It’s Almost Golf Season
The other Saturday I was in my garage with our own Jon Heise doing some club work for him. It was still cold enough that we fired up my propare cart heater, but warm enough to realistically be outside without freezing to death. (Except Jon, he couldn’t handle the cold.) In addition to working on Jon’s recent clubs, I checked the lofts and lies on my front-runner games for the season which I didn’t dare bend because it’s still too cold. The sun was trying to poke out, there was a lot of wind in there, the Arnold Palmer Invitational was on TV, talk about The Players next weekend was rampant, and so were the countdowns to the Masters. Then I realized something. “Oh @#$%, it’s almost real golf season!”
Yes, golf season for the majority of the northern hemisphere is almost upon us. Having been down this road plenty of times before, I have a routine I follow to generally hit the ground running and make the most of the start of my season. I feel like my tips are helpful so hopefully I can pass them onto you guys to help get ready for the start of golf season.
Check Your Gear for Damage
I’m going to assume that not all of you are looking to replace all of your current gear with the latest and greatest this season. The first step is to bring your gear in from the garage and let it get to room temperature. I wouldn’t say this process is too scientific, but flex some shafts, listen for cracks, see if there any rattles, etc. Tap the butt of the club firmly against the ground a few times, see if you hear anything funny. If you do, try and focus on that and figure out where it’s coming from. Should you find anything, and you don’t know how to fix it yourself, bring it in to your trusted repair place.
Replace Your Grips
Replacing grips seems like a no brainer to me, but it BLOWS MY MIND how many people don’t do this. All the cool golf experts say you should minimally replace your grips once a year. They get dried out, dirty, loose, whatever. Just do it. Even if you only play twelve times a season, just replace them. If you haven’t ever changed the grips on your clubs, chances are they’re either slick as plastic or have a bunch of worn spots.
Check Your Loft & Lie
This is one that probably isn’t considered by too many, but it’s worth it. After slamming your clubs into the turf over time, it’s possible that your loft and lie angles need to be adjusted back to spec. If you were practicing all winter off of mats, there’s an even better chance you need to get this checked. For around $5/club, you can have all your angles checked and bent to spec. Even better, get a quick fitting and see what your ideal specs should be first. Give your clubs the TLC they deserve and make sure you’re dialed in.
Check Your Shoes
There’s nothing worse than going to play that first round or hitting that first range session and your shoes are a hot mess. You grab them off the shelf in the garage and they’re moldy, missing the spikes you meant to replace before the season started, or are just flat out dirty and disgusting. Now’s a good time to grab your shoes, make sure you aren’t missing spikes or laces, clean all the sh*t out of the soles, and make sure the good to go.
Given the early portion of the season can be pretty soggy, it’s not a bad idea to make sure they’re still waterproof too. Use your imagination for fun ways to test that. And be honest with yourself. If your shoes are trashed, treat yourself to a fresh pair.
Go Through Your Bag Pockets
Even the best of us fall prey to this trap. Golf bag pockets are where things go to die. Go through your pockets and see what’s been sitting in there all winter. Get rid of any old food. Throw out that crusty old bottle of sunscreen (and replace it with a new bottle of SKIN!). You probably have a few Pinnacles in there that look they’ve been sitting in the bottom of a lake for a year. Get rid of them…or at least clean them.
Once you’ve wiped out all the old gross food and dried out golf gloves, make sure your bag pockets get a good scrubbing if needed. Start your season out with a fresh clean bag that doesn’t smell up the back of the cart.
New Gear?
So you’ve completed a lot of checks to prepare for the golf season, now what? If you’re lucky, you have an excuse to get some new gear. There’s all sorts of cool new stuff out, or you can get last year’s stuff discounted. Either way, time to look into updating some of that old gear for the season.
Hit Some Balls, Roll Some Putts
This time of year in Chicago, the driving ranges are starting to open, but the domes will still be open for awhile. Given you’ll be on the course soon, get out somewhere and start taking some swings. Get the body moving in golf movements. At least you’ll know what to expect.
Also, get the putter out. Most people have done limited putting over the winter so at least get a feel for a putting stroke. If you don’t have access to a putting green, or some sort of putting mat at home, all you need is 8-10 feet of a carpeted area and a target. You’re not going to get great speed control at various distances, but at least you can start getting the feel of putting a good roll on the ball.
Bonus: Get a Fitting
I consider this a bonus item, but I think it’s a good one and very valuable. If you’re considering new gear, or just want to make sure your current gear is dialed in, going through a proper fitting to get your specs right can help you start your season off in a good spot. Places like Club Champion can help you get a good insight into your equipment, your swing, and your game as the season gets started. This is especially beneficial if you’re due for some equipment upgrades.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. All pretty simple things you can do to prepare for the new golf season. Frankly, I try and do this multiple times a year just to avoid any problems. If you have any other tips, let us know and maybe I’ll add them to my routine!
