Three things amateur golfers can do to improve their handicap this winter without leaving the house

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With the winter months now upon us, golfers in many corners of the globe will not be able to play again until the spring.

For many golfers, the winter is a really tough period to get through, and when we do start playing again when the temperatures rise, we are often incredibly rusty having not hit the links for months.

So with that in mind, we have compiled a series of golf tips that amateur golfers can implement in the warm inside their houses.

• Read also: The five best and most simple tips for amateur golfers who are trying to break 90 for the first time

Keeping things ticking over while the temperatures plummet outside is crucial to setting you up for a successful golf season ahead.

*Antony Martin is a former professional golfer, who played professionally on the Moonlight Golf Tour and the Grey Goose Gateway Tour in the United States in the early 2000s, winning three times. He competed against numerous big name players including Graeme McDowell in US Open qualifying and 2018 Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner Ted Potter Junior. Before turning pro, he held a career-low handicap of +4 and represented the county of Essex and England schoolboys. He now writes about the sport for a living.

Three things to help you lower your handicap without leaving the house

There are many ways we can all improve as golfers without actually hitting a ball.

With that in mind, here are our three best drills to work on inside your home while it’s too cold to go outside and play.

Towel drill for better body and arm connection

You don’t need a club for this one.

A mirror would help but you can even perform the drill without one of those as well.

Place a towel under your lead arm and swing without a club in your hand.

The aim is to keep the towel tucked under your armpit all the way throughout the backswing and on into the finish.

This will enable you to turn your torso in sync with your hips and shoulders, and it will help you get your club in much more consistent positions throughout your swing.

The other huge benefit of this is that it will enable you to feel the position you should be in at impact.

Head against the wall and you can have it all

This is one of the best things you can do in order to improve the consistency of your ball-striking when you have a few minutes to spare.

The beauty of this tip is that it is probably the most simple drill available for amateurs to use – literally all you need is a wall.

Assume your golf posture and place your head against the wall. Ensure that it is just barely making contact with the surface of the wall, and don’t press too hard!

Take your backswing and then complete your downswing through to the finish while maintaining contact between your head and the wall.

Try not to slide along the wall during your swing as well. This will equate to more stability throughout your swing and as a result, more consistent ball-striking.

Winter putting tip will take you to new levels when the golf season resumes

As we all know, putting is a great way to make up for poor ball-striking rounds, so what better time to improve your technique than during the winter on a perfect surface … your carpet.

Practice putting on your carpet

This is all about improving your stroke ahead of the spring when the golf season really starts up again.

The beauty of practicing inside is that it is easy to record yourself making your stroke on what should be a fairly flat surface.

Set up a cup at the end of the room you choose to practice in and simulate the ‘gate drill’ by placing two tees (or whatever objects you have to hand) either side of your golf ball, just outside the toe and the heel of your putter.

The aim is to make this ‘gate’ as small as you can, allowing just enough space for your putter to fit through the gap.

You can record your stroke on your phone as you’re doing this and ensure that you bring the putter straight back and straight through, if you’re using a zero torque model.

However, if you’re using a blade model, you need to swing your putter head in more of an arc-type motion.

Choose what technique suits you best and then try to perfect your motion throughout the cold winter months.

If you manage to work on the three tips listed above throughout the winter, you might just fly out of the blocks when your golfing season resumes in the spring.