Top 10 reasons to love winter golf

6 It can be easy

It's a simple equation: shorter courses + softer greens + no rough = plenty of birdie opportunities. The combination of howling winds and frozen greens is a very different story, but let's hope we see more of the former when the shorter days appear this year.

7 Three-hour rounds

In cold or wet conditions few players will want to spend their time hunting for golf balls, plus there are fewer people out on the course to hold you up, bringing three-hour rounds back into play.

8 Huge pitch marks

When you know the ball will stop dead in its tracks there is no reason not to take dead aim at every pin. A fried egg on the green may take some repairing but the sound of the ball slapping into the turf is worth the extra work alone.  

9 Incredible winter green-fee deals

With the smallest amount of legwork you will uncover some fantastic winter green-fee deals. This is a great way of playing some of the country's top tracks without spending a fortune in the process.

10 Having a good excuse for playing badly

Play well and it's a pleasant surprise, play badly and you can put it down to a combination of the weather and a simple lack of game time.

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