Winter golf can be rewarding too

aS GOLF is hauled through ever-increasing modernity by the likes of titanium weighted, carbon-shafted weaponry that would have flabbergasted Old Tom oorris, there’s an easy way to get back to the traditions of the game. Play golf in the winter.

Golf in high summer these days is regarded as the best time to play and, indeed, there is great pleasure to be had in the orange sunset of an evening round in July with a warm breeze the only meteorological hazard. but it’s not how our forefathers played.

There’s a reason why the greats from the Victorian and edwardian eras are so often pictured wrapped up in those heavy tweeds, and it’s nothing to do with antiquated dress codes. It was cold.

Golf was only really viable in the autumn, spring and winter months when the grass was naturally short enough to play properly. It was only when modern grass cutting machinery began to be used in the mid-1800s that golf started to become an all-year round sport.

The links land where the game was first played also benefited from being playable and free from frost even in the darkest months.

even today some clubs, such as Dunbar in east Lothian, have lengthy country member lists because those in the know understand that frost rarely gets a hold in the salty air and sandy soil.

Nowadays it’s even comfortable to play in winter unrestricted by four layers of clothing, thanks to the invention of synthetic materials that keep body heat in and even the strongest hoolie out.

So warm up a couple of balls on the radiator before you go out, to keep them flying further, keep your ball flight as low as possible, and perfect the bump and run shot on hard soil.

Or if you can, get to Spain, Portugal or Turkey.