Four Keys to Great Golf in the Wind

• Posted on Grant
• in Course Management, Golf Fundamentals
• on December 11, 2013
• 2 Comments.

Does the wind intimidate you on the golf course? Here in Arizona we don’t get many windy days, but when it blows you want to be prepared. Here are my four keys to playing great golf in the wind:

1. Keep the ball low. This number one key will help you the most. To keep the ball low, you must take a shorter back-swing. Usually you will need to take one more club than usual because the ball will not travel as far with a shorter back-swing.

If you take too long of a back-swing in the wind, your ball will have a lot of spin and will go too high in the air. The higher the ball goes in the air, the more time the wind will have to knock it off line.

Another thing I have learned is to keep the ball low even when hitting with the wind, just the same as I would on a crosswind or downwind shot. If I hit it too high with the wind, the ball will ride the wind and get out of control.

2. Work it into the wind. Most golfers completely understand the importance of setting up left of the target if the wind is blowing to the right. However, few take into account the importance of shaping the golf ball flight against the wind. In the picture below, I am planning to hit a low draw that curves into the wind. Because the ball fights the wind for the first part of its flight, I end up with a relatively straight ball flight.

Low Draw Starting Left of Target

In the picture below, you will see what happens when I try to hit a high fade that curves with the wind.

High Fade Starting Left of Target

3. Swing smoothly. The feel of strong gusts of wind blowing around you will tempt you to swing harder. But when you swing harder you will lose your balance. Always remember: When it is windy, the key to solid contact is to keep your balance all the way to the finish of your swing.

4. Don’t worry about wind while you swing. If you are anxious during your swing, you will look up too soon to see where the ball is going. Looking up too soon is when your worst mistakes will happen.

In the past, a windy day would put a lot of pressure on me to hit perfect shots. I would end up trying to guide the ball to my target instead of swinging freely. Now days, when swinging in a strong wind, I’m extra sure to not care where the ball could end up. Instead I just focus on executing the swing that I planned during my pre-shot routine.

Bottom Line: Take the wind into account in the planning stage of your routine and then commit to your plan. When you are finished with your shot, make sure to evaluate your plan and your commitment level to the plan (Mental Routine). Read more about the mental routine here.

Next time you are out on a windy day, just remember these four keys. You will be amazed at your results!

GB