Wintergolf: How to successfully play snow and ice cream!

Wintergolf: How to successfully play snow and ice cream!

On Sunday morning, February 17, 2025, a fresh layer of snow covered the city of Bad Kreuznach. The winter conditions led tobogganing that did not take place, although the World Slalom and Biathlon World Championships took place as the real winter highlights. Despite the cold, people were motivated to go outside, even to the golf course to try out a rather unusual winter sport.

Winter golf is quite practical under the right conditions. A snow cover of at least ten centimeters is required so that snow golf can be played. This form of golf play is often described as a kind of snowboarding in deep snow. The winter months in particular use golf course operators by protecting the Greens by Wintergrüns. Wintergrüns are specially prepared, short -mown surfaces on the fairway with a flag and a hole. These measures promote the regeneration of the lawn.

The fascination of Schnegolf

Schnegolf, a sport that is exercised on snow or ice, delight golfers in many regions. In contrast to conventional golf, the space at Schnegolf is called "white" and has a well-groomed snow or ice surface. In the 17th century, Golf was a popular winter pleasure in Holland, occupied by works by artists such as Aert van der Neer and Hendrick Avercamp. There are also indications in Scotland that Golf was played in winter.

in Jämijärvi, Finland, a high-class snow golf course with nine holes is built every year. This course simulates the conditions of the summer golf game and organizes events such as the Aalto University competition. The annual World Ice Golf Championship, which has been taking place on the northernmost golf course in the world near Uummannaq, Greenland since 1997, shows the global dimension of this sport. Here the game is strongly influenced by the weather, which has already led to several cancellations in recent years.

rules and challenges in Wintergolf

In the winter months, special rules can be important for golf. For example, players can usually put the ball from the flag at “preferred layers” at a certain distance, which is often necessary in difficult conditions. In addition, pinched balls are common in winter, and players do not have to play from a embedded ball in general. The golf rules allow relief in such cases.

Especially in winter there are additional challenges, for example through temporary water accumulation. If water affects the ball or the stand, players are entitled to a free drop. Loose obstacles can also be found frequently in winter conditions, and players can remove them, but have to make sure that the ball does not move.

Another annual tournament that takes place in winter is the Grimes Hill CC Invitational in the state of Vermont, where golfers compete against each other in a three-hole playoff. A Snow Golf Championship has also been organized in Argentina since 2008. Against this background, it turns out that winter sports golf is celebrated in a variety of ways and is a welcome change in the annual sports calendar for many golfers.