Getting cold in New England....

I am new to the game and this is the first season when I am finding it is really unfair on folks in New England - time to wind down !!!!

So I have made arrangements to chip/putt indoors...any suggestions for keeping the full swing intact ? other then expensive practice nets ?

nkranga,

I would suggest putting through a channel of upside down tees on carpet keeps the putting stroke up to par.

Chipping in the house with foam parctice balls against a wall works well.

Full iron shots with a 8i - SW can be done in a garage.

If you have a Thrift store sometimes you can find a old driver for a few dollars. Have a clubmaker fill the head with cement and reattach the shaft about $20.00 total. This will keep your golf muscles in shape over the winter.

A trip or two to a gym or a good stretching cardio tape will work for flexability.

Winter sports and some of the above suggestions might help with the end of the golf hibernation period.

Hope this short list helps,

GolfBald

__________________
The guy in the white hat!

I'm in the same boat. I have played for about 3-4 years and was able to play year round because I was in the san fran area. This spring though I moved back to my birthplace in Iowa. Guess what, you can't play much golf in Nov. in Iowa.

Here's what I'm doing to cope
- I took all that money I was spending on greens fees and range balls and got a Y membership

- Got a wieghted club and two full length mirrors and I practice for about 15 minutes in the morning before work and 1/2 hour when I get home. (Stretch, Stretch, Stretch)

- Like GB said work on putting when you're watching TV, waiting for spring, etc...

- Practice chipping. (Thanks for the idea of using the foam balls). I put a hole in the bedroom wall last week and my GF was p**ed.

- And lastly if it breaks 40 on the weekend get out and play. I went out last weekend when it was about 45 and I was actually sweating a little by the 2nd or 3rd hole. You'd be suprised how warm u can stay when you are carrying that bag around. Plus in the winter there's no waiting on the group in front of you.

Thanks for the tips....I am doing most of them.

I did not get the 'upside down tees' ? Can you explain GolfBald ?

Chipping with real balls into the laundry basket with a 64 wedge is my passtime at night and putting on carpet to knock down the silly six pins(bowling pins my kids play with) one at a time (they are lined up separately) is fun too. I let my son call the color he wants me to knock down.

nkranga,

The upside down tees, Take about 8 tees and turn them upside down on your carpet, 4 on each side of the putter head. Keep moving them closer together. Swing the putter head through the 2 lines of tees without knocking them over.

A cement head driver cut down works wonders with some mirror work. Makes for strong wrists and forearms.

Golfbald

Besides the indoor golf practice I would advise doing daily exercises such as neck and waist rotating. Also work on your posture - keep the back straight, because, in my experience that is always one of the first things go when the spring comes. You might want to work on keeping the knees level throughout the swing too.

oops nearly forgot, if you have the time think about taking up a keep fit routine such as yoga or tai chi. You might laugh, but I've been doing tai chi for years and it's definately helped my balance and improved the mental side of the game.

Paul