How to win in winter

1. Keep the ball under the wind, by playing the ball towards the right of your stance and keep the hands ahead at impact. Ball flight will be low and boring inducing a little more spin and skid when it makes contact with the ground.

2. Grip down on your long and medium irons, and punch through with your swing at impact. Take two clubs more for the distance (e.g. 6-iron for a shot you would normal hit with 8-iron). Avoid trying to shape the ball left-to-right (fade) or right-to-left (draw) when facing the wind.

3. Use the wind if it's across you but again, keep the ball low and your swing a little flatter (round your body) than you would normally.

4. When the rough is deep, don't mess about. Open the clubface and re-grip, hang on tight and get the ball out. Then start again from a better lie.

5. Around the green, instead of wedge or sand-iron from the fringe, use 6- or 7-iron for chipping to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.

6. When putting in the wind, widen your stance for better stability.

1. Courses tend to be wet and soggy so allow for the fact you will get little roll. Make sure this information influences your club selection.

2. Hit it high and watch it fly. Good advice in land when there more protection from the wind that to trees and hills. For tee shots, especially downwind, tee it high and position the ball a fraction further forward in your stance to hit it 'on the up'.

3. Consider a 3-wood off the tee - you will get a far more solid and consistent strike. Use 5- and 7-wood to good effect of the fairway when it's wet.

4. Lee Trevino always advises, if you can tee a ball up on a par -3, don't waste the opportunity. Chances of a good strike are much improved. However, if you're feeling confident, a ball nipped off a mat will generate more spin.

5. To avoid hitting the ball 'fat' (turf-then-ball) with the result that ball goes nowhere, position it slightly back in your stance to make sure impact is made at the bottom of the ball, followed by the divot. This will produce a solid strike.

6. Finally don't forget that winter rules (preferred lies) enable you to mark, lift, clean and replace your ball within six inches of its original position (no nearer the hole). If it's within six inches you can also tee it up on a worm cast and give it a biff with your driver.