Winter Golf--Firm maybe fast conditions

[mike_malone]

  Too bad you guys in the warm climates don't get to experience frozen ground.It creates many interesting strategic choices.
    Yesterday we played---here are a few examples--
       I hit first on 125 slighty downhiil par 3 with a biarritzy look in the middle of the green and the pin on the back tier---water back left of green.I hit sand wedge about 15 yards short of green---first bounce 20 feet in air--ends up 25 yards over green..By the third guy he figures it out and rolls it to ten feet.We all just laughed.
    Par 5 --water 30 yards wide all along the right.First guy slight fade--lands on water(frozen)--bounces and rolls all the way to the right shoreline.Another just rolls ten feet onto ice.He can walk out there to hit it but  with those darn spikeless shoes he can't get any footing-takes his penalty.

     Trying to figure how far the ball will roll is one of the most enjoyable things in golf.You also need to factor in the thaw that takes place on most days when it rises above freezing.This changing condition within a round is another winter thrill.

[A.G._Crockett]

Mayday
With all due respect to the fun of whimsy, I'll pass.  I played a round 10 days ago wishing that I had worn shorts!  I'll just keep my thin hide and blood here in the south, and occasionally go hit wedges in the street.

[BCrosby]

Mayday -

Have you ever played on baked clay?

The Sewanee College golf course in the Cumberland Gap is unirrigated. In August, during a dry summer, it is quite literally, like playing on asphalt.

Example: No. 7 is a slight dog-leg left par 4. At 180 yards from the green I have learned to hit a knock-down 8i. Then the fun begins. My ball lands 40 yards short of the green, takes two ten foot bounces and then begins skipping until it transitions into rolling, rolling, rolling.

It is an absolute blast, though the clay gets so hard you can hurt your wrist trying to take a divot.

The interesting thing is that most courses in the SE have clay soils and would have played this way in the summer before the advent of irrigation.

In fact, many of Ross's bunkering schemes only make sense if you have played his courses in the SE under similar hot, dry conditions. It is a whole different course than the one you play in the Spring.

Bob

[Dan Kelly]

Possibly my favorite shot of all time, played in mid-December Minnesota a few years ago:

Par 3. About 150, downhill, over a lake -- frozen. Pin at front left, tucked right behind bunker.

Dan hits 7-iron. A beauty. Lands 3 or 4 feet left of pin and bounds up frozen green to back-left corner of green -- 40, 50 feet past pin.

But that's not the shot.

Dan realizes there's only one shot to get near that pin. Takes out second ball, and 9-iron, and bounces one off the ice, one hop over the bunker, lands on fringe, rolls up to 2 or 3 feet left of hole. Kick-in birdie.

That's the shot! I liked it even more than the 40-, 50-foot putt I put on the first ball, which dived right into the hole for birdie. First time I've ever made two birdies on the same hole, I can tell you that.

Of course, since I had no opponent that day, and since I was clearly not playing by the Rules of Golf, that was not a G-O-L-F shot. But I'll be damned if I care!

[mike_malone]

 Bob
    I was thinking about those unwatered places.I guess you have to get a little shower during the round to get that softening condition like the thaw i spoke of.
      Wearing a teeshirt,a turtleneck shirt,a wool sweater, and a fleece jacket is much more fun than shorts.Taking off your gloves to hit is part of the allure.Feeling that crisp air is exhilarating!!!

[A.G._Crockett]

Mayday
In the divine providence of the Almighty, I think we both find ourselves living where we are supposed to be.

[mike_malone]

A.G.
  Obviously i am just making the best of a bad situation.

[Doug Wright]

Mayday,

I had a similar experience a few years back. 125 yard par 3 over water. I hit first, hit a nice shot to the icy green that bounded way over. The next guy takes out his putter, skids his ball across the lake onto the green. The last two do the same. They all make par. Because we're paying for  "Moses" (any par made on a hole where the ball either enters or skips across a water hazard) I end up paying each of the other three guys. We all laughed like hell.

I've also played some rounds in winter with just a 7 iron that I punch along the ground and a putter.

If you want to hit some "career" shots, winter golf in the northern climes is the place to do it!

Best,

[BCrosby]

Mayday -

On the theme of winter, I played Barnsley Gardens (Dalton, Ga.) a couple of years ago in January. It will get cold in Ga. from time to time and it was very cold this particular weekend.

The water hazards were frozen over, everything was rock hard. My most vivid memory is dropping a ball on the first green from just above my waist and watching it rebound to above my knees.

Things got wackier from there. Yes, what an exhilerating way to play.  

Bob

[Steve Lang]

 

As an Ohioan, did it northerly for 31 years, long johns, parkas, mittens, electric socks etc.. walked on water.. hazards, long long balls, done it.  Frankly, make the best of it if you have to, nothing, absolutely nothing beats working till around 2 PM like yesterday and then getting in 18 before dark in 70°F temp.. Sorry. youcanhave that firm and fast

[TEPaul]

Mayday:

Playing golf in frozen conditons is hilarious--it's a ball--it's firm and fast on steroids. If you have a green chairman, golf chairman or superintendent who're inveterate over-irrigators you should force them all to follow you around a frozen condition golf course for all 18 holes in their underpants until they see the error of their summer ways and repent!

You want to see firm and FAST greens--putt them in the winter--some of them would probably stimp at 15!! No friction at all---it's a f...ing riot to play golf in those conditions. I love that stuff and could do it until my little mitts and tootsies start to freeze which is about one hole I smoke so damn much!

Ever play snow golf? There's this guy from Merion who's the best snow putter I ever saw!

[mike_malone]

 Tom
  One time we were playing and it began to sleet---not enough to stop and go in,but enough to pick up on the (golf)balls when putting.That was difficult.