What Are Your Cold Weather Yardages?

When the elements roll in this winter, you'll have to make adjustments if you want to hit your numbers. In the video and article below, PGA pro Barney Puttick offers some simple advice on how to work out your cold weather yardages so you can play your best this winter...

Golf coaches will often explain to their pupils how important it is to know their distances. However, if you expect to hit your stock yardages when the temperature drops and the wind picks up, you're going to run into problems. Here are the main things to consider this winter.

Cold temperatures

It's vital to remember the ball won't travel as far when it's cold. It sounds obvious but it's something many golfers still forget and find themselves coming up short far too often. So, how do you account for this impact?

Well, there is actually a handy rule to follow that will make it easy for you. For every 10°C the temperature drops, you're going to lose five yards. So if you hit your stock 7-iron 150 yards when it's 15°C, it'll only go 145 yards if it's 5°C. The opposite applies if the temperature increases.

It's something you'll need to incorporate into your pre-shot routine if you want to play at your best this winter or any time you're scheduled to hit the course in extreme conditions.

Wind

It never rains but it pours, and as the temperature drops, the wind also tends to increase, so that's another factor you must learn to account for. Luckily, there is another general rule that will make this process easier.

As Barney explains in the video, every mile per hour (mph) of wind into your face will cost you one yard. So if you've got 160 yards to a flag into a 15mph wind, to get the ball pin high, you'll need to hit a 175-yard shot.

Sadly, the benefit gained downwind doesn't isn't equal to the hurt felt into the wind, but who said this game was supposed to be fair? For every mph you are downwind, it'll only play about half a yard shorter. 

It's vital to factor the wind and the temperature together to calculate an accurate playing yardage. It might sound like a lot but with some practice, you'll quickly get the hang of it. A good idea is to check the forecast and make a note of the speed and direction of the wind, and the temperature before heading to the course. 

Once you've done that and made your decision on which club to hit, commit to it. Doubting yourself here will undo your good work, so whether you're hitting a low punch shot or trying to work out how to hit a driver in winter, make sure and swing with confidence.