The warm summer weather is running out in 2015, meaning the fall and colder days aren't far behind. And while golf may not come quickly to mind as a winter activity, there are many opportunities for golfers in the Milwaukee area to continue honing their game through the chilly months of the year.

"Milwaukee County Golf Courses have great courses available to the public well into the colder months," said Chet Hendrickson who is the golf services manager for all Milwaukee County Courses.

Milwaukee County Courses have no set close dates; however, the four courses that remain open the latest throughout the season are Currie Park Golf Course, Grant Park Golf Course, Lincoln Park Golf Course and, to some extent, Whitnall Park Golf Course. According to Hendrickson, if there is no snow on the ground and playing will not damage the course, then you can golf.

Although winter weather can be delayed in Wisconsin, it is usually bound to snow at least a couple times, and when it does, golfers may be left feeling hopeless. Fortunately, there are opportunities to continue hitting some balls even when snow has covered the ground.

The Currie Park Golf Dome is a heated indoor driving range that is open all winter long beginning Nov. 1. The location is open every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at night.

The Currie Park Golf Dome is 90 yards in length, 100 yards in width and 80 feet high. Although it is not a full length driving range, it is still large enough for golfers to get a feel for the ball flight on their shots. It is a great place for golfers of all skill levels to go, including beginners and those looking to learn how to play the game for the first time. In fact, learning in a smaller environment does have its advantages.

"For one thing, you are completely out of the elements ... here the ball only goes 80 yards, so it’s easier to get the students to focus on the swing of the club," said Phil Levin, who is the owner and managing partner of the Currie Park Golf Dome and an avid golfer himself. "I think it is a great environment; it makes golf seem easier to accomplish."

The Currie Park Golf Dome first opened in 1996 after Levin wrote a letter to the Milwaukee County golf operations manager, who was looking to do something innovative at the time. The idea of an indoor driving range was just that.

Levin came up with the idea while living in Illinois working as an accounting manager. In his area, there happened to be an indoor golf dome. Levin became a regular at the dome and became friends with the owner. He began wondering what it would be like to have a golf dome back home in the Milwaukee area. Fortunately, Levin found people who were willing to invest in such a thing, and the idea took off from there. The Currie Park Golf Dome has been nothing but popular since first opening in 1996.

Some of the dome's features include 33 hitting bays, target greens, a putting green and Wilson range balls. There are even opportunities for golf lessons from any of the four independent instructors on hand. Golf club repairs and fittings are also available through an independent contractor who leases space at the dome. What is unique about the dome is that you do not pay for a bucket of balls; instead, you pay for however long you want to stay, and during that time frame, you can hit as many balls as you like.

The standard rates are $11 for a half an hour and $18 for an hour, Monday through Friday. Meanwhile, the rates for Saturdays and Sundays are $12 for a half an hour and $21 for an hour. There are also discounts for Milwaukee County Golf discount card holders, seniors (ages 60 and older) and juniors (ages 17 and under).

The Currie Park Golf Dome it is a very welcoming environment for golfers of all skill levels.

"It is a very comfortable environment in the winter; personally, I would be lost without it," Levin said.

Because the Currie Park Golf Dome is so popular, there are a lot of regular costumers that get to know Levin. One of those regular costumers was David Roesch. Roesch is a golf instructor who operates in the dome during the winter and came into contact with Levin through being a regular customer.

Roesch is a very accomplished PGA certified instructor. One of his many achievements is being named the 2013 Wisconsin PGA Teacher of the Year. He played collegiate golf for University of Wisconsin-Madison, then became a professional and won the 2004 Wisconsin State Open and even finished tied for 31st at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in 2004. The list of accomplishments for Roesch goes on and on. 

"I care about my students, no matter what level they are at, and I try to provide the best service possible that I can day in and day out," Roesch said.

During the warmer months Roesch teaches outside at Storms Golf Range in Brookfield. Throughout the colder months, however, he teaches at the Currie Park Golf Dome. In the dome, some of his main objectives include going over and improving fundamental techniques. He looks at body type, swing type, experience level and what the student is looking to get out of the lesson.

While teaching in the Currie Park Golf Dome, Roesch utilizes technologies available, such as Flight Scope, to improve golf swings. Using Doppler radar, Flight Scope tracks the golf ball to show how far the ball really would have gone if hit outside and if the ball would have gone straight.

Another technology Roesch utilizes is the SAM Put Lab, which is unique considering that Roesch is the only instructor in the state who uses the device. The student attaches a small device that weights only two oz. onto their putter. The device picks up the movement of the putter and sends the information to a computer to be analyzed. The computer then calculates the overall rating of the students putting stroke. There are many things that the computer analyzes, but according to Roesch, the most important things he looks at are timing and movement dynamics, where on the putter face the ball was hit, the path of the swing, where the student aimed and where the putter comes back to.

Roesch recommends that players make changes during the offseason so when the warmer months come around, players can get right out there and play the courses instead of spending time taking lessons and relearning many things. Some tips Roesch offers for players during the colder winter months include always swinging a club when you can, keeping your motion going and taking a lesson here and there so you do not get rusty.

Those looking to take lessons with Roesch can get into contact with him through his website. He teaches golfers of all skill levels and of all ages.

Roesch recommends that those looking to take lessons should shop around first and make sure they pick the right instructor for them.

"I always tell people, if you’re looking for an instructor, to do your homework, do a little research and ask around; every golf instructor is different," Roesch said.

There are still some warmer days ahead of us, but cold weather comes up fast, and when it does, golfers may feel like there is nothing they can do until spring. That, however, is not the case. There are many opportunities for golfers to continue playing – and even improve their game – throughout the colder months so they're not stuck in hibernation when the spring comes back around.