Playing into the wind

[Peppas]

I'm sick of struggling when playing holes into the wind. Probably doesn't help that I play at a links course by the sea, and the usual wind results in playing the last 3 holes of each 9 back into the wind. Anyone have any good tips for playing shots into the wind?

[rough_rider]

When i play a hole with wind in my face, i generally go a club lower ie normal clubs 6i go to a 5i and punch down on the bacl, try to keep a lower ball flight while still getting most of my distance.

[Slothman]

Hit it harder

I suffer the same issue. Until I can actually control ball flight I will always struggle as hitting into the wind amplifies my mistakes.

I have a very high natural ball flight as well which kills my distance.

Smoother seems to work best for me at this point.

[rough_rider]

i tend to hit a high ball aswell, tho chopping down a little on the ball seems to keep it low and make it run a fair bit, works well.

[Dangals]

peppas - what tends to work for me is to take at least one more club (depending on the wind speed sometimes even 2-3 clubs more) and whilst gripping down slightly the trick is to take a smoother slightly shorter swing as the smoother swing will put less spin on the ball and combined with the lower loft keep it under the wind as much as possible.

give that a go and see if it works for you.

[Ashes]

Where is Dave1 when you need him...

[Dotty]

I find swinging harder can overcome a headwind, because I will inevitably top the ball, and it will run down the fairway onto the green.

Not recommended, if there is water to carry or bunkers in front of the pin.

[Peppas]

I find swinging harder can overcome a headwind, because I will inevitably top the ball, and it will run down the fairway onto the green.

Not recommended, if there is water to carry or bunkers in front of the pin.

This is before you eat a snickers, I mean have a coke right?

[Peppas]

Where is Dave1 when you need him...

Where is the ask Dave1 thread gone...

[Dotty]

This is before you eat a snickers, I mean have a coke right?

That's why there is a 'Not recommended' clause.

[LeftyHoges]

There's no way to "beat the wind" as such, you just have to make it your friend as much as possible.

As guys have already said, a smoother swing is a good idea as it produces less backspin and therefore your shot won't "balloon" as much.

Chopping down on the back of the ball is not necessarily a good idea as that also promotes more backspin. "Sweeping" the ball a little more than you usually do is not a bad plan as it takes some spin off, but the smartest way to play is to take a smoother swing and take a club or two (or three if needed depending on force of wind) more.

[mrbluu]

I'm sick of struggling when playing holes into the wind. Probably doesn't help that I play at a links course by the sea, and the usual wind results in playing the last 3 holes of each 9 back into the wind. Anyone have any good tips for playing shots into the wind?

Play further inland so there is less wind.....

[Peppas]

OK I will try to be a bit more smooth than usual in my next round into the wind and see how it all goes....

[Peppas]

Play further inland so there is less wind.....

It's pretty breezy everywhere in Wollongong

[mrbluu]

It's pretty breezy everywhere in Wollongong

See that is your problem.....come play cabra more regularly!!

[KristianJ]

Has Grunt migrated to the Illawarra?

[Peppas]

See that is your problem.....come play cabra more regularly!!

Yep, good point. I need to come back there sometime soon!!

[Peppas]

Has Grunt migrated to the Illawarra?

Not that I can tell, the wind is quite fresh still

[mrbluu]

Not that I can tell, the wind is quite fresh still

Its easy to tell, are the plants dying and the bird just dropping dead out of the sky??

[SirTop]

Yep, good point. I need to come back there sometime soon!!

Come play at Kogarah Peppas, it's never windy there!

[SirTop]

Damn it's hard to hit lower shots with less than a full swing, how do you find misshits, more common? Can't seem to time these shits right and can even end up in a shank...

[mrbluu]

Damn it's hard to hit lower shots with less than a full swing, how do you find misshits, more common? Can't seem to time these shits right and can even end up in a shank...

Toppy why dont u come and play cabra too???

[liptout]

Pepps, all the ideas and help from those above are ok, but the real answer to your problem is this:

Find yourself a nice little 2 or 3 iron head, and throw a 9 iron shaft or a wedge shaft in there.... Ain't no way that bad boy is gona go high enough for the wind to bother it, and on a links style course it will unlike a scolded cat.

Simples.

[SirTop]

Toppy why dont u come and play cabra too???

Love to mate, is there a game coming up in particular or just the next open comp?

[Peppas]

Pepps, all the ideas and help from those above are ok, but the real answer to your problem is this:

Find yourself a nice little 2 or 3 iron head, and throw a 9 iron shaft or a wedge shaft in there.... Ain't no way that bad boy is gona go high enough for the wind to bother it, and on a links style course it will unlike a scolded cat.

Simples.

Give me yours I need it more