Every winter, I tell myself the same thing. I’m going to practice more. I’m going to practice my swing mechanics with a broom as I sweep the kitchen floor, like my trusty golf magazine tells me.
I’m going to squeeze a tiny little rubber ball in my hands while I’m watching TV to strengthen all the little muscles in my hands and wrist (again, another crazy magazine tip).
But mostly, yes, I’m going to hit more balls at the indoor practice range.
As winter swings to a close, it’s the same old story. I haven’t been to an indoor range, and part of me says, thank you. Hitting cracked old range balls at an indoor range is kind of like playing tennis with a softball or shooting hoops with a tennis ball. It’s just not fun. And it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Sure, it will help you in the long run and keep your swing muscles in shape, but every session feels tedious. You can’t tell how well you’re hitting it because the roof smothers your shot. There’s no enjoyment. No satisfaction of a 280-yard shot well struck.
To be honest, I like the excuse of being rusty the first two months of the year. That way, if I play like a monkey, I can blame it on old man winter, not my swing’s failures.
If anyone enjoys the indoor range, please explain why without sounding as crazy as Charles Manson. We Midwestern folks all need your guidance.
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The Accidental Golfer:
Brandon Tucker:
Katharine Dyson:
Mark Nessmith:
#2-In the Buffalo area, we have golf domes. They are obviously not the real thing, but they beat the option of hitting balls into a wall. They also have chipping/putting greens, and often, a putting course. When the wind and snow are howling outside, the sanctuary of the dome (usually 90 yards deep and sand wedge height tall) is a sanctum for the dedicated golfer. In addition, the domes replace their golf balls every two years, so the cracked range ball never makes it into the bucket. I don't know where Maestro Scott spends his winters, but if he toughed it out in upstate New York, the dome would be his home away from home.