There's nothing that heralds the end of a long cold winter for a golfer than The Masters. Most of the big names are gearing up for the dance this weekend at the Shell Houston Open. But, of course, Tiger Woods won't be seen until the practice rounds get underway on Monday. He never plays in a tournament the week before a major. He must know what he's doing since he's won 14 of them.

In the meantime, you can watch defending champ "Lefty" Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Anthony Kim and others tune up for the season. All of them are likely looking to settle into a good groove, instead of blowing the competition away. Finding form is more important than watching the scores, so you can look for these guys to work out the kinks before the eyes of the world turn to Augusta National. "Lefty" is not a big fan of the Rees Jones-designed Redstone Golf Club, but he does like to play the week before a major.

The rest of us are dusting off the golf clubs and getting set for that first tee time. If it's still not quite warm enough to get out there yet, cheer on "Lefty" at the Shell, check out your favourite sites online, and plan your gathering for the final round on Sunday April 10. It's sure to be a classic.

If you're in need of any new left-handed golf equipment, the time is now, rather than later on in the season. Get the best deals on clubs and accessories before everything gets limited or sells out. You want to have everything in your bag by the time May rolls around. Spend some time at the driving range or arrange for some lessons to get back in your own groove before the season gets into full swing. You might not be "Lefty", but you can be a better left-handed golfer with the right clubs!