Golfing in the Wind
Wind sucks. The only thing that can turn a golf round more upside down is snow. Rain is livable. Get an umbrella, some rain gloves, a good rain jacket, and some towels and you are pretty well set. But wind…there is no product on the market to slow the wind down. It is the great equalizer.
Wind can be a tough thing to deal with if you do not have the proper equipment. The first thing you need to have is a proper mindset. Now, this can’t be purchased at a store or even taught, in most cases. This requires practice, more than anything.
I used to go and practice in the wind. I prefer to practice into the wind so that it accentuates the spin that I have put on the ball. This makes it easier to see if I am putting slice or hook spin on the ball. Practicing downwind will make you feel like a stud because you will hit it a ton, but practicing down wind tends to mask any spin you are putting on the ball.
During these sessions, I learned that certain winds demand certain shots. I learned that if I was into the wind I had to add clubs and plan on the ball moving to my default power fade more so than when I am playing on a calm day. I learned that the punch shot is an invaluable option to have in the bag. I learned an awful lot, but what I didn’t learn is how clear a mind it takes to play in the wind.
What wind can teach you is that you have to be mentally prepared to play in the wind. It is a different mind set all together. You have to be prepared for wind. Not prepared to play a punch shot or try to fade a shot into a draw wind to hold the ball online. You have to be prepared for wind in a very specific way.
Your preparation for wind golf starts with knowing that you are going to hit some shots, you would normally see some success with, that are going to have horrible results. I know going in that it is going to take more strategy than talent to make it around the course in the wind. Of course if I hit the ball solid, I should have success, but the wind is going to turn some of my great shots into mediocre shots and some of my bad shots into horrible ones.
I try to steer clear of the big number in the wind. Minimizing the double bogey in a wind storm is almost more important than the number of birdies you make. Birdies, when it is windy, are hard to come by. But double bogeys and the dreaded “others” are lurking on the, formerly, easiest of holes. My strategy is to minimize the mistakes and rely on my short game to save me in some instances.
I don’t try to play over a hazard “hoping” that the wind brings it back or carries the ball enough to clear it. I play to the fat parts of greens and take my chances if I miss a green. I try to miss greens so that I am chipping into the wind and am not short sided. This will allow me to be more aggressive on shots that have less penalty for mistakes.
As for what I do to prepare my body for a windy day, I go with very simple changes. I would prefer to not wear something over my clothing if I can help it. The fact is that a wind shirt will help shed wind and will allow for easy range of motion in your golf swing. I like going with an undershirt a bit better. Something that hugs the body and has long sleeves to keep my arms warm.
If you play in the wind, remember that your mental state is as important as the equipment you carry and you might be able to conquer that breeze better than you did the last time.