Tiger Woods PGA Tour for Wii: Improve Your Real Life Game

Photo from Flickr by Jon Aslund

While many of you including myself don't mind braving the elements of winter, most golfers pack the clubs up and resort to golf video games such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour, to keep their game fine tuned. When the Wii was introduced, it added a whole new dimension to golf video games as the swing motion started to resemble an actual golf swing. While this is considerably more realistic than a point and click golf game, many debate whether golfing on the Wii can actually improve your real life golf game.

Recently, in expert mode on Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011, I was able to break 60 at St. Andrews. I accomplished this feat by not missing a fairway (despite the 20 MPH wind) and making every putt inside of 20 feet.  Realistic? I think not. Despite the actual game play being unrealistic, there are elements to your actual golf swing that Tiger Woods picks up very well. For instance if I am playing in the driving range mode and taking full swings as if I were on a real golf course, I tend to block my shots and leave the club face slightly open in almost the exact same way I do in real life. In addition, when I try to overcompensate for this, I duck hook it which is evident in the resulting draw on screen.

For all practical purposes, the game has helped me with two specific things, balance in squaring my shot and shot visualization. For balance, the driving range mode helps you with squaring your club face on impact. Also, if you are a pretty good golfer able to control your swing most of the time, I think the game is great for almost tricking your mind into thinking you are capable of playing golf the way you do in the game. In real life I know I am capable of all the shots I perform on Tiger Woods, however in real life, the execution rate just isn't as high. The game builds confidence in that regard.

The game also offers add on peripheral devices that offer even more realism such as the Chicken Stick (Chicken Stick - Wii Golf Club). The Chicken Stick is weighted like an 8 iron to resemble the weight of an actual club. This provides an excellent opportunity to translate some of your video golf game out to the actual course and work on your swing in the winter all from the confines of your living room.

Warm Golf Balls

Photo from Flickr - arbyreed

In the post, How to Choose the Perfect Golf Ball for Winter, I discussed how cold weather affects a golf ball and why you might consider choosing a lower compression ball for winter. I still stand behind the use of a lower compression ball for winter, however there is something I didn't discuss that deserves consideration. While it is true that cold weather will change how a golf ball reacts, you can take measures to keep your golf ball from getting cold in the first place. 

How many of you keep your clubs and golf balls in the trunk of a car? This is a bad idea for the winter golfer, especially when it comes to storing your golf balls, as this ensures a permanent freeze on your ball. Keep those golf balls tucked away in a nice, warm location the days leading up to a round and see the difference.

Also, take measures to ensure the core temperature remains warm throughout the round. Something as simple as a sleeve made of a thick material can keep your ball warm enough for the few short hours you are out on the course. Consider stuffing them in multiple layers of material inside your golf bag. Any easy solution might be to roll them up tightly in a golf towel and keep this secured in one of the pockets of your bag.

Finally, consider heating your golf balls right before a round of golf. Put them near or on a heater or furnace or even try soaking them in hot water. If money is no object you could even invest in a golf ball warmer, but still there are plenty of free ways that you can warm a golf ball with simple items found in your home.

Best Winter Golf Rates for World Famous Golf Courses

Photo by danperry.com

For the average golfer, the thought of playing on courses that tour pro's frequent is a pipe dream. Spending hundreds of dollars on a round of golf might be rewarding at the time, but can leave you with feeling that you wasted money. After all, there are plenty of great golf courses priced well under a hundred dollars. The idea of playing a famous golf course though still remains on the top of many golfer's wish list. To see that dream come true, golfers should look for cheaper winter rates.

To help you fulfill your dream of playing a world renowned course but keeping your finances in check at the same time, I have listed some of the best winter golf rates available. If you are looking for even more ideas for affordable courses to play this winter, check out Golf Magazine's list of the top 100 public access golf courses that you can play. Many of the courses in their top 100 are closed in the winter, but still may offer an excellent summertime value.

Whistling Straights Irish Course
Designer: Pete Dye (2000)
Location: Haven, Wisconsin
Peak Season Rates: $180
Winter Golf Rates: $60 (November-December)
Savings Percentage: 67%

Bandon Dunes / Pacific Dunes Golf Resort
Designer: David McLay Kidd - Bandon Dunes (1999) / Tom Doak - Pacific Dunes (2001)
Location: Bandon, Oregon
Peak Season Rates: $225
Winter Golf Rates: $75 (November 20-January), $90 (February), $120 (March)
Savings Percentage: $67%

The Broadmoor East
Designer: Donald Ross (1918) & Robert Trent Jones Sr. (1965)
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Peak Season Rates: $235
Winter Golf Rates: $100 (November-March)
Savings Percentage: 57%

Harbour Town Golf Links
Designer: Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus (1969)
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Peak Season Rates: $260 (Note - rates scheduled to drop on May 16th, 2011)
Winter Golf Rates: $165 12:00PM Special / $200 Anytime (November 29-March 6)
Savings Percentage: 37%

Wolf Creek Golf Club
Designer: Dennis Ryder (2000)
Location: Mesquite, Nevada
Peak Season Rates: $195
Winter Golf Rates: $125 (November 22-December), $145 (January 1-January 23)
Savings Percentage: 36%

The Greenbrier
Designer: Seth Raynor (1924), Jack Nicklaus (1977)
Location: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Peak Season Rates: $195
Winter Golf Rates: $135 (April 1-20 / October 21-November 2)
Savings Percentage: 31%

How to Hit Bunker Shots in Wet and Wintery Conditions

One of the most noticeable changes to a golf course in wet or wintery weather can be observed in the conditions of the bunkers. Rain or freezing temperatures harden bunkers to the point of making these shots resemble hitting the ball off a gravel road rather than a sandy beach. If you find yourself in the predicament of needing to successfully hit out of hardened bunker, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, you need test the sand with your feet. If you step into a bunker and are unable to dig your feet into the sand, then it is highly unlikely your club will effectively pierce the sand enough execute a blast shot. In this instance, it may be more prudent to attempt a hardpan chip shot or even putt the ball if the lip isn't too severe. You may not get the ball close to the hole with this approach but at least you can guarantee control of the following shot.

Next, if you know you can get the club well into the sand, try a normal blast shot but do this with the club face square. In a typical bunker shot, you'll open up the club face and hit 1-2 inches behind the ball to get more loft on the shot. On hard sand however, an open club face will bounce off the sand, resulting in the club skipping into the ball. This is why you'll see golfers blast it 40 yards over the green or skull the ball when trying to execute a bunker shot in these conditions.

In addition to keeping a closed and square club face, you might even want to consider using a club with a little less loft. A pitching wedge for instance will pierce the sand much more sharply than a sand wedge and the result will be a more natural bunker shot.

A pitching wedge also has a lower bounce angle. Sand wedges are build with a higher bounce angle to prevent them digging into sand. This is quite useful for a normal bunker shot but can actually work against you when hitting out of hard sand. While pitching wedges have a lower bounce angle, the lower loft means it won't rise as high and thus might not make it over the lip of the bunker.

Another school of thought is to use a lob wedge instead which is an even more lofted club than a sand wedge. Just like a pitching wedge, a lob wedge has a lower bounce angle than the sand wedge. If using a lob wedge, try hitting a traditional bunker shot with the club face open but much closer to the ball (1" and in). This will enable the lob wedge to penetrate the sand with enough force to get the ball out but also provide you with the loft necessary to clear the lip of the bunker.

For more tips on hitting out of hardpan sand and wet bunkers, check out the following links:

Golf Lesson - Golf From Wet Sand
How to Escape Wet Sand | Golflink.com
Hitting Out of Wet Sand Traps - Golf.com
YouTube - How to Play Bunker Shots from Wet Sand / Compact Sand
YouTube - Bunker Play:  Hard or Packed Sand

How to Eat and Drink for Cold Weather Winter Golf

Golfing in the cold requires a great deal of control over your mind and body. While wearing cold-resistant clothing for winter golf is critical to maintaining mind and body control, often overlooked and just as critical is eating and drinking properly.

Humans are naturally warm weather mammals and extensive exposure to the cold will slightly impair the body function for humans. This is a result of nerve cells working slower which in turn slow down muscle control. If you don't take measures to continually generate internal body heat during a winter golf round, you will notice that keeping control of your muscles during a round becomes increasingly difficult as the hours pass.

One easy way to generate and maintain internal body heat is eating plenty of food, high in carbohydrates, both before and during a round of winter golf. Your body needs this food so it can burn it off throughout the round. When your body burns off food, it generates heat which helps to give you the control and energy required to complete a four hour round in the cold.

It is also important to maintain proper hydration levels in the cold. Through the process of respiration, your body naturally releases more water in the cold. You would think this would make you thirsty but in fact the cold makes your body want to drink less. This means you have two things working against you which is why it is so critical to keep drinking fluids in the cold to prevent dehydration even if your thirst tells you no. In cold or warm weather, if you become dehydrated, your energy and performance are going to suffer.

Just because you need to drink doesn't mean you need to drink warm fluids. Many golfers will drink warm fluids like caffeinated coffee or hot coco because they think it will warm them up. While it may temporarily warm your internal body, it can also lead to dehydration. In addition to caffeinated drinks, avoid alcohol as this increases heat loss. Instead the best drink for cold weather is water. Drinking plenty of water, helps prevent dehydration so you can maintain your performance throughout a round.

Related Links:
Eating for Cold Weather Exercise - How to Eat for Cold Weather Exercise
Cold Weather Exercise Safety - How to Exercise Safely in Cold Weather
Science of the Cold -  How humans deal with and survive extreme cold

Top Five Golf Apps for the iPad

An inevitable part of winter golf is that sometimes the conditions make it impossible to play golf. Whether it be snow, ice, blustery winds or just the extreme cold, being indoors this winter doesn't mean that you can't improve your game. To help improve your game in the offseason, here are five great apps available for the iPad.

1. Golfplan with Paul Azinger
Developer: Shotzoom Software LLC
File Size: 12.4 MB
Developer Website: golfplanpro.com
Overview: Featuring instruction from PGA Tour Pro and Ryder Cup Captain, Paul Azinger. The app contains multiple videos and drills for all aspects of the game. The integration with the Golfshot game stat app makes this a steal with the low purchase cost.

2. Everyday Golf Coach HD
Developer: Perish The Thought Golf
File Size: 418 MB
Developer Website: www.everydaygolfcoach.com
Overview: Featuring multiple instructional videos from PGA Professional Noel Rousseau. The most unique part to the app is the ability to upload a video of your swing and the take an up close look at it with the built-in SwingAnalyser. Biggest draw back is the large file size.

3. seeitgolf
Developer: See It Golf LLC
File Size: 399 MB
Developer Website: www.seeitgolf.com
Overview: Featuring instructional audio and video with Aaron Baddeley and Stan Utley. This app focuses more on mental performance as opposed to in depth golf tips. Despite the large file size, this app provides a unique and creative way to help you mentally zone in before a round and visualize shots more clearly.

4. 365 Golf Lessons
Developer: Mobile Golf 360
File Size: 2.4 MB
Developer Website: http://www.mobilegolf360.com/OGSA/HOME.html
Overview: This app might be the most loaded with information, knowledge and tips for the money ($1.99). 365 Golf Lessons is sure to have a golf tip on just about everything and considering our own commitment to year round golf, the title is fitting. Not only does the app include hundreds of pictures, golf tips and videos, it also features a Handicap Index Formula Tool.

5. iFitness HD
Developer: Medical Productions
File Size: 15.3 MB
Developer Website: medicalprod.com/ifitness.html
Overview: The first thing you probably notice about this app being featured on this list is that it isn't a golf app, but rather a general fitness app. While there are other apps that focus solely on golf fitness, iFitness is hands down the number one overall exercise and fitness app. This app features over 300 workouts, including an Expert Golf Program workout with 19 different exercises in a 3-day per week program. In addition, you can modify existing workouts and create your own customized routine which is ideal for the golfer who wants control over their conditioning. The Exercise Log and Food Tracker only add to the amazing things this app can do.

How to Choose the Perfect Golf Ball for Cold Weather

Choosing the right golf ball requires consideration of a number of factors. One surprising consideration, that many neglect to think about, is the temperature of the air.

Golf balls are composed of different layers, including a core. A softer core will mean a lower compression. The more layers a golf ball has creates a firmer core and thus a higher compression. This is why two-piece golf balls consistently have lower compression ratings than three-piece golf balls.

Compression occurs at the moment of impact and the ball literally changes shape as it comes off the club face. When a golf ball with higher density or compression is hit with enough power to physically compress, the ball will naturally travel farther. This is why club head speed is major factor when choosing a ball because if swing doesn't have enough power to compress the higher density ball, then a two-piece ball could actually travel farther than a three-piece ball. Simply put, a slow swing is a good fit for a low compression ball and a fast swing is better suited to take advantage of a high compression ball.

While compression can be a benefit to a big hitter in the summer time, the cooler air of winter will harden the ball and make it almost impossible to compress. Since a higher compression ball is denser then a lower compression ball, it will harden in the cold even more and the result will be a resemblance to hitting a rock (especially with miss-hits). So when winter rears its ugly head, try switching to lower compression, two-piece golf balls. You'll pay less money for them and probably score better too.


Links:
Golf Ball Compression - A Rating of Density
How golf balls react to cold weather - Special Feature - Golf.com

Welcome

Welcome to Winter Golfer, a site dedicated to helping people keep their passion alive for the game of golf during the cold winter months. In this site you will find an assortment of winter golfing tips, advice, gear and equipment. We hope this site gives you the spirit and inspiration to hit the links, weather the cold and turn golf into a year round game.