The days are growing shorter, the ball is getting harder to find, and the weather is just plain cold! Sure signs that our days of playing golf this season are numbered.
While many diehards will head for the golf domes and commercial simulators for some off-season practice, most will simply forget their game until next spring. Don’t let the winter rob you of your golf game—build your own practice studio where you will be most likely to use it . . . your own home.
If you choose a few tools wisely, you can step out onto that tee next year with a better game than you have right now.
There are many sources online for golf training aids and most carry the same brands. To be fair, the big three are Golf Around the World, The Golf Training Aid Store, and D.W. Quail Golf.
To understand the basic flight of the ball, there is no better hitting mat than The Golfers Footprint. I used it for teaching until Gerald “lent” it to a student of his and has yet to replace it for me (hint, hint, McCullagh).
To compliment full-swing practice, you’ll need a club that you can swing in your space. If space is an issue, cut down an old club to 24 inches, and you can swing away without fear. If you would like more bang for your buck, get a Swing Fan—it promotes a sound swing and is great exercise.
Mirrors are very helpful, and these portable mirrors can easily be taken to the driving range in the spring.
Improve your putting and you will drop your handicap by at least 5 strokes. A terrific putting mat is The Accellerator 3, which putts true to speed of any quality course. It also features great lines for alignment and length of stroke for your short putts.
A fun putting aid is the Pin Balls, and they can be used anywhere. To make the fused golf balls roll straight you must strike the “balls” squarely. A task that is both fun and challenging!
So, there you go! For the price of a few large baskets of balls, you can create your own “golf cave” and be prepared for what will be another winter in Minnesota!
—Dee Forsberg
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