Hitting a Driver into the Wind

By March 28, 2018Tips & Tutorials
playing golf in the wind

One of the toughest things about playing golf is the changing weather conditions.  Even during a single round of golf, the weather can change dramatically.  The round could start calmly, with sunshine whereas the back nine holes could be played in wind and rain.

One of the trickiest elements for playing golf is wind and it can cause havoc with your golf ball if you do not know how to adapt.

Perhaps the biggest mistake many beginner golfers make when hitting drives into the wind is to try hitting the ball harder.  As the wind is blowing towards you, it can make you believe the best way to counter it is by hitting the ball harder than normal.

However, trying to hit the ball harder often results in a loss of control and can see the ball sliced, hooked or fly higher and there is nothing good about any of these three outcomes.

The best way to combat the wind off the tee is by hitting the ball lower.  By doing this, the ball will be kept away from where the wind is strongest and allow the ball to travel further.

There are many ways to hit the ball lower but one of the most common is to put the ball back in your stance.  The lower you would like the ball to go, the further back in your stance you can play it but be sensible and do not go back too far.  Instead, try narrowing your stance slightly, as this can also help to keep the ball flight lower.

If you take a full swing on the tee, you will find it very difficult to keep the ball low so another great tip when hitting a driver into the wind is to take a little off your swing.  By taking a shorter back swing, your wrists will not hinge as much and this will prevent you from coming down on the ball as you would when using a full swing.

When attempting to hit a low drive into the wind, try and keep your hands as far ahead of the clubhead for as long as possible.  By doing this, you will take some of the loft off the club, which is exactly what you want in this situation.

Furthermore, by keeping your hands ahead of the clubhead, it will help when trying to shorten your follow through.  However, do not bring the shot to an immediate halt or slow down the swing, instead allow yourself to complete the swing but keep the follow through as short as possible.