15 Winter Golf Essentials to Play Better Golf This Off-Season

For many golfers, especially those of us here in the UK, the main golf season has ended and our thoughts now turn towards winter golf. Playing golf in the winter months can be a great way to remain active, continue to see friends and keep that swing going, but it's vital to properly prepare and ensure you have the correct equipment to keep you warm, comfortable and help you play your best golf during those long and cold winter months. Luckily for you, in this blog post, I'll share 15 of my must-have winter golf essentials to help you enjoy your golf in the off season.

1. Waterproof Winter golf shoes

FootJoy Flint Black mens golf shoe

Arguably one of the most important pieces of kit during the winter months is a decent pair of waterproof golf shoes, especially if you play your golf in (not so) sunny Scotland, like me. Personally, I prefer to opt for a pair of black or dark golf shoes as they are easier to keep clean and don’t show the mud like lighter shoes. In the past, I’ve found that my white leather shoes have ended up with permanent brown staining from the winter mud, so now, I find myself opting for a dark shoe like the FootJoy PRO SL Carbon leather waterproof golf shoe which you can currently pick up in sale for only £135.

2. Waterproof clothing

It goes without saying that investing in a high-quality set of waterproofs will be worth every penny, especially if you’re partial to a round or two in the rain during the winter months. Waterproof jackets and trousers range wildly in price, with a jacket costing anywhere from £50 to £500 depending on the manufacturer, with premium golf brands like FootJoy, Galvin Green and Ping leading the way. Trousers can normally be picked up for around £70 upwards. However, if you’re looking to keep warm and dry this winter without breaking the bank, it’s worth considering buying trousers and jackets from hillwalking stores instead of golf retailers. You’ll often find their clothing will be of a similar, if not better quality, but considerably cheaper.

3. Winter golf mitts

Given that golf is a game played with your hands, it’s vital that you keep them dry and warm during those cold winter rounds to help you play your best golf and the best way to do that is using golf mitts. Personally, I’ve used Callaway fleece-lined golf mitts (like these) for a number of years and they’ve been worth every penny. 

GM GoMitts golf mits

However, I have recently invested in these GM GoMitts for only £19.99 which can be fixed to a golf trolley using velcro, making them much more difficult to lose and generally more convenient. I’ve not had a chance to test them out yet but they score well in terms of reviews and haven’t broken the bank so are, worth a punt.

4. wet weather gloves

As well as winter mitts, a pair of wet-weather golf gloves is a must in order to not only keep your hands warm but maintain a solid grip on your clubs during those wet-weather rounds. If you’d like to find out more about these gloves, check out this short review video I created a few years ago for the Callaway OptiGrip wet-weather golf gloves

Whether you decide to opt for a pair of these Callaway gloves or a pair from another brand, just make sure you check the sizing chart and consider moving up a size from your usual golf glove. 

5. laser rangefinder

When I play golf in the winter, I tend to leave my Shot Scope golf watch at home as GPS golf watches aren’t really all that useful when playing a shortened course due to winter tee/greens/routes being in play. However, one device I always ensure I’ve got in my bag is my laser rangefinder – the perfect distance-measuring device for the winter months given you can zap any pin, anywhere (up to 700 yards). If you don’t have a laser rangefinder as part of your kit, the Shot Scope PRO L2 is available for only £127 (with my 15% code ‘ANDYSGOLF’) is well worth considering as you’ll get to use it all year round, not just during the winter months. Honestly – I regret not getting a laser rangefinder years ago!

6. Waterproof golf stand bag

Many golf clubs prefer their members to carry their clubs during the wet winter months in order to help reduce on-course damage caused by golf trolleys. If you’ve not got a stand bag but are looking for one, I’d highly recommend the Titleist Tour Series StaDry Premium stand bag. I own the cart version of this golf bag it it’s without doubt the best looking and best quality golf bag I have ever owned. Every single detail on this bag has a premium look and feel and the waterproofing/sealed zips are second to none. Worth every penny.

A word of warning, though. Like golf shoes, light coloured golf bags can be difficult to keep clean so I’d recommend opting for an all-black or mostly black golf bag, which, in all honesty, will look great all year round.

7. Lake Golf balls

In my experience, the winter period is the prime time to lose golf balls due to the soggy conditions, thick wet rough and millions of fallen leaves perfectly positioned to hide your ball. Instead of wasting your good balls during this time, why not opt for used lake golf balls instead? They’re available for a fraction of the price, you can buy pretty much any make or model on the market, and they’re available in a wide range of colours. My go-to retailer for premium lake golf balls is the UK’s #1 lake ball supplier, MailOrderGolf. Feel free to browse their huge online stock and use the code ‘ANDYSGOLFLBOG‘ to save an additional 10% on any purchases. 

If you’re not familiar with lake golf balls and want to find out more, check out the following video where I explain why I believe more amateur golfers should be using them. I use lake golf balls all year round, not just during the winter, and honestly believe more amateur golfers should be using them too, especially during the non-competitive winter months. 

Alternatively, if you’d like to save money by finding golf balls rather than buying them, check out this blog post in which I explain how I found over 40 golf balls in just one hour in the dark using a special UV torch

8. Hand Warmers/GEL packs

Gong back to the subject of keeping your hands warm for a second, this pack of 5 reusable GelHeat instant hand warmers are a fantastic item to keep in your pocket to help keep those hands warm as you wait for your turn to play your shot. Winter golf can often be a cold and slow affair, so these little beauties are worth every penny, especially given they’re reusable and only £12. Of course, other alternatives are available such as this 6 pack of disposable HotHands hand warmers which last up to 12 hours, but I personally prefer to use the reusable warmers. 

9. Premium Winter Golf Mat

If you want to give yourself a chance of playing your best golf this winter then invest in a high-quality winter golf mat. Trust me – I’ve owned them all and this Callaway Golf FT Launch Zone Hitting Mat is the best in the business. I’ve used this for over 6 years during the winter and it is still going strong. 

If you’d like to explore other options, check out this short blog post where I took a look at 5 of the best winter golf mats Amazon has to offer.

10. Golf umbrella

If you’re looking to buy an umbrella to use on the golf course, be sure to spend a little extra and buy one with a double/twin canopy, like this stylish Titleist Players Double Canopy umbrella. The double canopy is a must as it allows the wind to travel through the middle of the umbrella preventing it from trapping the wind and turning inside out like many traditional umbrellas. It’s also a good idea to search for and invest in specifically a golf umbrella as it’ll likely be larger in size than a standard umbrella, helping to keep both you and your bag as dry as possible.

11. Golf Trolley Car boot bag

If you’re using a golf trolley for your golf during the winter months and drive your car to the golf course, then investing in a bag for your golf trolley is a sound idea. This handy PowerBug Universal Carry Bag is a steal at only £24.99 and will save your car boot from becoming a muddy and grassy mess. Of course, it’s a good idea to check the dimensions that will be suitable for your specific golf trolley, even if the bag you are looking at is listed as being ‘universal’.

12. Iron head covers

Okay, controversial one here – iron covers. To be honest, I’ve no idea why people are so against these but if you’re looking to keep your irons protected and free from that annoying sound of them clattering against each other when you’re carrying your bag, they’re well worth investing in. Iron covers are available in a wide range of colours, designs and materials, so there should be something to suit your tastes.

13. Golf trolley bag rain cover

Another really worthwhile investment for winter golf is a protective rain cover for your cart bag. If you’re playing golf in particularly wet conditions, it doesn’t take long for your golf bag and its contents to become wet. Even waterproof golf bags are susceptible to water ingress, so an extra layer of protection can go a long way to saving you from having to dry your bag and all of your gear off after your round. At around £35, this PowaKaddy Easy Fit Waterproof golf cart bag rain cover isn’t cheap, but it’s worth every penny and will last for many winter golf outings to come.

14. Hot DRINK Travel FLASK

Nothing beats a nice hot drink on a cold and frosty morning, especially when you’re out on the golf course. When I play my winter rounds, I always fill my stainless steel Contigo autoseal flask with some fresh coffee to keep me going throughout those 3-4 cold hours on a Saturday morning. Unfortunately, our club doesn’t offer a halfway house type service, but that’s not a problem when I have this flask with me which keeps my coffee warm until it’s all gone. A wide range of travel flasks are available but I’ve always been satisfied with the quality of flasks offered by Contigo.

15. Thermal golf socks

Last but not least on my list of 15 winter golf essentials – socks. Make sure you keep those feet warm and dry this winter with a pair of decent thermal socks. These mid length waterproof socks are pricey at £35, but they’ll be a great pairing with some waterproof golf shoes, especially given that water can still penetrate waterproof golf shoes, especially if the rain is heavy or you’ve been spending a lot of time in the rough looking for golf balls. In my opinion, a round of golf really begins to drag out from the point your socks get wet, so these socks could be money well spent.

So, there you have it, 15 must-have golf products guaranteed to not only help you play better golf this winter but also enjoy it more. If there are any products you use that I’ve missed or you think others should know about, drop them in the comments area below.

Thanks again for reading this blog post and feel free to check out my other golf blog posts and videos

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