January 19, 2009 -- The Sony Open is the first full-field golf tournament of the PGA Tour and for many of the players, their first true golf competition in weeks or even months. And what better place to return than Hawaii, right?

Well, if you want to talk about perfect beaches, great food, wonderful hospitality, superb courses, and the most scenic views; yes Hawaii is the place. But for the players competing in this week's Sony Open, there are a few challenges. Namely, the wind/weather that Hawaii offers is not always the preferred conditions for Tour players, much less those who have had long layoffs.

Being prepared for all weather conditions is essential, especially early in the year. (Photo: Getty Images)

And to prove the point, you need to look no further than the very first round of the tournament when players had to battle high winds and some rain as well. Scores, which can often go real low at Waialae Country Club, were as high as you will see them at this event.

So that brings us to this week's A Lesson Learned. As I watched this past week's PGA Tour event, the thought that kept coming to mind was the importance of preparation.

First of all, in something I see quite a bit here at Poppy Hills on the Monterey Peninsula, have gear in your bag for all weather conditions. Rain jackets, umbrellas, multiple gloves, and when in colder or windy conditions, layer up! I know that Tour players get their gear for free and so you probably won't have all the options they have available, but there really is no excuse for NOT having basic weather gear at your disposal.

And even more, after a long winter layoff like most of the country will have to deal with, your game is not where you want it to be as you start your golf season. How do you get it ready? Here are a few tips to get ready for your first few rounds of golf coming out of your winter break.

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Yes we are all rusty so start a stretching program every day, not just on the day your are going to play, that's like being on a diet one day a week but every day for about ten minutes. Check with your local fitness center and get some advice about some stretching related to the golf swing and good general body fitness.

Next, at home during your winter and your off golfing time, place a golf club up across your shoulders, criss-crossing your hands. Take your stance with your posture and ready position and start a basic golf-swing rotation back and thru just like you're swinging a golf club -- but you are just using your body turn with no arm swing. This will help you feel a golf swing motion and keep the basic movements working during the winter.

All top players do these exercises or similar things to keep their rust to an absolute minimum. They can't afford to show too much rust, just a couple of poor shots or bad putts can mean a missed cut and thus, no money. You may not be playing for the same purse that Zach Johnson was able to win, but you can still have some of the same benefits to your game by showing some of the same smart practices.

Be sure you put in the practice and show the commitment to get your game where you want it in 2009.

Ben Alexander is one of the nation's foremost golf instructors, having been named the 2004 Northern California PGA Section Teacher of the Year and been nominated in 2008 for PGA National Teacher of the Year. Alexander runs the Ben Alexander Golf Academy at Poppy Hills Golf Club on the Monterey Peninsula.