Playing into the wind

bobmac

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You've got 130yds to the pin with no hazards in the way and it's straight into the wind.
Do you just hit your 9 iron harder?
There is another way.
If you can play the basic low pitch shot, you can play this shot.

Rather than hitting your 9 harder, switch to a 7.
Hold the club half way down the grip, swing half way back, punch down on the ball and swing half way through (9-3 for those familiar with the clockface swing)
Do not hit this shot hard, it will just go higher.
If it's a strong wind, you may need to go to a 6.

Basically, all this does is keep the ball low into the wind.
You may need to experiment a little by practicing this shot but a general rule of thumb is.....

Go up 2 clubs, hold the grip half way down and use a smooth half swing.
This works particularly well with hybrids
HTH
 
If I hit my 9i as hard as I could without wind I doubt I'd get it 130yds, unless it rolled out 20yds against the wind :o

However, its a good tip but would be a 6i for me following this practice :smirk:
 
I use a similar technique for certain distances. A '10:30 Pelz' 8, 7 or 6 will take 15 yards off the full distance.

Never been able to 'go down the shaft' effectively though. I swing faster when I try, which negates the purpose. I can do an 'easy' swing with hybrid through Driver though, ono of which I often use into the wind.

Thanks though Bob. Maybe I should practice the 'down the shaft' more. It's supposedly useful for adjusting 'standard' distances for wedges by a few yards too.
 
You've got 130yds to the pin with no hazards in the way and it's straight into the wind.
Do you just hit your 9 iron harder?
There is another way.
If you can play the basic low pitch shot, you can play this shot.

Rather than hitting your 9 harder, switch to a 7.
Hold the club half way down the grip, swing half way back, punch down on the ball and swing half way through (9-3 for those familiar with the clockface swing)
Do not hit this shot hard, it will just go higher.
If it's a strong wind, you may need to go to a 6.

Basically, all this does is keep the ball low into the wind.
You may need to experiment a little by practicing this shot but a general rule of thumb is.....

Go up 2 clubs, hold the grip half way down and use a smooth half swing.
This works particularly well with hybrids
HTH

How much wind are you talking?

played the last few days in very strong winds and had to hit a 5 iron today to a 125 yard pin!
 
You've got 130yds to the pin with no hazards in the way and it's straight into the wind.
Do you just hit your 9 iron harder?
There is another way.
If you can play the basic low pitch shot, you can play this shot.

Rather than hitting your 9 harder, switch to a 7.
Hold the club half way down the grip, swing half way back, punch down on the ball and swing half way through (9-3 for those familiar with the clockface swing)
Do not hit this shot hard, it will just go higher.
If it's a strong wind, you may need to go to a 6.

Basically, all this does is keep the ball low into the wind.
You may need to experiment a little by practicing this shot but a general rule of thumb is.....

Go up 2 clubs, hold the grip half way down and use a smooth half swing.
This works particularly well with hybrids
HTH

Good advice bob, but a mistake you see been made all the time is the player still not taking enough club. A two club wind as you use as your example is not more than a light breeze for a lot of us links men.

My advice is as described by bob and then an extra club or even 2 clubs. Very rare you are too long.

Love the 100 yard 5 iron shot!
 
I think the biggest you always see is people trying to hit it harder into the wind. But the harder you hit it, the more backspin you create making the ball balloon into the sky. Like you said bob, take a couple of more clubs and hit it easier.

But as always bob that is a great bit of advice.
 
This is the shot that I try to do but always end up cutting right across and end up with strong fade come slice. Also what should ball position be
 
This is the shot that I try to do but always end up cutting right across and end up with strong fade come slice. Also what should ball position be

You might be trying too hard with your lower half.
Think of it more of an arms and shoulders shot and keep the lower half quiet.
Ball position centre
 
You might be trying too hard with your lower half.
Think of it more of an arms and shoulders shot and keep the lower half quiet.
Ball position centre

Cheers Bob. Would that be the reason I have the same problem with 30 to 40 shots into greens when trying the same sort of shot in same conditiond
 
Could well be but cant be certain without seeing you swing.
Do your full shots fade/slice ?

They can do but really working on trying to move the ball both ways but whenever I ease back on a shot ie the senario you set then 99% of time it's a fade come slice
 
Rather than trying to move the ball both ways I would work on your swing path which I imagine is out to in.
The video below will help with the out to in path on the short and full shots.

Dont hit the headcovers


[video=youtube;KsrovFJ3o9I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsrovFJ3o9I&list=PL7Uf2W3sfvqYBJ3OUldKvQT7ZWYEmPOyW&index=33[/video]
 
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