Winter Golf - Worthwhile or Not?

Played a friendly fourball at Royal Ascot today with two of my regular partners and one of my golfing pals Hywel Lloyd (aka HTL from the Golf Monthly forum) who has now joined Ascot as a full member.

The course itself was in reasonable shape. It wasn't too muddy which given the thawed snow and recent rain was a surprise. However the greens were all frozen as were the bunkers and we were on temporary greens all the way round. Is it worth the effort? I enjoyed the company but found the game itself a lottery with the small target to aim at, an inablity to get a ball to stop or hold, even with a well struck shot, and putts that jump in the air as they roll.

It was good to be out and the weather was sunny and bright and the temperature pleasant. I was able to see how my range work transferred to the course and at least hit some drives and irons in game conditions. Definitely a work in progress. Some reasonable drives, several howlers and a short game in need of an MOT. It didn't feel like a proper round though and there definitely wasn't the concentration or any level of intensity to my game. As the freeze looks to continue I find myself facing a quandary. Do I persevere with getting out onto the course and put up with the temporary greens and the unpredictability of bounce or would I be better off at the range working on my game?

My heart tells me that there is nothing like being out on the course and to embrace the challenge knowing that every shot counts but my head says it can't be good for my game, especially my chipping and putting. I do count myself lucky in being able to have the problem especially as many in the North, Scotland and Ireland are going the golfing equivalent of stir crazy with courses shut for the foreseeable future.

The great British Winter. Don't you love it?