A co-worker of mine was able to play a round of golf on Veterans Day. Apparently down in Russell, Pa. they didn’t have any snow. So while I was shoveling my sidewalk, he was out getting a bonus 18 holes in at beautiful Cable Hollow Golf Course.

Yes, I’m just a little bit jealous.

When I played at Vineyards on Oct. 12, there’s no way I thought that was going to be my final round of the year. I assumed I had several weeks of decent weather to golf in. I was wrong.

So I’m hurting for a golf fix to say the least. I’m sure many of you are, too. So what can we do for the next several months to fill that void in our lives? I’m so glad I asked. That’s just what this week’s article is going to be about.

JUST SWING — It might sound boring, but if there’s a slight break in the cold at all, I highly recommend just taking a few different clubs out in the yard and swinging them. You can pick up a few of those “wiffle” or foam practice balls if you have a little bit of room to hit them. This is an especially helpful thing to do if you’re new to the game. There are a lot of things that go into a golf swing. Keeping it relatively fresh in your mind could go a long way. I’m constantly telling new golfers to do this. Commit that swing to memory. It’ll be easier to get back when you’re finally able to get on a course again.

WATCH GOLF MOVIES — You’ll have to check out my article from a few weeks ago (I’m sure you can find it on the OBSERVER website) for a full list of recommendations, but it’s amazing what a little Happy Gilmore can do for a golfer’s soul.

PLAY GOLF VIDEO GAMES — I’ll be honest, I’m not into the video game scene and haven’t been in many years. That said, I still break out Tiger Woods on PS3 at some point every winter. Is it realistic? Well…no. I’ve never been able to rapidly tap a button to help my ball mid-flight in real life, but in modern games you’re able to customize your bag, pick your ball, play different courses and compete against your friends. I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t know if the Nintendo Wii is still a thing, but if there’s something similar on the market, you can “swing” the controller to make it feel that much more like real golf.

WATCH GOLF — I’ve written in the past how watching golf on TV just isn’t for me. I can respect the talent of the players and admire the beauty of the courses, but it just doesn’t do it for me. I admit, however, that I’m probably in the minority here. And with that Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson match coming up this week, what a great opportunity to get that golf fix. After that, there’s always something to watch at some level. I recommend watching some women’s golf, too. They might not mash the ball off the tee the way the men do, but it’s pretty amazing just how much talent is on the women’s side of golf.

PUTT — Get yourself a practice putting green, set it up in the basement and leave it there all winter. Every time you go down to grab a hammer, sink a few putts. Taking down a load of laundry? Don’t forget to practice that putter stroke while you’re there. Yes, I’m assuming your home is set up exactly like mine. My recommendation is don’t buy a cheap green. It’s been my experience that you get what you pay for in this department. If you’re serious about keeping that stroke crisp, spend a few extra bucks. You’ll thank me later.

That’s it for this week. Do a few of these things while you wait for Part II of this segment to arrive next week.

Until then, golf is great. Go get some.

Stefan Gestwicki is an OBSERVER contributing writer. Comments on this article can be sent to golfersdiary@gmail.com.