Winter Golf Practice Routine: Stay Sharp When You Can't Play

Winter: Your Secret Advantage

While most golfers park their clubs from November to March, you can gain strokes. The off-season is when improvement happens - with fewer distractions and more focused practice time.

Here's how to structure your winter to emerge a better golfer.

The Winter Practice Philosophy

Quality Over Quantity

You don't need 3-hour sessions. Focused 30-45 minute practices several times per week beat marathon sessions that lose focus.

Work Weaknesses, Not Favorites

Winter is for fixing problems, not grooving your already-good shots. Identify your scoring leaks and attack them.

Track Everything

Without rounds to measure progress, data becomes essential. Track your practice metrics to see improvement.

Setting Up Your Practice Space

Option 1: Home Golf Simulator

The gold standard for winter practice:

A basic setup needs:

• Launch monitor ($500-3,000)
• Net or screen ($200-600)
• Hitting mat ($100-500)
• Space (10x10 minimum)

Cost: $1,000-5,000+ Check our build guide for complete options.

Option 2: Putting Mat at Home + Simulator Visits

More affordable approach:

• Putting mat at home ($50-200)
• Weekly simulator sessions ($30-60/hour)

Cost: $200-400 + hourly fees

Option 3: Indoor Facility Membership

Join a facility with simulators:

• Monthly memberships typically $100-300
• Unlimited or allocated hours
• Usually better equipment than home setups

Cost: $100-300/month

Option 4: Pure Short Game Setup

• Chipping net + mat
• Putting mat
• Focus on scoring shots

Cost: $300-700

The 12-Week Winter Program

Weeks 1-2: Assessment

Before fixing anything, identify what needs work.

Full Game Assessment:

If you have simulator access, play 3 simulated rounds and track:

• Fairways hit percentage
• Greens in regulation
• Putts per round
• Up and down percentage
• Penalty strokes

Identify your 2-3 biggest scoring leaks.

Common winter focus areas:

• Putting from 6-15 feet
• 100-yard approach accuracy
• Tee shot consistency
• Chipping and pitching

Weeks 3-6: Foundation Work

Focus on the fundamentals that enable good shots.

Daily (10 minutes):

• Putting alignment check with mirror
• 20 putts from 3-6 feet
• 10 lag putts

3x Per Week (30 minutes):

• Full swing mechanics work
• Video your swing, compare to target positions
• Focus on one specific fundamental per session

Weekly (1 hour):

• Simulator session for full shots
• Play 9 holes minimum to maintain course management

Key Fundamentals to Check:

1. Grip - neutral, consistent pressure
2. Alignment - feet, hips, shoulders parallel to target
3. Ball position - correct for each club
4. Posture - athletic, balanced
5. Tempo - smooth transition

Weeks 7-10: Skill Building

Now apply fundamentals to specific skills.

Putting Skill Work:

| Drill | Goal | Frequency | |-------|------|-----------| | Gate drill | Start line accuracy | Daily | | Distance ladder | Speed control | 3x/week | | Clock drill | Directional consistency | 3x/week | | Pressure putts | Performance under stress | 2x/week |

Full Swing Skill Work:

| Focus | Drill | Goal | |-------|-------|------| | Driver | Fairway targets | Hit 7/10 in play | | 7-iron | 150-yard targets | Within 20 feet | | Wedges | Distance control | Specific yardages |

Short Game Skill Work:

| Shot | Focus | Goal | |------|-------|------| | Chip | Landing spot | 3-foot circle | | Pitch | Distance control | 10-yard increments | | Bunker | Out consistently | 100% escape rate |

Weeks 11-12: Integration and Testing

Put it together before the season starts.

Simulated Rounds:

Play full 18-hole rounds on simulator, tracking:

• All stats from initial assessment
• Compare to Week 1-2 baseline
• Identify remaining weaknesses

Pressure Practice:

Create consequences for practice:

• Must make 5 putts in a row from 4 feet
• Hit 3 consecutive fairways to "advance"
• Complete challenges before leaving session

Pre-Season Tune-Up:

If possible, play a real round in the final weeks:

• Even in cold weather, one round outdoors helps
• Tests what you've worked on
• Identifies any gaps between indoor and outdoor

Specific Practice Drills

Putting Drills

The Ladder: Putt from 3 feet, then 6, then 9, then 12. Make each before advancing. Start over on a miss.

The Clock: Place 4 balls at 3 feet around the hole (12, 3, 6, 9 o'clock). Make all 4. Then move to 4 feet. Continue until you miss, then restart.

The Gate: Set two tees 1 ball-width apart, 6 inches in front of ball. Stroke through the gate 10 times. Tracks start line accuracy.

Speed Drill: Putt to a line (not a hole) from 20, 30, 40 feet. Goal: stop ball within 2 feet of line consistently.

Full Swing Drills

Alignment Station: Use alignment sticks at every practice session:

• One along toe line
• One for ball-target line
• Builds consistent setup

Tempo Training: Count "one" on backswing, "two" on downswing. Use a metronome app if helpful. Smooth tempo fixes many swing faults.

Impact Position: Hit balls into net focusing only on impact position:

• Hands ahead of ball
• Weight on lead side
• Shaft leaning forward

9-Shot Grid: Hit high, medium, low versions of fade, straight, draw. Develops shot control and feel.

Short Game Drills

Landing Spot: Pick a specific landing spot. Chip 10 balls trying to land on it. Track success rate.

Distance Ladders: Pitch to 10, 20, 30, 40 yards. Develop feel for partial swings.

Worst Lie: Practice chips from tight lies, deep rough (if available), downhill - the hard shots you'll face on course.

Maintaining Fitness

Golf fitness matters more than most realize.

Key Areas for Golfers

1. Hip mobility - enables full turn
2. Thoracic rotation - upper back flexibility
3. Core strength - power transfer
4. Grip strength - club control
5. Balance - consistent contact

Simple Winter Routine (15 minutes, 3x/week)

1. Hip circles - 10 each direction
2. 90/90 hip stretch - 30 seconds each side
3. Cat/cow - 10 reps
4. Thoracic rotations - 10 each side
5. Planks - 30 seconds x 3
6. Single-leg balance - 30 seconds each

Golf-Specific Strength

If you have gym access:

• Rotational cable exercises
• Deadlifts (hip hinge pattern)
• Rows (posture muscles)
• Lunges (leg strength and balance)

Mental Game Development

Winter is perfect for mental work.

Visualization

Spend 5-10 minutes daily visualizing:

• Your ideal swing
• Successful shots on your home course
• Confident putting stroke
• Recovering from bad shots

Pre-Shot Routine

Develop and rehearse your routine:

1. Assess the shot
2. Pick specific target
3. Visualize the shot
4. Alignment and setup
5. Execute with commitment

Practice this routine even on practice swings.

Course Strategy

Review your home course:

• Where are the trouble spots?
• What club off each tee?
• Where to miss on each green?
• Create a hole-by-hole game plan

Equipment Review

Winter is for equipment changes, not playing season.

What to Evaluate

• Grip condition - replace if slick
• Shaft flex - match current swing speed
• Club fitting - if never done professionally
• Ball selection - test different models

A launch monitor helps compare equipment objectively.

When to Make Changes

• Early winter: Get fit, order new equipment
• Mid-winter: Receive and adjust to new gear
• Late winter: Fully comfortable before season

Don't change equipment right before golf season starts.

Sample Weekly Schedule

Serious Winter Practice (5-6 hours/week)

| Day | Activity | Duration | |-----|----------|----------| | Monday | Putting at home | 20 min | | Tuesday | Simulator session | 60 min | | Wednesday | Fitness + visualization | 30 min | | Thursday | Putting + chipping | 30 min | | Friday | Rest | - | | Saturday | Simulator round | 90 min | | Sunday | Short game + putting | 45 min |

Moderate Practice (3-4 hours/week)

| Day | Activity | Duration | |-----|----------|----------| | Monday | Putting | 15 min | | Wednesday | Simulator or range | 60 min | | Friday | Fitness | 20 min | | Saturday | Simulator round | 90 min | | Sunday | Putting | 15 min |

Minimal Maintenance (1-2 hours/week)

| Day | Activity | Duration | |-----|----------|----------| | Wednesday | Putting | 15 min | | Saturday | Simulator session | 60 min | | Sunday | Putting | 15 min |

Tracking Progress

What gets measured improves.

Key Metrics to Track

Putting:

• 3-foot make percentage (goal: 90%+)
• 6-foot make percentage (goal: 50%+)
• Lag putt proximity (goal: 3-foot circle)

Full Swing:

• Fairway hit rate (goal: 50%+)
• GIR percentage (goal: match handicap targets)
• Approach proximity (goal: 30-foot circle)

Short Game:

• Up and down percentage (goal: 50%+)
• Sand save percentage (goal: 40%+)

Simple Tracking Method

Create a spreadsheet or use an app:

• Date
• Activity
• Key metrics
• Notes on feel and adjustments

Review monthly to see trends.

Coming Out of Winter Strong

2-3 Weeks Before Season

• Increase practice frequency
• Focus on playing simulated rounds
• Work on course management
• Get outdoors when weather allows

First Real Round

• Keep expectations reasonable
• Focus on process, not score
• Note what transferred and what needs work
• Adjust spring practice accordingly

Final Thoughts

Winter doesn't have to mean golf hibernation. A structured practice plan maintains your skills and builds new ones.

Start with assessment, work on fundamentals, build specific skills, and test your progress. Come spring, you'll be ahead of golfers who took the winter off.

Related Resources

• 5 Tips for Better Indoor Practice - Session optimization
• Simulator Accuracy Calibration - Get reliable data
• Budget Build Under $1,500 - Home setup guide
• Build Your Own Simulator - Complete equipment options