Playing in wind?

[delc]

I played in the aftermath of Storm Barney today. Wind was about 30 mph on average, gusting over 40. The wind always seemed to be either into our faces or across the holes. It seemed that if I tried to compensate for the cross wind by aiming slightly into wind, the ball would fly arrow straight, but if I aimed at the green it would turn sideways towards the end of its flight. Needless to say my round wasn't a great success and we lost a match 3&2. Any tips on dealing with cross winds?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Always tough when the wind is that strong and at my average level it's hard to control my ball. I always try and play with the cross wind and let it drift it left to right or vice versa depending on direction rather than fighting it. Into the wind I can play punch shots and club up but I don't practice enough and these are a lottery. Into or down wind, it's about using experience and working out if it's a 2,3 or 4 club wind, playing the shot and hoping the wind stays constant.

In simple terms, because I'm a handicap golfer, my take is simple and I try to do as little as I can and rely on the wind to be my friend but more than that it's about accepting you won't necessarily score well and do what you can to limit the damage

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I played in the aftermath of Storm Barney today. Wind was about 30 mph on average, gusting over 40. The wind always seemed to be either into our faces or across the holes. It seemed that if I tried to compensate for the cross wind by aiming slightly into wind, the ball would fly arrow straight, but if I aimed at the green it would turn sideways towards the end of its flight. Needless to say my round wasn't a great success and we lost a match 3&2. Any tips on dealing with cross winds?

Don't make them angry in the first place?

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

There's no more satisfying site when playing a hole that runs parallel to the shoreline on a links course than firing the tee shot out over the beach and watching the wind bring it back into the fairway. It can be very frustrating though when the wind doesn't touch it and you have to reload.

 

[srixon 1]

Take more club and don't hit it as hard. Ball won't go up in the air as much then. If that don't work then lift your head up just before impact and thin it in

 

[delc]

Take more club and don't hit it as hard. Ball won't go up in the air as much then. If that don't work then lift your head up just before impact and thin it in:)

Yes I did that a couple of times! I generally hit the ball fairly low anyway, and probably fared better than my playing partner who hits the ball rather high, but not as well as one of our opponents who plays off 6.

 

[ruff-driver]

A knifed wedge is the shot of choice, 150yds , 6 inches off the ground :thup:

 

[patricks148]

I played in the aftermath of Storm Barney today. Wind was about 30 mph on average, gusting over 40. The wind always seemed to be either into our faces or across the holes. It seemed that if I tried to compensate for the cross wind by aiming slightly into wind, the ball would fly arrow straight, but if I aimed at the green it would turn sideways towards the end of its flight. Needless to say my round wasn't a great success and we lost a match 3&2. Any tips on dealing with cross winds?

Putt it

 

[Hobbit]

Don't eat green veg...

But as others have said, take an extraclub and hit it easier. As well as keeping the ball lower it also has less spin.

 

[woody69]

I played in the aftermath of Storm Barney today. Wind was about 30 mph on average, gusting over 40. The wind always seemed to be either into our faces or across the holes. It seemed that if I tried to compensate for the cross wind by aiming slightly into wind, the ball would fly arrow straight, but if I aimed at the green it would turn sideways towards the end of its flight. Needless to say my round wasn't a great success and we lost a match 3&2. Any tips on dealing with cross winds?

What's the point in giving you any tips? You'll just come back saying you've worked it out yourself and the advice wasn't helpful.

 

[Piece]

I club-up, hit it low and aim for a centre green finish, rather than at the flag. That's my theory

 

[Dando]

I played at The London Club and my god was it windy. I just swung a tad slower and tried not to force it and you know what, I still played a ****, apart from a near eagle on the 6th and a few scrambled pars.

Hitting a full 9 iron into the wind from 90 yards and just making the green isn't fun but a 300 yd 3 wood off the fairway to find the 6th green made up for it!

cross winds were a lottery trying to let the wind take the ball towards the pin didn't always work, but when you aimed at the pin the wind kindly took it off course.

 

[Crazyface]

I watched a video on You Tube on how to play in the wind before I went to play at Cragielaw in the spring. Very useful. What I can remember was that you sort of pull the club up sharply after hitting the ball. I think. It worked...to a degree. Man it was windy !!!!!! We walked bend double into the wind at one point otherwise we'd have been blown into the sea.

 

[Foxholer]

I watched a video on You Tube on how to play in the wind before I went to play at Cragielaw in the spring. Very useful. What I can remember was that you sort of pull the club up sharply after hitting the ball. I think. It worked...to a degree. Man it was windy !!!!!! We walked bend double into the wind at one point otherwise we'd have been blown into the sea.

My old club! Like most links courses, can be a bit of bit of a challenge in the wind!! I can remember being short with a Driver on the Par 3 8th on a Saturday, then over the back with an 8 iron on the Sunday! Another memorable shot was an absolute peach 7 iron to the 3rd, aimed 30 yds left of the green to allow for the 'breeze'; of course, the wind never touched it, so the next shot was from the knee high rough!

Taking 2 or 3 (or however many is actually needed) more clubs and swinging easy has always been my solution for into the wind shots. Taking advantage of the breeze for downwind ones, hopefully getting the allowance right (it's never the same benefit as into the wind costs!). For sidewinds, it's a case of playing like the headwind shot and making an allowance for the drift - but aiming at something likely to be less costly (if either over or under allowing) after the above experience!