Coach Ben Emerson's Five Fixes For Winter Golf Conditions
By Staff Writer
3 min read
LoopGolf
Cold, wet conditions change how the ball reacts from tee to green, and golf coach Ben Emerson says the biggest mistake amateurs make this time of year is sticking with a summer setup. Emerson breaks down five adjustments covering the driver, irons, bunkers, chipping and putting.
How Should Golfers Adjust Their Driver Swing In Winter?
Emerson recommends widening the stance at address to generate more ground force and stability on slick turf. Fresh spikes help maintain traction in wet or icy conditions, he says, and teeing the ball higher with slightly more loft helps offset reduced roll on soft fairways, since carry distance matters more once the ground softens.
What's The Key To Solid Iron Contact In Cold Weather?
A centered strike matters more in winter, Emerson says, because a marginal miss can turn a crisp shot into a heavy, short one. He points to poor weight transfer as the common fault, since failing to shift pressure into the lead side causes heavy contact. His fix is rehearsing the impact position without hitting balls first — the grip end should point past the lead hip at impact, rather than just past the body's center as it does at address — before adding speed.
How Should Bunker Technique Change When Sand Is Compacted?
Winter sand tends to compact, which Emerson says calls for a narrower stance rather than a wider one, since opening the clubface on firm sand exposes the bounce and risks a second bunker shot. He advises standing taller, keeping 60 to 70 percent of the weight on the lead side throughout the swing, and relying on the club's loft rather than an open face to get the ball out.
Why Use Less Loft When Chipping In Winter?
On chips with a clear run to the flag, Emerson says many amateurs reach for a wedge when a pitching wedge or 9-iron, played with a simple running chip, will roll the ball out more predictably. He recommends a narrower stance, hands ahead of the ball for some shaft lean, quiet wrists and a shoulder-driven stroke with the chest turning through toward the target.
How Does Putting Change On Winter Greens?
Slower, softer winter greens cause many putts to come up short, Emerson says, and the common compensation of flicking the wrists for extra pace sacrifices control of the roll. His fix is lengthening the stroke and committing to a fuller follow-through within a golfer's normal tempo, paired with a centered strike.
Impact position, not ball position, is what fixes a heavy iron strike in winter.
Key takeaways
- Coach Ben Emerson's winter fix list covers five shots: driver, irons, bunkers, chips and putts.
- A wider stance and extra loft are recommended off the tee to offset lost fairway roll.
- Rehearsing the impact position, not changing ball position, is the fix for heavy iron strikes.
- Bunker shots need a narrower stance and 60-70% lead-side weight on compacted winter sand.
- A longer stroke with a fuller follow-through compensates for slower winter greens.
Frequently asked questions
Why do golf shots fly shorter in winter?
Cold, dense air increases drag, and firmer or wetter fairways reduce roll, so shots can finish shorter even at the same ball speed as summer.
Should I use more loft on my driver in winter?
Coach Ben Emerson recommends teeing the ball slightly higher and adding loft, since carry distance matters more once fairways stop providing roll.
What causes heavy iron shots in cold weather?
Emerson says the main cause is failing to shift weight into the lead side at impact, which moves the club's low point behind the ball.
How should bunker technique change in winter?
Compacted winter sand calls for a narrower stance, more weight on the lead foot, and relying on the club's loft rather than opening the face.
- Ben Emerson
- winter golf
- golf instruction
- bunker play
- putting tips
- iron play
- chipping
- golf swing fixes
