Too Much Snow to Think Golf? Think Again.

Much of the northern half of the U.S. has already seen some good measurable snowfall amounts, while some areas are getting snowed into their homes. All to often when this time of year hits, golfers have their clubs in hiding and the game becomes an after thought until the thaws of Spring and the smell of Augusta's azaleas. However, this does not have to be the case. Put in a little work and practice through the snow season and you will notice you will have an advantage on your buddies when the golf season starts.

Now, you could be a die-hard to work on your game through the snow, but I doubt many of you fall into that category.

In this day and age, there are plenty of opportunities to practice your game. Many driving ranges have heated stalls that can make it bearable to just wear a light jacket when practicing. Many golf facilities that offer academies or schools may have a teaching building that can be used for practice or lessons during the off season and many times these hitting areas are also heated. Another option would be an establishment that has simulators set up. Some golf courses have these to use during the off season along with driving range facilities and there are also stand alone businesses that may also have this as an option. Today's simulators are much more realistic and provide a lot more swing feedback then some of the older simulators from 10 years ago. All of these options can be narrowed down and found in your area by doing a simple Google search.

If you really want to take your game to the next level by Spring, you should also search and contact PGA professionals in your area. PGA.com offers an area on their website where you can search for PGA instructors, it is simple and easy to find one in your area. The facility I work for in northern Indiana turns our Pro Shop into a teaching studio through the winter months. We offer swing instruction using video analysis to work on your swing. We will soon be offering the technology provided by Flightscope to be able to get even more detailed information about your swing. Along with that, I will be offering introductory golf classes at our local YMCA through the winter. There are many opportunities that allow you to work on your game during the off season and taking a little time to do a couple quick searches, can make it easy to win over some of your buddies' money those first few weeks in the spring.