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What is the best way to compensate for a crosswind?

rollin

rollin

"Just playin golf pally"
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My other poll thread which had me thinking about wind caused me to think of this as well.
Hers is what I mean. There are two ways to compensate for heavy cross wind as I see it. I don't know if either may be wrong or if there would be a wrong. Lets say you got a 7iron (or whatever) approach and the wind is heavy across. Do you play upstream and allow the wind to carry it back. Or do you play to turn the ball into the wind and therefore keeping sort of a false straight shot.

Of course we may often club down to make up some distance loss and also may club down even further to keep the ball low but the wind (if harsh enough) can still push it a very significant amount.

Would it be correct or not to use the wind vs turning the ball against it?

I would most often try to play into (use) the wind and than (hope) have the wind carry it back. Of course the best you can do is guestimate how much to play into it lol. But I also (just depending how I feel about things at the time and in the given scenario) have on rare occasion chosen to try to play a heavy draw or heavy fade against the wind. Not that I am real good at it :) but have had "some" success doing it this way too. I don't know what makes me do this. Its just for some reason on occasion what my brain feels like doing at the time. Would it be wrong to do this? Or is this method as normal for some players as the other way?
 
I'm not a skilled worker of the ball so I throw it up there and let the wind carry it back into play.
 
However I end up playing it, I'm sure it was by accident.
 
I believe the first step with dealing with wind is crisp contact.

In general, most amateurs have no business trying to work the golf ball. I usually just aim for the wind to move the ball for me.
 
DFW thread, white courtesy phone. #TexasApproved, white courtesy phone.

oveur-phone-airplane1.jpg
 
blugold said:
I believe the first step with dealing with wind is crisp contact.

In general, most amateurs have no business trying to work the golf ball. I usually just aim for the wind to move the ball for me.
Click to expand...

This. And if the green permits it, I will flight it down a bit and aim less into the wind
 
i don't have the skill to play a shot on demand. I play my normal shot and usually try to swing easier when there is wind in play to minimize spin and compensate my aim for how my shot is going.
 
Ride the wind for me. I usually can only shape the ball when it has to be to the extreme as sublte ones are near impossible for me. And, as for trajectory, my "low" shots are still too high to be under the wind.
 
Roll with the flow. If you play a draw, hit it a bit farther right if the wind is blowing from the right. If it's coming across from the left, fire it at the pin. You faders are on ya own.
 
I was watching golf channel the other day and Martin Hall said it is always best to spin the ball into the wind as opposed to letting the wind carry the ball back. I think that makes sense. I always trust what I can control
 
I'd let the wind carry it or try to hit a cut/controlled slice into a right-to-left wind. I make no promises on either approach actually working consistently though.
 
A solidly struck ball is not effected by the wind. Side axis spine is what causes bigger misses then normally seen.

Play into the wind if you can work the ball.

Play a low ball
 
brianmk24 said:
DFW thread, white courtesy phone. #TexasApproved, white courtesy phone.

oveur-phone-airplane1.jpg
Click to expand...
#TexasApproved method:

1. Carefully judge the wind, say 16.34mph left-to-right.
2. Set up to compensate, 2.357 degrees left.
3. Slice the heck out of it.
4. Shout "FORE!!!".
5. Play your next shot from the wrong fairway.
 
Typically, I aim a bit against the wind and let the wind carry it back. If I happen to be consistently hitting a good draw that day, I'll take that into account. I rarely attempt to shape my shot shape (and when I do, its more for my own amusement). But if I'm consistently hitting a particular shot shape that day, I take that into account, and continue to just play it.

~Rock
 
Dave Alvarado said:
#TexasApproved method:

1. Carefully judge the wind, say 16.34mph left-to-right.
2. Set up to compensate, 2.357 degrees left.
3. Slice the heck out of it.
4. Shout "FORE!!!".
5. Play your next shot from the wrong fairway.
Click to expand...

Sign me up for #TexasApproved!
 
brianmk24 said:
DFW thread, white courtesy phone. #TexasApproved, white courtesy phone.

oveur-phone-airplane1.jpg
Click to expand...

I don't get this post. What is a DFW thread?
The only thing DFW means that I could think of is Dallas /Ft. Worth airport :)
 
brianmk24 said:
You got it...I'm just picking on the Texans and the abundance of wind on their courses.
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We like to blame it on the bean burritos, but really it's all the hot air.
 
I prefer to shape the ball into the wind. I can't hit the ball strait so I'm always playing a draw or fade anyway. Last weekend we had a 10mph cross wind for most of the course and I played the draws pretty well. Fades were a bit spinny so results weren't as good.

If there is a tree line I can keep it under I prefer to go that route.
 
Elty McMillan said:
I was watching golf channel the other day and Martin Hall said it is always best to spin the ball into the wind as opposed to letting the wind carry the ball back. I think that makes sense. I always trust what I can control
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
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