Temporary greens ruin the experience of playing golf

Playing golf in the depths of a British winter demands that you make more than a few compromises. It will often be wet and cold, the frost will chill your breath and the damp shall weaken the dexterity of your grip.

The courses we play - understandably - won't be in the same condition that you enjoy in the peak months of the season. Battling the elements and struggling to keep your clubs dry while being buffeted by the wind and rain doesn't on the surface appear to be the most appealing of pastimes, but there are undeniable benefits to making the effort and numerous reasons why you should continue playing even when the warmth of staying indoors would be more embracing.

However, for some of us, and I include myself in this category, getting out there in this weather isn't enticing, which is a mindset that I regret as it often leaves me going a significant period of the year without accumulating any rounds of golf - and my game annually suffers as a result. 

But it's not just about the wintry conditions - it's also the state of courses themselves that put me off.

Are Temporary Greens Really That Bad?

For very good reason, as the busy summer months fade into memory, the winter presents an ideal opportunity for clubs to undertake maintenance projects, such as rebuilding bunkers or installing more drainage, while measures are routinely taken to protect surfaces when there isn't much growth, meaning that you will regularly encounter winter tees, be required to use mats on the fairways, and, perhaps worst of all, be asked to putt on temporary greens.

I have previously written that fairway mats don't particularly bother me, albeit some types are clearly better than others, but it's those makeshift greens that are the ultimate golfing repellant.

They simply ruin (for me) the whole experience of playing a round.

It should be noted that I fully appreciate why they exist and accept that it can often be necessary to ensure that the proper greens are in perfect condition for the main golf season, but that doesn't mean that they make things enjoyable.

Even Golfshake Ambassador Matt Holbrook, the keenest and most passionate golfer that I know, was turned off recently by the presence of temporary greens. He wrote: "My scheduled game, which was on for Friday last week, ended up getting canned as the weather, once again, put an end to those plans. Although to be fair, one of my courses was in fact open, but with a couple of holes closed and numerous temporary greens - this isn’t the way I wanted to start my year off."

Most temporary greens that you encounter will simply be a section of the fairway, often just short of the actual green, which fundamentally changes the strategy of the hole you are playing. 

Greenside bunkers are no longer a factor to consider, the importance of finding the correct line or angle is dramatically reduced, and the whole experience just feels considerably manufactured to merely keep things ticking along.

Once you reach the surface, the skill and intrigue of putting itself is nowhere near the same. Yes, you are still out playing golf, and taking on the course, but the environment is hugely diminished.

When you align this with those dark days when bunkers are flooded and everything is miserable, you wonder whether it's really worth keeping a course open in this undermined state at times - even if club golfers keen to make the most of their 12-month memberships might disagree.

Why it Still Can Be Worth Playing Golf

If you're someone who values the exercise, mental engagement, and the opportunity to spend time with friends, it's still worthwhile getting outside and making the absolute most of what you get in winter - and I'm somewhat envious of those who can accept that reality - but I would rather just go for a walk without the need to lug my clubs about on a layout that is nowhere near its best in weather that is generally unpleasant.

That said, there are numerous courses, especially links and heathland venues, that do retain a full complement of tees and greens (with some of them even not stipulating the need for fairway mats) and those are definitely worth making the effort to play if you have the opportunity on a good winter day.

However, for better or worse, I'm probably going to wait until the courses are fully open and the days are that touch brighter before I dust off my clubs once again.