 Golfing in the Wind
Weather conditions play an important part in golf, and none more so than wind. While a wet golf course will prevent the ball from rolling as far after being hit, and can make it tough to get the ball in the air to begin with, the wind will have more bearing on the outcome of a round of golf than anything.
Why is this? Well, first the wind will affect the trajectory of the ball, taking it out of its intended course of flight, and dropping it somewhere the golfer did not intend for
it to go.
Now, let us remember the majority of golfers, both men and women, are right handed or play right handed. The wind will be discussed from the right handed person's perspective. But, first, the golfer must be aware of which way the wind is blowing, even if he or she has no idea of how strong it is blowing. Of course, if a gale force wind is blowing on the golf course it really will not matter much how a golfer tries to hit the ball, unless the wind is behind his or her back. In such an event the golfer would want to get the ball higher and let the wind do most of the work, especially on a drive.
OK, so the golfer is in the tee box, the wind is brisk, blowing from right to left. He or she is looking at a par 3 hole about one hundred and fifty yards from the tee box to the hole. The flag is in the middle of the green. What can be expected? If the golfer attempts to hit the ball directly at the flag, he or she will be disappointed to see the ball being blown off to the left of the hole. Depending on the slope of the green, this can result in the ball rolling completely off the green, requiring a chip shot to try and save par. The smart golfer would take the wind into account and plan his or her shot accordingly.
Suppose the golfer is teeing off on a three hundred and eighty seven yard par 4 hole with a stiff wind blowing directly in their face. The smart thing to do would be for the golfer to alter his or her stance to keep the ball down low and out of the wind. By doing this, the golfer can get a decent drive. The golfer must also take the wind into account on the approach shot, again setting up in his or her stance to keep the ball low. And, it would also be a good idea for the golfer to pick a club one bigger than he or she normally would. So, if the golfer would use a seven iron to cover the last one hundred and fifty yards, with a stiff wind in his or her face, he or she should consider using a five or six iron.
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