It has been two months since I last set foot on the nicely trimmed grass of a golf course. The weather has been cold and gloomy for weeks, and at this point, most people would probably store away their clubs for the year...

Instead, my clubs eagerly stand in the hallway near the front door so that I can grab them on my way out. Why haven’t I put them away? The answer is quite simple: I am hitting balls all year-round. That’s right! I, Ms. Beginner Golfer Extraordinaire will attempt to maintain her golf skills by playing through the cold months. Granted, I know I won’t be able to go to a golf course, but that’s not the only place to hit a golf ball.

The last time I was at my local driving range, I noticed a sign on the front door which said, “Open all seasons.” I lit up with excitement and asked the cashier if that sign was valid. He nodded in a disinterested fashion, demonstrating that he did not share the joy of the discovery with me.  Since I’m Asian and often do not believe what people tell me the first time, I had to verify his answer.  I asked him again if the sign meant that I could come to this range, in the dead of winter, when it was 10 degrees below zero, and hit a bucket of balls. And again he nodded yes. That is when I resolved to keep playing until next year’s golf season.

It doesn’t matter that a large bucket of balls at this range costs around $12. Nor does it matter that the winters where I live are so cold I would probably have to be a little bit insane to stay outside for more than two minutes. I am just happy to know that if I should feel the urge, I could go to the range to practice because that is the key to learning how to play better golf: practice, practice, practice! Even if it is just for an hour-a-month under the heated lamps at the local driving range, going out and practicing my swing will help me maintain what I have learned this year. After all, just because my skill level is currently set at “beginner” doesn’t mean that I want to fall back down to “couch spectator” next year.

I have already started planning my off-season routine and considering the different issues I might run into. For example, the bulk of my winter coat could get in the way of my almost perfect swing, or the wind may result in a shorter drive distance than I’m used to. These are important things to take into account while planning my off-season range time. I am not sure how many times I will actually make it out to the range this winter, but I’d like to leave my clubs—and my sweater, my earmuffs, my gloves and my hot chocolate thermos—by the door. Just in case.