How Windy is Too Windy???

[SVTGolfer]

Just curious… When does the PGA Tour "call it" due to wind? Is there a certain speed or just when it becomes a hazard?

I was supposed to play a round this morning and I woke up to 20-30 mph winds. Went to the course and it felt even worse than that. So bad in fact that it was blowing my hat off my head on the practice green! I decided to fore-go my round. What's the point when its that windy?

[Clambake]

Typically they call it on account of wind if they believe that there is a potential safety hazard to the spectators or players; they don't usually call it just because it is making play difficult.     At the Humana last week they called a wind delay because there were flying objects and hospitality and catering tents were breaking loose.

[RFetters]

15-20 doable

20-25 barely

30-35 just too windy to have much fun

35+ better go back home and check to make sure everything is ok

[SVTGolfer]

Originally Posted by Clambake

Typically they call it on account of wind if they believe that there is a potential safety hazard to the spectators or players; they don't usually call it just because it is making play difficult.     At the Humana last week they called a wind delay because there were flying objects and hospitality and catering tents were breaking loose.

Right, I did see that. And the huge dust storm it was causing. The wind can howl out there for sure!

[BuckeyeNut]

I play in anything................I consider it a challenge.

The only reason they canceled the round in Cali is because scoreboards were falling..........

[lumpuckeroo]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I play in anything................I consider it a challenge.

The only reason they canceled the round in Cali is because scoreboards were falling..........

I've never not played because it is to windy, but then I have limited days to play so I play!  I have played in 30+ mph winds with gust in the 40+ range.  One of my most memorable shots, 3 iron from 150 yards, hitting from an elevated tee, wind was quartering from left to right, I aimed about 40 yards left of the green, ball starts out low and then the wind picked it straight up in the air and blew it right, ball dropped about 5 feet from the pin (and yes I made the puttI).

[walk18]

Originally Posted by SVTGolfer

Just curious… When does the PGA Tour "call it" due to wind? Is there a certain speed or just when it becomes a hazard?

I was supposed to play a round this morning and I woke up to 20-30 mph winds. Went to the course and it felt even worse than that. So bad in fact that it was blowing my hat off my head on the practice green! I decided to fore-go my round. What's the point when its that windy?

If I were to fore-go every windy round, I wouldn't be playing much.

[Ernest Jones]

Sweet home Chicago!

[rustyredcab]

Hat blew off!? Really? That's what you call potentially too windy? "What's the point?" you ask. The game was invented on the windy shores of Scotland. Embrace the high winds as a bit of tradition that connects the game to its roots.

There are wind flags on our driving range. They are weighted and have numbers that suggest if the flag is blowing out, the wind is at least that number. I think they are 6, 12, and 24. When they first put them out a few Springs ago, I honestly thought they were made of a stiff material and were more like weathervanes because for weeks they all stood stiff -- meaning the wind never dipped even close to below 24 MPH. I could not figure out why there were three right near each other until one day the wind dipped below 24 MPH.

Now that the rules do not punish players for a ball blowing on the green after address, I would say if it is possible to get a ball to remain still long enough to putt it, it is not too windy. I have played on a buddy trip when the ball would not hold on two or three elevated greens. We created a "local rule" to keep things going.

That said, it seems like handicap padding to record those early spring rounds when the wind is a steady 30 MPH with gusts to who-knows-what. In June I am trying to break 80. In April, I often hope to break 100.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by RFetters

15-20 doable

20-25 barely

30-35 just too windy to have much fun

35+ better go back home and check to make sure everything is ok

Really? 35mph and you;d leave to go home and check all is O.K?

I used to live in Wellington, NZ ( windiest city in the world ). Weekly winds of 80-100km/h. Try walking to work in that! The homes aren't wind proofed either - most of them are early 20th century built wooden villas.

If your home can't handle 35mph winds, then whoever built it is a fail.

My first round of last year was in Lethbridge, Alberta. 6 iron from 100 yards anyone? It was gusting around 80kmh, steady 50ish at least.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I play in anything................I consider it a challenge.

The only reason they canceled the round in Cali is because scoreboards were falling..........

Thats what I always thought ... two weekends ago I was in Mesquite, NV ... gusts hit 55 mph.    Balls were rolling off the greens by themselves.    Couldn't keep the ball on a tee.    Sand felt like bb's on your face.    Gettting run over by 5 ft diameter tumbleweeds trying to tee off.     And of course, not a single hole did we have the wind to our back - would have been fun to hit an extra hundred yards on a drive.    Trying to drive into that was rediculous.     Only time in my life I ended a round early - flying 1500 miles I wanted to finish, but no way.     Had to quit after 8 holes ... they even refunded our money, so you know it was bad.    Anyways, I'd like to heard somebody top that with a wind story !!

[DocWu1948]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Sweet home Chicago!

A bit windy today at 15-20 mph, but I wanted to play.  I called around and  the courses were closed because the ground is too wet. Ah heck. it's 56F on the last day in January in Chicago and too wet to golf. Oh well, my front yard is also squishy and I'm glad they are watching out for the grass vs grabbing a few dollars.