How do you compensate for wind?

[hendog]

Originally Posted by colin007

Played in some pretty good winds today, gusting to about 25-30mph. Swinging easier really makes a difference with the driver. I tend to get a ton of backspin with the driver so slowing down helped bring the spin down and it penetrated the wind much better.

Gets pretty windy here as well and one thing I have learned to do is control the flight of the ball with the driver. Whenever I step up to a drive with a stiff wind in my face, I declare I am going to hit a "wind cheater". I do everything the same except I tee it down and really make sure to shift my weight forward and stay over the ball as long as I can. IF I pull it off the ball comes out very low like a line drive up the middle and since their is a decent amount of spin it will fly that way for quite a while and I lose very little distance. Of course having a straight hole with no obstacles and a dry fairway helps too. Also important to note I have an 8.5 degree driver open 1 degree which effectively makes it 8.25.

I use to try and do the opposite with a tail wind (tee it up and launch it high) but I would always over swing and hit a nasty high slice so now I just hit a normal shot and let the wind do whatever its going to do.

[iacas]

I view wind as a percentage, NOT as a standard. The same wind will affect a wedge a lot differently than a 4-iron.

[Ernest Jones]

I just break it and move on...

[boogielicious]

Originally Posted by iacas

I view wind as a percentage, NOT as a standard. The same wind will affect a wedge a lot differently than a 4-iron.

Erik,

Can you explain your thought process with regards to wind.  I view it by speed and direction but am a bit uncertain of the effect of trajectory, spin, etc.  I know a lob wedge in a cross wind will move a lot more than a low shot.  But the amount is still a guess for me.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Can you explain your thought process with regards to wind.  I view it by speed and direction but am a bit uncertain of the effect of trajectory, spin, etc.  I know a lob wedge in a cross wind will move a lot more than a low shot.  But the amount is still a guess for me.

Most good players hit all of their clubs about the same height. With a 4-iron the peak height is simply farther down-range than it is with a sand wedge.

I don't know if I can "explain my thought process" per se. I could probably write something so long nobody would EVER read it all.

I simply see the wind as a vector force, kind of like AimPoint (and gravity). If a 4-iron is in the air as long as a wedge, and reaches the same height, why wouldn't it be affected almost the same distance side to side?

My "percentage" talk was more about wind that's into or with you. What's a one-club wind at the higher irons (say, 12 yards off a pitching wedge) is a two-club wind at the longer clubs (19 yards off a 5-iron, perhaps). That's a 10% wind in my mind. And usually downwind it's half, but again, you can also get tailwinds that knock a golf ball down due to decreased lift. Tailwinds are tricky. Headwinds typically aren't.

Cross-winds you simply play for them and, like break on a green, let them move your ball. Just pick a new "aim point" and play your shot to that.