This morning the blanket of white arrived and is likely to stay until April 2021. We are hoping for a bit of break over the next few weeks, but essentially Winter is Here!

That is okay, it was a matter of time and it is not unexpected. I did, however, feel a shift in my mood this morning. With the snow finally here and the waiting over, I realize that my morning routine shifted gears. I am not sure why, but the change in weather has changed how I look at things. As such, I am a little slower and less inclined to rush out of the house to the great outdoors. And of course, that got me thinking of my golf game!

As golfers, we are not afraid to golf in different types of weather conditions. In fact, we embrace the challenge from time to time. I can honestly say that I have golfed in just about every type of weather…..snow included! Over the years I have learned to adapt to these changing conditions with some success. If I want to golf as much as possible in my short season, I have to learn to be flexible and not be a fair weather golfer.

Sitting down with my coffee I started to think about how the weather does impact my pre-shot routine. I realize that it is not suppose to, but when the drops are falling down in buckets, I know I speed up my shot making process in order to get under my umbrella. When it is cold, I walk a bit faster to my ball in order to stay warm. When it was snowing, well everything went out the window.

So you can see that my pre-shot routine does change with the weather. But, in reality I wonder if it should. Is it possible to maintain my methodical approach to hitting a golf ball with all the weather distractions swirling around me? The short answer is “I doubt it!”

I am very confident that when I am being pelted with rain or being blown off balance from the wind, I need to speed up my pre-shot routine. I realize that professional golfers have a different view, but I am not a professional. To enjoy or at least try to enjoy my time on the links during adverse weather conditions staying warm a dry as much as possible is critical. So, the less time I spend out of the comforts of my umbrellas or warm gloves the better.

My view probably flies in the face of convention for experienced golfers, but it is what it is. I do not intentionally speed things up, it just happens and I am good with that. How about you? Does your pre-shot routine change with the weather?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!