End of the season?

[Gord]

When do you guys hang up yer bags for winter? I was all set to play a colleague at Cow Glen on Tuesday ... but by 5pm it was blowing a gale, with heavy rain and leaves flying off the trees like the middle of october. Wash-out. It's also getting dark by 8ish ...:(

The mrs and I want to have a sunny holiday in January. To get out of the endless dank purgatory that is a Scottish winter. Plan A is still diving, although lately we've been talking about possibly golf in the US. Wonder where would be the best place to go, for hot weather and good golf in January. I suppose California? Could maybe take in some wine tasting a la Sideways ... Has anyone had a golf holiday in teh states? Any tips? Don't say 10 nights at Pebble Beach, btw, unless you're willing to do a cash transfer as well :rolleyes:

[Al Czervik]

i will give you 3 choices.
florida
florida
florida
or you could try florida

[Gord]

Hi Al,

there's something going on here that we can't see your avatar ... i'll try to sort it.

Florida? hmmm. Went there in 2003. The waterskiing was as you'd expect: fantastic. But I thought the rest of the place was a bit down at heel, shall we say. Apart from Fort Lauderdale, which I really liked. Had some excellent oysters there!! And the diving was good off Fort Lauderdale too, compared to the Keys which was rubbish. The good thing about the Keys is Key Lime Pie, but that's about it.

The Kennedy Space Centre was also worth a visit. And the Everglades! Excellent experience on those wee hovercraft they have. Saw us some gators, boy!

So, apart from the good food, excellent water-skiing, the everglades and the atlantic diving ... it's a bit like blackpool. And there's the added danger posed by the high (wide?) levels of obesity you see everywhere. Walking around one of their malls, a wee skelf of a boy like me could easily be crushed between a couple of fatties ... In 2003 we took shelter from a storm in a service area of the I95. Helen went to the loo and I was left alone in the main atrium bit. There must have been about 500 biggies there and it hit me that I was, very weirdly, the only thin person in the building. I nearly puked in a wild panic and had to hide in a bin until we could get back to the car. You know that irrational fear you get when a herd of cows thinks you're the farmer and starts charging across a field at you. They're not going to hurt you, but ... :eek: :eek: :eek:

But you say they play golf there? What, in the swamp?

[Al Czervik]

ok try the canaries then!

[PowerPenguin]

I have made a conscious decision to play through the winter this year! Otherwise it will be like starting all over again in April.

The start of the season for me is always just after the US Masters.

Dave

[BigJim]

Played a few courses in California on business trips. They are all "nice" and different enough from the courses at home to make the worst of them seem worthwhile. Lots of the courses can however be expensive.

Best thing about going in January is that all of the snakes will be in hibernation.....

[MisterS3]

What about the west coast of florida

I went to Sarasota with an ex and her family years ago (before i took up golf) and there were courses aplenty. Not so many fatties and i thiink you could go driving too. And it didn't look too shabby either.

[Triple XL]

How about Phoenix/Scottsdale? I have been there many times on business and a couple of times for vacation. There are some courses that will be very expensive in January, but there are still plenty that will be reasonably priced and in good nick.
If you go to California, stay away from the LA area unless you like 6hr rounds!! There are some really good courses in the San Jose area and just south of San Francisco.

For discount tee times at some of the courses in certain areas of the US, try www.golfnow.com

[Gord]

Thanks for the tips, chaps. And welcome all to Moongolfer!

[ScottC]

Play right through, just not as often because work gets in the way of the daylight. I hate playing off mats though so luckily there are a few courses near me that manage to stay off the grass all year round. If they can avoid winter greens too, then that is a bonus.

[Gogs Guy]

I play all year round and always have done, but I'm with you Scott mats are terrible things to play off. The holes are never in the right place or the angle to wrong and one foot is off the edge I hate them.

I used to play at the Cambridgeshire (some of you played there last month over at GM) but it get very very very wet in winter and its not pleasant. I now play at the Gog Magogs and its built on chalk down with two courses on excellent drainaging land so it will be a pleasure now.

[Steptoe]

i enjoy winter golf for many reasons....
1; thinner rough
2; no bloody kids
3; softer greens
but please could someone invent a better winter mat......not wide enough and dangerous when frosty.........
why not have them the same width as range mats?

[Tin Pot]

I started golf last June and played through the winter, I didn't realise most people stopped playing though I did start to wonder at my decision when visibility dropped to 40 yards one early winter morning as I tee'd up with my driver in hand.

Is there a point at which comps don't count toward handicaps anymore or is that through club choice?

[PowerPenguin]

i enjoy winter golf for many reasons....
1; thinner rough
2; no bloody kids
3; softer greens
but please could someone invent a better winter mat......not wide enough and dangerous when frosty.........
why not have them the same width as range mats?

Best get out and play to annoy you then! :p

Dave

[ScottC]

We have comps that run right through the winter and adjust handicaps accordingly but the adjustments only last during the winter and you are reset to your end of summer state when the new season starts again.