An offseason primer.

Byline: Mike Stahlberg The Register-Guard

It's mid-October and the golfing is glorious in Western Oregon. All too soon, however, sunny days and dry fairways will be in short supply.

While rain, wind and mud can understandably dampen enthusiasm for playing, that doesn't necessarily mean you should let your game gather rust for five months.

And don't kid yourself - a garaged golf game will rust.

"There's a famous quote by Ben Hogan," says Birk Nelson, head teaching pro at Diamond Woods Golf Course near Monroe. "He said: 'If I take one day off from golf, I know it. If I take two days off, the gallery knows it, and if I take three days off golf, the whole world knows it."

With a little effort over the next few months, you can be hitting the ball farther and straighter when the dogwoods bloom next spring - even if you don't want to get your feet wet this winter.

How? Check out Golf Extra's offseason primer, put together in consultation with golf professionals and fitness experts. Choose one of the five following approaches, or "mix and match" elements from more than one:

Play through

The best way to keep your golf game in shape is to play through the winter.

Winter golf in Western Oregon need not be uncomfortable. And "it really doesn't rain as much as people think in the winter," Nelson said.

"Layering is the key to maximizing your golfing enjoyment during the offseason," Mallard Creek Golf Course head pro Eric DeWeese said.

"The weather can change quickly, and it is important to be able to add or remove layers to maintain a comfortable temperature. I like to combine a cotton shirt for comfort, a wool sweater for warmth, and a Gore-Tex shell to keep the rain off. If it stops raining, I take off the shell. If it gets warmer and keeps raining, I take off the sweater and wear the shell over the shirt."

A hat is important when it's cold out, DeWeese said, because 90 percent of the body's heat loss occurs through the head. Waterproof golf shoes (or special golf "rain boots") will keep your feet dry and warm.

And don't forget your hands.

"It is essential to be able to grip the golf club comfortably," DeWeese said. "If you have never tried the latest generation of Rain Grip gloves you will be amazed at how these high-tech marvels grip better as they get wetter. ... I like to soak these gloves in warm water before playing in the rain."

Al Mundle, director of instruction at RiverRidge Golf Complex in Eugene, is a fan of Nike's "Wet Grip" glove, which he says "has a type of lace that makes gripping a club in very wet conditions zero problem."

Mundle also suggests that winter golfers carry dispensable hand warmers. "They are small, inexpensive, easy to use and work very well," he said.

A big golf umbrella - 64 to 68 inches in diameter - will "keep you, your clubs, towel and bag fairly dry," Mundle said. He suggests looking for one of the models that will "give with the wind, but not break, and will return to the original shape."

Finally, wet weather golf requires different strategy and attitude, according to DeWeese.

"Golf balls do not fly as far in cold, moist air, nor do they roll as far on wet turf," he said. "Golfers do not swing as freely with several layers of clothing on. For all these reasons, you might adopt a more conservative strategy during the winter months. ...

"Probably the most important part of enjoying golf during the winter months is adopting the right attitude," DeWeese said. "Learn to enjoy the wind and rain as additional challenges to conquer, not as obstacles to having fun. Accept that your scores will probably be a little higher than on a warm summer day and never get down on yourself."

Take cover

You need not expose yourself to the elements to keep your swing well-oiled.

Covered driving ranges are available at many courses, and hitting range balls is enough to maintain muscle memory, Nelson said.

"Golf is not like riding a bicycle," he said. "It's difficult to put down and pick right up again. ... To keep your timing and your game current, I'd say hit range balls once a week."

Even making practice swings without hitting anything is better than just leaning your sticks in the corner for several months.

The problem with hitting balls is that it requires club-head speed, "which gives us less time to concentrate on what the club head is doing," Mark Moore, head instructor of the Hank Haney Golf Center in Dallas, Texas, writes on his Web page.

Moore says "practice swings are the most underrated form of practice" in golf. "You can do this anytime, anywhere, regardless of the weather. You can also use a mirror at home or at the office to check your swing,"

And the more practice swings, the better.

"After all, you learned your current swing through repetition, so you need repetition to undo or change for the better,"

Put your swing in dry dock

"Winter is a perfect time to make changes in your golf game - or work on certain things you wouldn't normally work on in-season," said Todd O'Neal, general manager and head professional at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell.

"When the good weather hits, you don't want to make too many changes within your golf swing, so winter's a good time to go to the driving range and work on things to improve your swing."

If the driving range is too cold, try hitting balls into a net in your garage.

Nelson of Diamond Woods says one of his best competitive seasons as an amateur came just after he "spent a lot of time hitting balls into the net, just working on my swing. ... I felt I was focusing on improving my swing and not worrying about where the ball was going."

Another advantage to re-working your swing in the winter is that there are fewer demands on the time of your favorite teaching pro, meaning lessons can be easier to schedule - and perhaps even less expensive.

"We're all looking for business," O'Neal said. "So winter may be the time to get a discounted rate for a series of lessons."

Take your game to the gym

Hitting the ball farther without getting your feet wet can be accomplished with an indoor fitness program that increases your strength and flexibility.

Increasing your strength and flexibility can easily add 5 to 10 miles per hour to your club-head speed, and that translates into extra yardage off the tee.

A study by the United States Golf Association found that recreational golfers who did stretching exercises three days a week for their shoulder, chest, back and hip muscles increased their club-head speed an average of about 5.5 miles per hour, which can translate into an additional 10 to 12 yards on a drive.

Another study found that golfers who performed torso-specific strength exercises for four to six weeks boosted club-head speed by up to nine miles per hour - enough for about 21 yards per drive.

Mundle at RiverRidge suggests hand and forearm exercises that can be done at home.

"Squeeze a soft ball that has a fair amount of give to it, or use clay - squeeze and hold for five seconds," Mundle said. "Exercise 5 minutes a day.

For your forearms, Mundle suggests using a 2- to 5-pound weight. With your forearm on a table and your palm facing down, grip the weight with your hand extended over the edge of the table.

"Lift your hand with the weight slowly, hold for 5 seconds; repeat until your muscles get tired," Mundle said. "Do it with the other hand. Then repeat the process with palm up with each hand. Do this three times a week."

Trainers at any local health club should be able to show you stretches and exercises for other muscles involved in the golf swing. Or, check out the "Get Fit for Golf" series of articles at: www.fitlinxx.com/Article.htm?id=58.

Follow the 'Birdies'

Many species of birds migrate south for the winter, and so do many birdie-seekers. The Palm Springs area and Arizona each winter are full of golfers who call the Pacific Northwest home, and not all of them are retirees there for the entire season.

Scheduling a short winter golfing vacation during the winter can provide the motivation to do the things necessary to keep your swing in shape. After all, who wants to travel a long way and spend a lot of money on greens fees if your swing's been hibernating?

Of course, one need not travel thousands of miles to play courses where the temperature's reasonable and where the ball won't "plug" in the fairways.

Oregon's south coast is known as a "banana belt," because it frequently experiences extended periods of balmy weather during the winter months. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, and your clubs in the trunk.

Whether they're in the "banana belt" or not, most coastal courses are built upon sandy soil, meaning they drain beautifully.

Another bonus: Oregon residents can play the world-renowned courses at Bandon Dunes resort for as little as $75 during the offseason. From May through October, greens fees there are as much as $240.

CAPTION(S):

Jim Stinchcomb uses an air hose to clean the wheels of his golf bag cart before going out for a round of golf.