Early season golf

[Fallys0820]

What exactly are you looking to achieve in early rounds of golf?

With courses just about to open, and likely not cutting their grass the first two weeks they are open + April showers further dampening the course, are you just trying to get swings in, or are you playing for a score?

For me, I'd play golf in the fall until the first snowfall, but spring golf and I aren't great friends. I can understand people with memberships getting out there asap, but for a greens fee player like myself, the price I'm paying for the conditions I'm playing never equate until, usually, the second week of May.

[sebber]

I am with you. I played a few weeks ago in Florida, sure I am itching to get back out there but I won't rush out and play in swamps just because it is open. Once Nation opens I will be there for sure because I know the kind of terrain it's built on drains very quickly. I played Casselview a few times in early spring last year and although the greens were nice, the fairways were very very bumpy, you would sink ankle deep in muck in certain areas, until the course have dried out, i will stay away!

[DenisO]

I will get out early at the start, just because winter is over and that itch needs to be scratched. I imagine I won't be playing swamp courses more than a couple times especially since they'll probably charge the same as summer rates. Instead, I will most likely be spending more time practicing the short game in preparation for the handicap season.

[adam]

Early season is all about deal shopping and starting to scratch the rust off the short game. Hitting balls at the range with the full swing can get pretty old after a couple weeks.

[bNeill]

I will get out early at the start, just because winter is over and that itch needs to be scratched. I imagine I won't be playing swamp courses more than a couple times especially since they'll probably charge the same as summer rates. Instead, I will most likely be spending more time practicing the short game in preparation for the handicap season.

Pretty much this. My focus for the first few rounds are to ingrain good habits both in warm up and on the course. I get back into my practice routines and hit a tonne of putts. However if I'm on the course, I'm there to score so no matter what the conditions are my mindset is the same.

[nokids]

I'll be looking to see if my new interlock grip feels good. I am switching from the baseball grip.

I wont care about the green conditions or my score unless Denis' purse is open for business

[DenisO]

It's always open for business for you Pablo, eaaasy money!

I'll be looking to see if my new interlock grip feels good. I am switching from the baseball grip.

I wont care about the green conditions or my score unless Denis' purse is open for business

[quinner]

I certainly won't be rushing out unless there is someplace that is offering seriously discounted golf. I have been sucked in that past few years with paying way too much to play in the spring.

[Wilster]

I'll go and play a few times early , and try to get the swing going , then i'll start hitting the range and short game areas . Come mid april , i'll be out as often as i can , plan is to play alot this year .

[Marcos]

For us its just a matter of getting outside enjoying the nice weather, meeting people and grooving the swing. Dont do well in soggy conditions so for me the score is not important.

[Wknd_Warrior]

oh man, I just wanna play! Champlain usually gives out two for one coupons in the spring.

[Kilroy]

Score is a non-issue for me until April 15 when handicapping season begins. Until then it's great to be out practicing on the course.

[OutOfTheRough]

For me it is going to be all about ball flight. Hitting into a net for the last 4 months has been great but I need to see some ball flight. The range is also good, but i need more definite target to aim for. This is where the course comes into play.

I'm probably not going to play much, but I'll get out a few times before handicap season starts.

[jeffc]

For us its just a matter of getting outside enjoying the nice weather, meeting people and grooving the swing. Dont do well in soggy conditions so for me the score is not important.

This.

[gregnol]

for me the first few rounds are just for fun and to get back into it, but for the next few weeks its all about practice and seeing if the work over the winter has paid off.

[jimmyc]

For me it really boils down to

Golf = my crack

and I'm jonesing hard.

[nokids]

It's funny how during winter you have time to think about your golf game. You think about the bad shots and how to improve. You think about the holes that give you trouble and how you're going play them better next year. You watch golf channel, work on your fundamentals, envision good golf shots and can't wait for the upcoming season. Come spring your confidence is sky high. Then the moment of truth arrives and you go to a range and hit that first bucket of balls and it feels like you just took a cold shower. I experienced that moment yesterday. Anyone ever hit a shank-hook? It's frightening.

[DenisO]

Perfect, go to the bank to make sure your change purse is plenty full.

[adam]

It's funny how during winter you have time to think about your golf game. You think about the bad shots and how to improve. You think about the holes that give you trouble and how you're going play them better next year. You watch golf channel, work on your fundamentals, envision good golf shots and can't wait for the upcoming season. Come spring your confidence is sky high. Then the moment of truth arrives and you go to a range and hit that first bucket of balls and it feels like you just took a cold shower. I experienced that moment yesterday. Anyone ever hit a shank-hook? It's frightening.

I think I was close to shank hook the other day . . hit a couple hosel rockets my first time out this year but one of them kinda hit the inside of the hozel and then the face came around quick and hit the ball after it shot off the hosel. I don't know if the double-hit-shank-hook hurt more physically or mentally . . .

[jeffc]

i usually play better in the spring, until at which point all my bad habits start to creep in. Yes, hosel rockets. been there, done that. It's overrated.

[Marcos]

It's funny how during winter you have time to think about your golf game. You think about the bad shots and how to improve. You think about the holes that give you trouble and how you're going play them better next year. You watch golf channel, work on your fundamentals, envision good golf shots and can't wait for the upcoming season. Come spring your confidence is sky high. Then the moment of truth arrives and you go to a range and hit that first bucket of balls and it feels like you just took a cold shower. I experienced that moment yesterday. Anyone ever hit a shank-hook? It's frightening.

The Shank-Hook is my go to shot !!!! I hit a few of those this winter and your right Pablo, it is frightening and dangerous.

[quinner]

It's funny how during winter you have time to think about your golf game. You think about the bad shots and how to improve. You think about the holes that give you trouble and how you're going play them better next year. You watch golf channel, work on your fundamentals, envision good golf shots and can't wait for the upcoming season. Come spring your confidence is sky high. Then the moment of truth arrives and you go to a range and hit that first bucket of balls and it feels like you just took a cold shower. I experienced that moment yesterday. Anyone ever hit a shank-hook? It's frightening.

A Shank-hook?! What needs to happen to hit a shank hook? Curious how you hook a ball being hit off the hozel.

[nokids]

A Shank-hook?! What needs to happen to hit a shank hook? Curious how you hook a ball being hit off the hozel.

bad swing + trying to hit too hard = wtf

[Wknd_Warrior]

I pummelled my first 10 - 15 balls into the snowbank on the ground in front of me. Went fine once I got going

[Break68]

I just want to play and try out my new grips and my new Wishon hybrid, score won't matter. I want to swing out the rust and play.

[bNeill]

A Shank-hook?! What needs to happen to hit a shank hook? Curious how you hook a ball being hit off the hozel.

He hit the hosel on the other side?

[Marcos]

A Shank-hook?! What needs to happen to hit a shank hook? Curious how you hook a ball being hit off the hozel.

In my case its LOFT( lack of fu@#$%? talent)

[Simonlap]

Usually I play some of my best rounds early in the spring, probably because I am just out there enjoying myself over thinking so much about what I am doing.

This year though, since I lived in Lethbridge, Alberta I got to play pretty much every month because we got probably a total of 20 cm of snow throughout the whole winter and they had a small 9 holes - Par 3 course opened year round.

So when I get back to Ottawa in a couple weeks, my season will already be in full swing. Unfortunately though I will lose about 10% of my distance because of elevation

[imozzie]

I will continue to try to tame an excessive backswing and strenthen the followthrough (really tough for short, fat, bald guys...lol!)...oh, and of course, have fun meeting others who enjoy playing this game which continues to haunt me but that I have loved for over 40 years!

[nokids]

I've gotten 8 rounds in so far and I've played bogey golf in all of them, 88 might be my low round, 91 might be my high round, pretty consistent ty golf. It's a lot of good shot/bad shot and good hole/bad hole. I don't care about the score but I do care about hitting spectacularly bad shots. If this continues, my handicap is going to balloon like the Goodyear blimp.