Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate with your schedule. When you have a free day to go golfing, you have to take what you can get when it comes to the weather. Sometimes you’ll find yourself playing in some pretty fierce winds, and knowing how to compensate for that will make all the difference in your game.
In this episode of 18 Holes, Jimmy Hanlin shows Holly Sonders how to adjust her game when playing in windy conditions.
Two Things to Factor in When Playing in the Wind
There are two things you need to factor in on windy days, according to Jimmy.
This is a balancing act. You don’t want to go too high because the wind will get even more time to mess with your shot. You’ll want to stay as low as possible, minimizing the time the ball is in the air and getting you through the wind, but also still giving your ball the opportunity to get far enough to reach its target.
Watch how much spin you put on the ball. While you might think your best chance on a windy day will be hitting the golf ball with as much force as possible, that will backfire on you because it creates too much backspin. You want smooth, easy movements instead.
Here are Jimmy’s tips for playing well on a windy day.
In the video, Holly demonstrates how the ball should be centered with your stance, right in the middle. While preparing to swing, don’t shift your weight too much to your front side.
You might consider changing up the club you would normally use. For a 145-yard shot, Holly would typically use a 7 iron. Jimmy had her try a 6 iron instead but had her choke down on it about a half an inch.
Lean forward, but avoid putting all your weight on your front foot. Remember, as you swing, you don’t want to put all your might into it. Don’t focus on hitting the ball overly hard. Instead, opt for smooth, controlled movements.
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