As fall is now behind us, the winter season is now officially in full swing. This unfortunately means we have to suppress the ever-growing golf bug, retire all the highs and lows of last season, and worst of all wait for 5 or so months with the burden of starting next season trying to remember how to hold a golf club again. Worry no more as we dive into the many ways to keep the golfing spirit alive while the snow piles up outside so that you can step up to that tee-box next spring with a few extra tricks in the bag.

Staying Active

One of the most common things golfers struggle with going into the spring season is unfortunately injury. With the cold and gray winter days, it can be easy to forget the important task that makes the risk of injury very avoidable, staying active! Whether it be a simple at-home workout or going to your local fitness center, exercising can help you stay in golf-ready shape. Exercises such as lunges, shoulder rotations, squats, simple weight lifting, and jogging are great examples of workouts that can keep you strong during your off-season. The mix of weight lifting and cardio is a great combination for golfers and will make it much easier to get back into the swing of things.

Practicing Inside

It might seem hard to practice your golf game inside but there are many ways to keep your game up to speed. Investing in an indoor putting green is a great option for any avid golfer. Putting can be overlooked when practicing your game, but with the courses being closed for the winter it is the best time to focus and hone in on your stroke. You can also set up a chipping game in the living room (with practice balls of course), go all out with an at-home driving range set up or do something fun like going to a golf simulator. However, you choose to practice at home, it’s important to keep at it so you can step back out on the course feeling like a pro.

Analyze Your Game

It is easy to forget how mentally driven the game of golf is. Therefore, the off-season is always a great time to re-center and refocus your mental strategy. For one, time away from the course is a great opportunity to step away from bad mental habits or routines that might be impacting your game negatively. So take this off-season opportunity in stride. Watching golf is a great start. Visualize the shots of the pros and see yourself keeping right up there with them.

Focusing on your mental and physical readiness for when the golf season arrives are two of the most important attributes to help achieve your golfing goals. The best part about it is there isn’t a shortage of ways to have fun doing it. There are many other ways to keep that golf itch scratched, and even though the season may feel far away, you’ll be ready to shoot for birdies on opening day.