Problems hitting into the wind

[thesheriff]

Recently joined a club and now playing a couple of comps a week. The course is exposed and there's usually a brisk wind, either an easterly or westerly. The course layout means most holes will play into or with the wind with only a couple going across it.

What's become apparent is that I really struggle on the holes into the wind. No surprises there, however I've identified it as an area in which need to strategize and limit the damage to lower my scores. A big part of the issue is I hit a high ball and the wind gets underneath it and it falls out the sky plus all mi***** are exaggerated etc. I do club up into the wind and I try to swing it easy but the ball can still balloon with long irons.

I already treat the longer par 4s against the wind as par 5s and I'm not going for hail mary shots.

The other members all seem to hit a really low ball which is ideal for the weather but I haven't got a reliable low shot in my armoury yet as concentrating on general ball striking.

Anyone got any advice on strategies that might work?

 

[patricks148]

Recently joined a club and now playing a couple of comps a week. The course is exposed and there's usually a brisk wind, either an easterly or westerly. The course layout means most holes will play into or with the wind with only a couple going across it.

What's become apparent is that I really struggle on the holes into the wind. No surprises there, however I've identified it as an area in which need to strategize and limit the damage to lower my scores. A big part of the issue is I hit a high ball and the wind gets underneath it and it falls out the sky plus all mi***** are exaggerated etc. I do club up into the wind and I try to swing it easy but the ball can still balloon with long irons.

I already treat the longer par 4s against the wind as par 5s and I'm not going for hail mary shots.

The other members all seem to hit a really low ball which is ideal for the weather but I haven't got a reliable low shot in my armoury yet as concentrating on general ball striking.

Anyone got any advice on strategies that might work?

it won't be the high ball flight in particular it will be the amount of spin on those shots. all the really low guys i play with all have mega high ball flights and they all enjoy hitting into the wind, most unaffected by it.

I play at a links course by the sea and its always windy here,so its something you have to just get used too.

The only low shot i tend to play in 100 yards and in, all the others i just take more club and swing easy...er

maybe worth getting a pro to look at your swing and see where the problem is.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Swing slow and easy which will naturally impart slightly less spin and requires little practice.

If you're feeling brave put the ball back in your stance and learn to trap it by keeping your chest over the ball at impact.

 

[thesheriff]

it won't be the high ball flight in particular it will be the amount of spin on those shots. all the really low guys i play with all have mega high ball flights and they all enjoy hitting into the wind, most unaffected by it.

I play at a links course by the sea and its always windy here,so its something you have to just get used too.

The only low shot i tend to play in 100 yards and in, all the others i just take more club and swing easy...er

maybe worth getting a pro to look at your swing and see where the problem is.

Got a lesson after work and will raise it. I think you're right tho, high fade shot with more back spin is the killer. Finding it hard to draw the ball with a long iron but it's definitely coming.

 

[jhills89]

I have a fade as well and I also struggle in the wind due to the spin on the ball.

I still hit the ball as hight but hit it softer with longer irons and that takes away the spin and gets me the distance

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I've been playing a lot in windy conditions this year, I also used to play on a links course. There is a lot spoken about playing low etc but my own observations, either from my own golf or by watching others, are to just hit the ball normally. If you hit it straight, it will stay straight. It may lose some distance but that is all. If you cut the ball it will be exaggerated, same with a draw although strangely not by as much. If you swing harder you just make a mess of it as your timing goes.

Basically, as someone else has mentioned, hit with your normal swing and aim to hit a straight shot.

 

[bobmac]

If you hit a high fade I'd bet your swing path is out to in with the face open at impact.
To hit it low you will need to fix both.
Good luck

 

[thesheriff]

If you hit a high fade I'd bet your swing path is out to in with the face open at impact.
To hit it low you will need to fix both.
Good luck

You'd be taking the money home with that bet. Very short odds though.

 

[Foxholer]

'When it's breezy, swing easy!'

Into the breeze, spin will kill distance - and fades/slices will be exaggerated. Downwind, an easy swing will go further than in still conditions and should be more controllable too. Significant extra distance is likely to put you into more trouble - long rough as opposed to side of fairway/semi - as the longer you hit it, the straighter you have to be!

 

[Scozzy]

I play links all the time,if you have one (most seem to now!?) use your gps as a guide......it can be useful if you know yardage to back of green and club to at least that if not more then swing normally....in other news it's a good idea to work on short game as you will need it regardless!

 

[Liverbirdie]

You can also practice or learn to play the long low pitch into greens also.

An 80 yard 8 iron, no higher than 5-6 foot can also be a great shot in the armoury. It doesnt always have to be the knock down pitching wedge / 9 iron etc. A low running shot can also be a great weapon, especially if no pot bunkers at the front, or a wide green.

 

[Norrin Radd]

You can also practice or learn to play the long low pitch into greens also.

An 80 yard 8 iron, no higher than 5-6 foot can also be a great shot in the armoury. It doesnt always have to be the knock down pitching wedge / 9 iron etc. A low running shot can also be a great weapon, especially if no pot bunkers at the front, or a wide green.

.
I have been practicing this very shot today at the range ,only one minor difference was that i was aiming for 100yds with the 8 iron..there was quite a stiff breeze blowing from left to right and I was firing in some lovely shots with a touch of fade taking the ball right to the target.
I was also using a six iron to do the same shot but at 130yds.
its always a very handy shot to have in your arsenal to bring out when the wind gets up.

 

[the_coach]

Recently joined a club and now playing a couple of comps a week. The course is exposed and there's usually a brisk wind, either an easterly or westerly. The course layout means most holes will play into or with the wind with only a couple going across it.

What's become apparent is that I really struggle on the holes into the wind. No surprises there, however I've identified it as an area in which need to strategize and limit the damage to lower my scores. A big part of the issue is I hit a high ball and the wind gets underneath it and it falls out the sky plus all mi***** are exaggerated etc. I do club up into the wind and I try to swing it easy but the ball can still balloon with long irons.

I already treat the longer par 4s against the wind as par 5s and I'm not going for hail mary shots.

The other members all seem to hit a really low ball which is ideal for the weather but I haven't got a reliable low shot in my armoury yet as concentrating on general ball striking.

Anyone got any advice on strategies that might work?

hopefully the lessons will help some with general technique advice to produce more shot penetration

hit balls extra high so tend they to fall out of the sky with any extra wind these kinda shot results goes along with weight pressure staying on the trailside with hips still to square-on at strike & a flip release action

simplification - but to generate a more Pro like flight the weight pressure has to be on the lead leg into impact & the lead hip has to clear hands lead clubhead - its the weight leadside with hip clearance that allows hands to lead the clubhead into strike

over high shots then too much loft is being presented at strike which most times means a more flip type release clubhead arriving at ball before the hands

often times the seed for this is set at set-up with grip hold being lead hand weak & maybes too much up in the palm then also the first move away in which hands rolls over opening the face-up early which adds loft

then at the top the lead wrist is in extension (cupped) this maintains that 'loft' on the face & if the lead hand during the downswing doesn't work back to at least a 'flat condition' or to be in flexion (bowed) this removes that 'club face loft'

if the lead wrist stays extended (cupped) then along with weight on trailside you have the flip and the extra loft on the face maintained through the strike - so all that height even though at the same time the leading edge can still be squarish to target so shots can still be pretty straight but just a good ways too high & a whole bunch shots into the greens coming up a good ways short

generally with the extra 1/2/3 club winds it's about obviously much more club than the norm for any set distance & with irons then a 3/4 to 3/4 swing length for 'smooth' control (but also with that weight pressure on the leadside) so not 'hitting' the ball hard at all - soon as you hit hard you create extra spin & up it goes

with driver off of a tee often times the best results will be counterintuitive in that better to keep the tee height high but look to sweep the ball with at least a level AoA or better with a +AoA along with a tad above center strike

teeing a low ball in the wind often the intuitive answer - can work as long as the AoA then isn't a bunch too negative but that not easy to achieve

 

[SugarPenguin]

If you cannot manipulate the flight well try hitting it out the toe (as a quick fix) !

Works for me I must admit even though its probably not a "professional" way of doing it

 

[thesheriff]

hopefully the lessons will help some with general technique advice to produce more shot penetration

hit balls extra high so tend they to fall out of the sky with any extra wind these kinda shot results goes along with weight pressure staying on the trailside with hips still to square-on at strike & a flip release action

simplification - but to generate a more Pro like flight the weight pressure has to be on the lead leg into impact & the lead hip has to clear hands lead clubhead - its the weight leadside with hip clearance that allows hands to lead the clubhead into strike

over high shots then too much loft is being presented at strike which most times means a more flip type release clubhead arriving at ball before the hands

often times the seed for this is set at set-up with grip hold being lead hand weak & maybes too much up in the palm then also the first move away in which hands rolls over opening the face-up early which adds loft

then at the top the lead wrist is in extension (cupped) this maintains that 'loft' on the face & if the lead hand during the downswing doesn't work back to at least a 'flat condition' or to be in flexion (bowed) this removes that 'club face loft'

if the lead wrist stays extended (cupped) then along with weight on trailside you have the flip and the extra loft on the face maintained through the strike - so all that height even though at the same time the leading edge can still be squarish to target so shots can still be pretty straight but just a good ways too high & a whole bunch shots into the greens coming up a good ways short

generally with the extra 1/2/3 club winds it's about obviously much more club than the norm for any set distance & with irons then a 3/4 to 3/4 swing length for 'smooth' control (but also with that weight pressure on the leadside) so not 'hitting' the ball hard at all - soon as you hit hard you create extra spin & up it goes

with driver off of a tee often times the best results will be counterintuitive in that better to keep the tee height high but look to sweep the ball with at least a level AoA or better with a +AoA along with a tad above center strike

teeing a low ball in the wind often the intuitive answer - can work as long as the AoA then isn't a bunch too negative but that not easy to achieve

Cheers Coach. You've picked up on a couple of the key areas we're focussing on during my lessons, which are:

1) Clear the hips early to make room for the hands to release. On my best shots, it feel like the hips bump and the lead leg kicks well before the club release. The strike takes care of itself. Not clearing the hips results in slamming the clubhead into the floor due to lack of room, or compensating movements widening the arc of the swing and resulting in a shank.
2) Roll the wrists early to get the club head square at impact to encourage a draw rather than a fade. Learning to using the wrists as the steering wheel in the swing and realise how important the hands are to deliver the club at the correct angle. My fade shots result from the clubhead releasing too late and after the strike. When I get it right I draw it.

Going to keep working on these 2 aspects to find the piercing ball flight to cope with this wind.

 

[GreggerKBR]

see now that you have the technical issues to work on

I found this useful last weekend playing into a strong wind, but obviously you need the technical capability first

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWs2pW3Dxh4

 

[Beezerk]

I'm awful hitting into/across a wind, I usually hit a fade and when there's a decent left to right wind it often goes berserk. Monday night I hit what I thought was a decent 160 ish yard approach shot into a green, the wind got hold of it a moved it maybe 50 odd yards to the right and into a water hazard. My divots are generally around 11 o clock in relation to target which I guess is the crux of my problem but I just cannot stop doing it.

 

[GreggerKBR]

I'm awful hitting into/across a wind, I usually hit a fade and when there's a decent left to right wind it often goes berserk. Monday night I hit what I thought was a decent 160 ish yard approach shot into a green, the wind got hold of it a moved it maybe 50 odd yards to the right and into a water hazard. My divots are generally around 11 o clock in relation to target which I guess is the crux of my problem but I just cannot stop doing it.

It's taken me a while... but, with a good pro teaching you this is something you can fix...
I used to really suffer.
but now I look forward to it > big change

 

[Beezerk]

It's taken me a while... but, with a good pro teaching you this is something you can fix...
I used to really suffer.
but now I look forward to it > big change

You managed to change your swing path? Lucky bugger, I know I need lessons but I don't want the usual crappy drills which get given out so I'm not sure which Pro would suit me best.

 

[thesheriff]

You managed to change your swing path? Lucky bugger, I know I need lessons but I don't want the usual crappy drills which get given out so I'm not sure which Pro would suit me best.

My pro hasn't mentioned swing path once in lessons, rather focussing on decent set up and how to deliver the clubface to hit it where you want. The rest seems to sort itself out if I get those things right. Very simple ideas, but very effective for my swing and it's bringing improvements in ball striking and shot shape. I don't know if my swing path was already ok or whether the pro has chosen to take a simplified approach but I've been happy to steer clear of the super technical stuff.