Before you blame the weather for every bad round, see what the numbers actually say. These insights will help you adjust, manage expectations, and score better all winter long.
You don’t need me to tell you that, in winter, the course plays longer and the greens are slower. But understanding the difference the cold, wet weather might be making to the course and your performance will help you accept it and adapt effectively. Performance-tracking specialists Shot Scope have compiled detailed statistics on how golfers perform in May-August and compared it to performance between November-February. Their findings might just save you some shots in both seasons…
Off the tee, we are around 12 yards shorter in winter
The scratch player drops from a 289-yard summer average to a winter 278, while a 10-handicapper’s summer 266 drops to 254, and a 20-handicapper’s average goes from 240 yards in summer to 228 yards in winter.
More positively, fairways found rises by around 2-3% across all handicaps, no doubt the result of softer turf holding the ball closer to its landing spot.
On the green, we are actually better in winter
A 15-handicapper makes 81% of putts inside 3’ on smooth summer greens, but 84% on bobbly winter ones! A 25-handicapper’s 72% summer make rate rises to 76% in winter.
This could be because we are more positive on slower greens, but it could also be that, armed with the excuse of a bobbly winter green, we putt with lower expectations and less pressure. Only a scratch golfer shows a slight drop in performance in winter.
Getting up and down is easier in winter
Many club golfers raise their expectation of an up-and-down in summer when the conditions are nicer, but the data suggests that, if anything, we should be lowering them.
Across all handicaps, up-and-down percentages are in fact a little better in winter than summer, with 5-handicappers jumping from 35% to 37% and a 15-handicapper from 23% to 25%.
The data suggests the predictability benefits of firm, summer ground is more than offset by the difficulties created by firmer and faster greens.
Is it easier to hit greens in summer or winter?
Across all handicap levels, greens-in-regulation numbers are basically identical from summer to winter. This suggests that the typical winter measures such as pick-and-place and forward tees are equalising the otherwise less helpful conditions.
