this week and this is the start of the of season for golf around here. 

Evan, played golf last feb in austin and loved the fall like new england weather and plan on the same trip this feb as well.

[PCCraig]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Question: do you all think that you can still evaluate a golf course fairly when it's not in perfect condition in the off season? How about when there are only temporary greens?

Also: when does your home club close for the winter? Here in Chicago almost every course is closed from Thanksgiving (or the first snow  ) through at least April 1. There are only a few places I can think of that keep their greens open for play through the Winter...Sunset Valley, Cog #1 and #3, Winnetka par-3, and the Jans.

Mark-

The Reverse Jans only exists in the off-season! I'm not sure you would want to fire a 7-iron over a bust evanston street in the middle of the summer when people are walking down to the beach or the El station when others are heading down to a cubs game.


Doug-

Cincinnati is in that little belt south of Chicago (along with St. Louis and maybe even Indy) that stays warm enough to play golf well into December and that can be a huge help in playing more if you don't mind 40* weather.

Matt-

I think the east coast in general and others actually ON the coast get a little help from the Ocean as it keeps things a little more mild in the winter (and cooler in the summer). I can't imagine Newport CC looking a whole lot different in either April, July, or late November.

[hick]

Pat, for the most part you are correct , although in April the temp in Newport can be almost ten degrees colder than it would be in warwick as the water is still cold in the spring. in November the  whole growing season is also behind you which makes for better conditions and less geese.

[David Stamm]

Living in Calfornia, these condition issues are foreign to us. 

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