FIRSTLY, let me wish you all a Happy New Year.

Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been good enough to could spend the festive period on the golf course, but I’m sure you all found a way of keeping the swing going.

Even after a short spell of two weeks without much play, it feels alien to pick up a golf club.

Is this a bad thing? Not at all!

I know how keen the golfers of Inverclyde are, and you deserve nothing more than a break from wrapping up in the wind and rain to do battle for four hours on a Saturday morning.

What most of you will find is that on your return to play, you might be a little rusty, but after 15 minutes or so you’ll start to swing it better than before.

Your body will naturally try to swing the club again — so let it.

On your first couple of games of 2016, or first trips to the range, you should let the club do what it wants.

Pick a target, decide how big a swing it needs to have the distance, and just swing.

Don’t shoot yourself down trying to hammer in technical aspects of your game.

After a break, your body resets, giving that natural element of your swing — isn’t that what we’re all after?

I can promise that doing this for a couple of games will without doubt help you enjoy your golf more. From there, you’re then ready to begin improving your natural swing – thanks to the rest the Christmas period has provided.
For my next column, I want to hear what issue you face after getting back from this ‘rest period’.

Is it technical? Is it physical? Or is it the most difficult...mental!

We’ll address all of these aspects of what a break can do – but for now, focus on the positives and don’t put pressure on yourself to be the best golfer in the winter league after not playing.

We’d also love to hear about what weird and wonderful golfing Christmas presents you were given. Whoever gives us their best present will be lucky enough to win a prize.

Send your submissions to bhgolf@outlook.com