Restarting golf after the winter

Leon Marks, Director of GolfSchool Luxembourg, describes how to be back on the field after the winter. He warns you: “Starting again for the first time will be difficult… but do not lose faith”. 


“It is time to move the summer tyres out of the way and get the golf clubs out from the garage.
Hope that no mice have eaten the chocolate bar that was left in your bag since the winter and dust the spiderwebs off your bag.
Starting again for the first time will be difficult. Surprisingly your swing will look quite good, but generally the balls will not fly like they used to. Topping, slicing, hooks and maybe even an air shot. Your short game will make you look like you should try golf left handed or vice versa and your feel for distance will question your vision. Do not lose faith.
Your objective for the first return is simply to accustom your body to golf again. Start by preparing your wrists by standing with your feet together and hitting the tee on both the follow-through and backswing without falling over or using too much body. Raise your club up to an L position.
Next slowly start widening your stance and raising your swing, again hitting the tee on both upswing and downswing. Continue until the swing is too large on both sides, and try to maintain a tight angle with your wrists, if possible less than 90 degrees.
Of course the movement is not like a real golf swing, but a warm up using the essential body parts needed in golf and making your swing symmetrical during practice will help to prevent injuries.
After hitting the tee approximately 50 times, you are ready to hit some shots.
Start with about 5 wedge shots. These are great for warming up because most people do not try to hit a wedge 250 meters. Thereafter hit about 5 times with an 8 iron followed by 5 shots with a longer iron or hybrid. Half a dozen with a wood or driver and then back to the wedge. Inside these 25 to 30 shots, count how many times you could finish looking balanced like a pro and how many times the ball was correctly struck with a nice sound.
Then simply spend 30 minutes chipping onto the green with a sand iron. “But normally I chip with the pitching wedge”, well try the sand iron. It is more difficult due to its extra loft to feel the distance and it can easily take a divot larger than a German Schnitzel, but challenge yourself now and your feel will return quicker.
20 minutes putting by starting about 3 meters away from the hole. Gradually get closer and closer because your aim and distance will improve and so will your results. Hearing the ball drop into the hole is the best sound in golf, so try not to challenge yourselves with 12 meters swinging breaks. Chances are, you will not hole so many putts and you will go home without the icing on the cake. Finish on a high by holing a few putts, have a drink in the clubhouse and arrange your next game.
That would have been a fabulous way to start the golfing year.
You will feel your body the day after and perhaps even more the day after that with the DOMS, known as (Delay of muscle stress). If you turn up to the driving range with your brand new DRIVER and nothing else, I have a few good Chiropractors that I can recommend. Go gently into the season, create clear targets and build up to them.
On the 24th of April, we will welcome everyone to try golf or get free golf tips from my colleagues and myself. It will be a great day, with a fun experience and friendly competitions for all the family.
Also for the first time ever in Luxembourg, we will have a Golf Trick shot Champion giving a show.
My colleagues – Michael Phal and Gilles Grethen – and myself, Leon Marks, are looking forward to meeting you”.