Controlling Trajectory - Keeping the Ball Under the Wind
In windy conditions controlling your trajectory is an essential skill necessary to keep your ball in play and scores down. To do this it requires a few key setup adjustments and some club selection alterations.
Keeping the ball low is very helpful when there is a strong wind into your face or coming from either side. The wind will not be quite as strong closer to the ground especially when playing tree lined fairways. Additionally the ball will not be in the air as long on a low shot so the wind has less time to affect the balls flight. To hit a lower shot you need to do the following.
- You need to select more club (a 6 or 7 instead of an 8 for example) and slightly choke down on the grip to gain control.
- The ball should not be forward of the center of your stance. The further you put it back the lower the shot will be. Your hands should stay in their normal position which, with the ball back, will appear and feel like they are ahead of the ball.
- It is important to visualize the shot you want to hit and commit to the shot.
- The swing motion needs to be smaller in every fashion - a smaller backswing - a slightly slower pace to eliminate backspin - a smaller lower follow-through.
Finally you need to realize that in windy conditions getting the ball close to the hole is at best difficult. You cannot control the wind and its gusts but you can attempt to side step the wind by controlling the trajectory of your shots. Practice this if possible before taking it to the course and you will have more success and lower scores.
