It has reached that point in the meteorological calendar when the decision about playing golf is determined as much by the thermometer as by availability on the tee sheet.
Old man winter has arrived in a sizable portion of these United States and while those who live in palm tree zip codes may smile smugly at the prospect of another sunny, 75-degree December day, the rest of us are left to decide how cold is too cold.
The over-under for many of us is around 50 degrees depending on how savagely the wind chooses to blow. Sunny and low 50s with barely a breeze is lovely. Upper 40s with gusts that blow any remaining leaves across the fairways, particularly if they’re already winter damp, is often a no-go.
Like many things, cold-weather golf is an acquired taste and one many have never acquired.
This, of course, is a very general guideline. I’ve played on days when it was so cold you could literally bounce a ball off the frozen surface of – take your pick – a bunker or a pond. It seemed like a good idea at the time, bundling up against the chill even if the various layers reduced your shoulder turn by 30 percent.
There are plenty of hardy souls in the Northeast who dream of 50-degree days in the winter and crowd their winterized courses when those opportunities arrive even if pockets of snow still hang around in the shadows. It doesn’t matter that the greens haven’t been mowed in weeks because the grass quit growing about the time the leaves changed colors.
Like everything else, technology has made cold-weather golf better. There are base layers and mid-layers to wear beneath the outer layers and, if you’re willing to spend a few bucks, some really good battery-operated hand warmers on the market.
For those who insist on riding when they should be walking, there are cart covers that keep the wind out and portable heaters that fit into cup holders, the combination creating an oasis of warmth interrupted by occasional trips outside to hit whatever shot is necessary.
Like many things, cold-weather golf is an acquired taste and one many have never acquired. But there’s something to being on a golf course on a winter’s afternoon, the trees like wooden skeletons and lights glowing from the windows of nearby homes as the sun sets near the end of another gray day.
It’s a nice place to be, especially once you’re back inside.
Ron Green Jr.
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