How do you guys handle the wind?

[sebsmash]

I'm just curious how all of you guys handle the wind, like a crosswind or downwind shot or etc. For me, if I have a crosswind I used to just launch it up there straight and let the wind push it at the hole, but recently I have been trying to hold it with a slight fade or draw depending.

[thanw]

With irons I can't help but try to shape it against the wind. It may not be textbook but there is nothing more satisfying than watching a crosswind shot take a beeline toward the target. Less so with driver unless really necessary to hold the fairway.

[dak4n6]

Good thread. Over many years, I have noticed that the straight ball is most effective in wind, whether across or against. The less spin the better, esp with the driver. Now I just align myself to offset a cross wind and try to hit it easy down the line. Its amazing how little the wind affects a flat straight ball

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by dak4n6

Good thread. Over many years, I have noticed that the straight ball is most effective in wind, whether across or against. The less spin the better, esp with the driver. Now I just align myself to offset a cross wind and try to hit it easy down the line. Its amazing how little the wind affects a flat straight ball.

I agree, curving the ball adds unnecessary ("side")spin and any kind of extra spin will get knocked around a bit by the wind. That, and it's very hard to control your start line if you're making a big adjustment to your aim like playing an open or closed stance. I've played a running low draw at times, but it's far from a precision shot. I'd advocate working the ball a bit off the tee if you've the skill because it's very hard to hit a really straight driver, but on approaches it's better to aim at a spot and hit a standard shot. I often avoid driver in a crosswind because it has a lot of hangtime, preferring a hybrid or wood that I can control better. I also avoid anything higher than my pitching wedge if possible.

I like to hit pure shots in the wind, works better for control if you try your hardest to hit a pure shot. Swinging hard or trying to punch it low are sometimes tough, but solid contact usually takes care of the spin, direction, and distance pretty well.

What really kills me in the wind is how the greens sometimes play faster if they're exposed and how the wind affects putts; I'll try to play a bump and run more often than in calm conditions and I'll try to allow for the ball to bounce farther than I believed possible.

[Zeph]

A stock shot with little movement makes a big difference. If you normally curve the ball 5 yards in the air, that'll multiply by some factor. It depends on the direction and strength, but I sometimes take a longer club, grip down and hit a punch shot to avoid going too high.

[Stretch]

We get a LOT of wind here, to the point you just start thinking of it as a normal playing condition. My experience, when I'm partnered with guys from out of town who are not used to it, is they don't club up enough when it's hurting -- and they club down too much when it's helping. Side winds -- personally I'd rather adjust my aim than my shape.

[tomvk77]

I agree with stretch, i adjust aim and let the wind do the rest.

[MS256]

I try to not let the wind dictate my shot shape away from what's working best for me at the time (if at all possible). On lucky days (that rarely happen) when all of my shot shapes are working about equally and I can just go with a lower flighted straight ball...And hope I don't have holes coming up that have long forced carries or small island greens.

If it's bad enough, especially on courses that weren't designed with wind in mind, I just have to remind myself after a bad hole that more than likely nobody else is lighting it up either. We've had a lot of those days this Spring where 6 over par won a game that usually takes under par to win.

Grind away on every hole because bogey just might be enough to gain a stroke. Easy to say, harder to do.

[David in FL]

Be the wind. Accept it, swing smooth, and don't be afraid to take enough club, whatever that is. The only real specialty shot I use is to flight the ball down as needed. Too many people try to get fancy in the wind, and as a result, they get beat up.

[thanw]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Be the wind.

Accept it, swing smooth, and don't be afraid to take enough club, whatever that is. The only real specialty shot I use is to flight the ball down as needed. Too many people try to get fancy in the wind, and as a result, they get beat up.

This a good point. A cross wind robs a bit of distance. Don't be afraid to take enough club is REALLY good advice into a strong headwind.

[RayG]

This a good point. A cross wind robs a bit of distance . Don't be afraid to take enough club is REALLY good advice into a strong headwind.

Yeah? tell that to my slice... it just seems to keep going and going, and going.... a LOT further than the usual slice would go... it might end up TWO fairways over instead of ONE. :-D

[clearwaterms]

i played last weekend and it was a club wind when it was helping / hurting.  I remember being on the fairway at 150 to the middle.  The pin was up, and the safe play was short, and the wind was helping.  I couldn't sell myself on a pitching wedge into the green, so I hit a solid 9 iron and it flew the green.

I trust my swing and my ball flight.  I play a fade with my irons (right to left) and I know that right to left cross wind is going to increase distance for that fade shot including pushing it further than planned and it is going to cost more distance but the ball will fly straighter when my fade is working into it.

Also, I play for safe shots, play for the middle of the green with tucked pins (give yourself some room for error)

I don't try to post my best rounds, I just try not to post my worsts.

[Kieran123]

Hit it hard with the wind, soft against the wind

You want more spin when going with the wind. Less against it

[NM Golf]

I go inside and watch TV.

Actually that is partially true, as I hate to play golf in the wind. I hit the ball extremely high, and I have to make big changes to my setup and swing to hit knockdown shots. Unless its a tournament I just hang it up.

When I do play in the wind I normally try to take more club on any shot with a crosswind or wind into my face. More club means I impart less spin which is important. Spin is a killer in the wind.

[jamo]

I go inside and watch TV. :-P

Same. I just save my money. Any other element is fine, but wind kills me for some reason

[Mr. Desmond]

I can relate my experiences playing with a guy who didn't mind the wind. He drove it low, kept long irons lower, and with the short irons, he would either keep it down, or take more iron, and just hit it high with more club. In those cases where he took more club and hit it high - the ball would steadily climb, balloon, and fall. It was actually pretty cool to do it.

With my game, if I worry about the wind, it will screw with my mind. I tee it up normally with driver. I take more club, and don't put the ball back in my stance; I use a ball with HEX Aerodynamics (Callaway), and with shorter irons, I'll take more club and hit it into the wind and let it drop.

I am more concerned about keeping a steady tempo in the wind than technique.

[Justforgolf]

It is definitely worth it to learn a knockdown shot in windy conditions not only is it effective its awesome to watch zip through.