Cold weather produces a unique challenge for golfers that they don't often face during the warmer months. Having to wear multiple layers for warmth can restrict the full motion of your swing and the colder, heavier air changes the natural trajectory of your ball flight, plus the ball won't travel as far.  Follow these five tips to make sure your golf game stays as consistent as possible even in the coldest conditions. You'll score better and a more enjoyable round in the cold.

1. Keep your hands warm. You'll definitely want to consider wearing gloves on both hands if possible. If you're not used to wearing gloves, you should practice with them as much as you can. Keeping your hands warm is important because any numbness will cause you to lose feel in your grip. And as well all know, a poor grip will affect everything else in your swing as well. Consider purchasing some cold weather hand warmers, and keep them in your pockets during the round.  This will help keep your hands thawed between shots.

2. Keep the golf balls warm. A cold golf ball will not travel nearly as far as one that is warm, and you should still be able to hit shots on your normal trajectory with a warm ball . If you leave your golf bag in your car overnight, consider taking some balls inside so they don't turn into popsicles when the temperatures drop overnight.  You'll notice a huge difference in how far the ball travels when it's at room temperature.

3. Hit lower trajectory shots. Don't allow the colder temperatures to play the game for you. The ball will naturally not travel quite as far in lower temperatures, so you need to adjust your game for the conditions.  Take one club more than you normally would.  If it's cold & windy, move the ball back in your stance and hit more punch shots with an abbreviated follow through.  This allows you to keep the ball under the wind, and you don't have to take as full a swing to get the same distance.

4. Layer Your Clothing.  You will definitely want to keep warm, but you can't swing a golf club when you're bundled up in a snow parka.  Start with a thin under layer to help with insulation.  From there you can add a long sleeve performance golf shirt and top it off with a medium to lightweight golf shell/windbreaker depending on the temperature and wind conditions.  This will allow you to keep your swing range of motion and stay warm at the same time.  Find a great golf clothing sale online where you can stock up on some cold weather golf gear and save some money at the same time.

5. Maintain a consistent tempo throughout the swing. When the weather is cold, it's easy to forget that golf is a game of rhythm. When you keep a steady, balanced swing, your golf game can stay positive even in the coldest conditions. Resist the urge to overswing.  Many players are not accustomed to playing in colder temperatures, so you just might have an advantage over the competition if you follow these 5 tips.

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