Tips For Playing Golf in the Wind
With springtime comes greener greens and more sunshine…but also windy conditions that can wreak havoc on your golf game.
On a windy day, it’s hard to control everything from the ball to your swing due to the added elements. However, there are a few tricks to scoring well even when the weather is against you. Check out our tips below to make getting around the gusts look like a breeze!
Swing easy
When the wind is blowing, resist the urge to swing harder. It might seem like the logical thing to do, but in truth it can throw everything off balance. Swinging harder has the potential to make it harder to land a shot since it increases your spin rate. That’s the reason for the saying, “When it’s breezy, swing easy.”
Don’t sacrifice balance to make up for the wind. Instead, swing at 80-85% intensity to give yourself more control over the swing itself.
Limit loft
The longer the ball is in the air, the more likely it is to catch the wind’s wrath — which means you want to prevent loft from happening when you can.
You can do this by moving the ball back and swinging with your weight forward to help your hands stay ahead of the ball when you hit it. This will prevent loft and allow your ball to fly lower. The lower your ball flies, the less time it spends in the air. That means you’re less likely to lose control of where it lands.
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Give your ball room
It’s hard for golfers to allow the ball to have space. Especially when you’re trying to control where it’s going.
But the thing you can’t control is the wind. In these conditions, you’ll want to give the ball more room to move through the air. When thinking through your swing, consider how the wind might move the ball and account for that loss of control.
It’s not easy to do, but if you stop fighting to control it, you’re more likely to be relaxed and land a successful swing.
Focus on solid strikes
When you’re preparing to hit, keep your shots crisp and fast, and your swing easy. You may want to widen your stance a bit to keep yourself stable in the elements.
You’ll be surprised by how much easier it is to navigate the wind when you work with it, not against it.
Evaluate the wind
For professional golfers, the rules of the wind are for every 10mph you need one more club. For example, according to Golf City, if you have 150 yards that would normally take a 7 iron, but have 10 mph winds, you’ll want a 6 iron club. You’ll want to “club up” appropriately to play your best.
Come sharpen your game
Sure, the wind can be frustrating. But it can also be viewed as an opportunity to sharpen your skills (including your mental toughness) in a whole new way. Whether it’s a windy day or there’s not a breeze in sight, we’d love to see you on CA’s golf courses. Check out our website to learn more.
