Make Wind Your Friend

If you regularly play golf on Cape Cod, you had better learn how to deal with windy conditions. It is often said that the one thing that creates more issues for a professional golfer than any other weather element is wind, because it’s so difficult to predict how it will affect the flight of the golf ball. But there are a few things you can do to navigate the wind so that it doesn’t ruin your day.

Here are a dozen tips.

1. Maintain Tempo

Avoid trying to overpower the ball. A smooth, controlled swing will produce a more solid strike and less spin, which is crucial in windy conditions.

2. Slow Down

You’ve probably heard the saying, “When it’s breezy, swing easy.” Consider swinging at about 80 percent of your normal speed. A slower swing can help you maintain better control.

3. Consider Wind Direction

You know what to do when the wind is against you or at your back, but what about a crosswind? In that scenario, aim to the side from which the wind is blowing to let the wind bring the ball back to your target. Consider your shot shape (draw or fade) and how the crosswind will affect its movement. A right-to-left wind will push a right-handed golfer’s fade further to the right and a draw less to the left.

4. Adjust Ball Position 

The idea is to keep the ball low when hitting into the wind. Therefore, move the ball back in your stance, which will promote a lower ball flight.

5. Get Wide

A slightly wider stance will lower your center of gravity and help you maintain better balance and control throughout your swing, which is particularly helpful when the wind is gusty. Set up with your legs wider apart than normal, which will give you a more solid foundation and help you maintain balance and control throughout the swing.

6. Go Low

For tee shots when hitting into the wind, minimize the ball’s exposure to the wind by teeing it lower than usual. If the wind is at your back, tee it high and let it fly.

7. Hands First

Lead with your hands. Keeping your hands ahead of the ball at impact will de-loft the club and reduce backspin.

8. Adjust Club Selection

Choose a club with less loft when hitting into the wind, and don’t be afraid to take one of two extra clubs to compensate for the loss in distance. The idea is to keep the ball low and eliminate the feeling that you have to swing mightily to hit the ball far enough.

9. Choke Down

By gripping the club lower on the handle, you will have more feel and better control, helping you hit the ball with the flight pattern and accuracy that you want.

10. Embrace the Punch Shot 

The punch shot is a valuable tool for hitting into strong headwinds. Grip down on the club, play the ball back in your stance, and make a controlled, three-quarter swing with an abbreviated follow-through to produce a low, penetrating trajectory.

11. Chip Instead of Pitch

On windy days, opt for lower-flighted chip shots and bump-and-runs instead of high pitch shots that are more easily affected by the wind.

12. Adjust Putting 

The wind can even affect the roll on the green. Putts into the wind will require more power, while downwind putts need less. Side winds will influence the break. Studies have shown that tailwinds have a greater impact on the stopping position of a putt than headwinds.

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