We are a hearty bunch in Wisconsin. And right now, cabin fever kicks in. But that's where some area golfers and golf centers, also, fill in the gap.
Even in five-degree weather, the Moorland Road Golf Center is busy.
"I hear it every day. You know, this is what they look forward to," Mike Vance says. "They're smiling when they get here. They're smiling while they're practicing. They're smiling when they're leaving. Or they're thanking us for being open, and in turn, we're thanking them for keeping us open."
Are these people crazy, one might ask.
"No, you'd be surprised!" Vance says. "I think they're the smart ones. I mean the wintertime, there's not a lot to do. Especially with the COVID environment. So if you can have an opportunity to get outside and practice the game you love? I think they're the smart ones."
It just takes a little planning.
"Keeping your golf clubs in your house before you come here. Checking the weather. Checking the wind direction. We face east, so anything but an east wind? We're comfortable," Vance says.
And it's good for your game.
"Taking three months off, for the game that's probably the most difficult game I've ever played? It's a challenge," Vance says.
But as with any Wisconsin winter, it is harsh on equipment.
"For the most part, we have the field in good condition to pick. But it got a little drifty in the back end and I got stuck. And as I was trying to get out, I snapped the picker. And so it took me about a half-hour and a lot of these guys here were having fun watching me try to flounder out there and get it repaired," Vance says.
