Stroke Saver: Simple Ways To Improve Your Game Without Swinging

Probably the most common question I have been asked over the last few weeks is how can someone improve their game over the winter when there’s no access for either playing or swinging. My response is usually the same, if there’s no where to swing, work on the parts of your game that you have room for. Starting with addressing the ball, work on your routine. Place a ball or a coin down on the floor. You only need enough room to address the ball for this, so even the smallest spaces should be able to accommodate for this. Practice aligning yourself to the “target” along with the clubface. Getting into a repetitive cycle will make it all that much easier to do when the weather breaks and you back in action. To make this drill even more effective, use some dowels, clubs or alignment sticks to really work on setting up straight.

Putting is also a huge one to work on during the winter. Even if you don’t have ‘room’ to putt, work on aligning yourself and the putter face to the target line. You’d be amazed how just working on the aim of your putter will improve your scores come springtime. If you have room, complete the stroke and work on a consistent arc – unless you are one of those people that swings the club dead straight, in which case, you’re working on making a straight path. Either way, getting in 25-50 strokes a day will be more beneficial than you think.

Finally, there’s the fitness piece. Most golfers spend all spring working out the kinks they have gotten while sitting around during the winter months. As strange as it sounds, some simple stretches, body rotations and ‘fake swings’ without holding a club will do wonders to keep your muscles engaged over the winter. Practice your swing without a club to find out what muscles you need to keep in shape, then select a few exercises that will work those groups. It will just take a few minutes a day, but you’ll reap the long term benefits by not needing the first month of the season to get back into playing form.