"Keeping it low into the wind" just got a new meaning

This saterday at my homeclub for the first time ever I officially played with two Tour Pros, Both of them received their cards about two weeks ago.

The wind was howling around 30mph. Into the wind I would normally take one or two clubs more then hit a little softer getting the ball to the hole, Watched these guys hit into the wind every shot was around 4-6 clubs more. Hitting 3-iron into the wind on par3's....really opened my eyes to what lenght these guys would go to keep the ball low. They still played bad considering the wind but so did all of us.

The most interesting thing I found out playing with these guys was one question I asked them:
Are the Pro setup golf courses easier to play then the standard home courses....To which both replied "Yes!,alot more". Mentioning the consistency of the fairways, The true roll on the greens,faster greens being better,and that the mainstream of tournaments are played inland,where the air pressure is lower and the ball travels further not to mention there are far less windy days.

Well just some info I am passing along...

I remember being in Florida in February a few years back. The PGA's Honda Classic was being played a few hours away, and the round got cancelled because of wind (actually tornadic conditions). I believe this was the tourney where Daly got drunk during a weather delay and had a drinking buddy caddie the rest of his round. But I digress.
I played golf that day in absolutely brutal winds. I had always been a proponent of just making regular swings and using more club. In really strong sustained winds, the only option was to keep the ball down. And you'd better hit it solid or it's going nowhere. I remember being to the side of the green when a guy in my group hits about a 75 yard shot into the green. I could actually see the ball going backwards.
I did reach a downwind par 5 in 2 with driver-sandwedge. I also came up short on a 125 yard par 3 with a 3 iron.

That reminds me of a story I read about Norman years ago. He was really young and playing in some tournament in Australia and hit a five iron for his approach into a 50 mph headwind. Norman recalled that he got it a bit high on the clubface and watched as the ball changed direction and soared over his head and landed 50 yards in back of him. So the old maxim pertains about swinging more slowly into the wind. And I would concentrate on trying to hit irons off the first and second grooves with that low swing and a couple of more clubs if the wind is really strong. And keep in mind that whatever club you're hitting a full swing with you have to release the head fully no matter if your swing is a hands or body release. And there's no substitute for hitting the range before you tee off picking a spot to hit where the wind is in your face and you will see what you need to hit 50-75-100 yards. Having to pull 7 or 8 iron for a 100 yard shot takes a few practice balls to ingrain.

The Monaco shafts in my latest S3 pro combo set in the 3-4 iron is for keeping low penetrating ball flight to exact yardages, for that reason. Play what the pros play.

12pierogi wrote:The Monaco shafts in my latest S3 pro combo set in the 3-4 iron is for keeping low penetrating ball flight to exact yardages, for that reason. Play what the pros play.

I am playing x100s 130G taperred shafts....It doesnt keep it low enough....

But I am going to start practising hitting these long irons into short par3s...saw a very interesting movie with tiger where he discusses his swing for keeping the ball low.....I forgot one thing in my round..."dont open up the club in the backswing"

Fluffy wrote:

12pierogi wrote:The Monaco shafts in my latest S3 pro combo set in the 3-4 iron is for keeping low penetrating ball flight to exact yardages, for that reason. Play what the pros play.

I am playing x100s 130G taperred shafts....It doesnt keep it low enough....

But I am going to start practising hitting these long irons into short par3s...saw a very interesting movie with tiger where he discusses his swing for keeping the ball low.....I forgot one thing in my round..."dont open up the club in the backswing"

Keeping it low is a shot I've mastered, as I hit a 6 iron mp-60 to exercise my dog daily.
He can see the low shots, and retrieves my ball.
Choke down, so as to shorten your swing, play the ball off the back foot, keep your weight on the back foot, hands forward to deloft the club, and try not to take a big swing. Low line drives all day. 12s tip of the day

For an amateur golfer, the smart thing to do in windy conditions is to avoid playing. Nothing will destroy your swing faster than playing in the wind. I prefer playing in heavy rain rather than a strong wind.

But, if you must play, like I do when I've got a serious tournament, the best thing you can do is lighten your grip, take two additional clubs and slow down your tempo. Swinging slowly will keep the ball much lower than usual. Plus, let's face it, the average golfer isn't good enough to choke up no a club and hit a stinger through the wind. Most of the time the result is a shank or a shot that balloons even more than usual.

Take a nice easy swing in the wind. No divot, no gripping down on the club and no half swings. Just swing low...sweet chariot...

FamousDavis wrote:For an amateur golfer, the smart thing to do in windy conditions is to avoid playing. Nothing will destroy your swing faster than playing in the wind. I prefer playing in heavy rain rather than a strong wind.

But, if you must play, like I do when I've got a serious tournament, the best thing you can do is lighten your grip, take two additional clubs and slow down your tempo. Swinging slowly will keep the ball much lower than usual. Plus, let's face it, the average golfer isn't good enough to choke up no a club and hit a stinger through the wind. Most of the time the result is a shank or a shot that balloons even more than usual.

Take a nice easy swing in the wind. No divot, no gripping down on the club and no half swings. Just swing low...sweet chariot...

When it's breezy swing easy. But if you need a 200 yard 3 iron stinger, that won't get it.
When you've grown up around the Great Lakes like I have, you learn to hit a low ball on demand.
I'm sure sooner living in Oki figured that out. Amateurs

12pierogi wrote:

FamousDavis wrote:For an amateur golfer, the smart thing to do in windy conditions is to avoid playing. Nothing will destroy your swing faster than playing in the wind. I prefer playing in heavy rain rather than a strong wind.

But, if you must play, like I do when I've got a serious tournament, the best thing you can do is lighten your grip, take two additional clubs and slow down your tempo. Swinging slowly will keep the ball much lower than usual. Plus, let's face it, the average golfer isn't good enough to choke up no a club and hit a stinger through the wind. Most of the time the result is a shank or a shot that balloons even more than usual.

Take a nice easy swing in the wind. No divot, no gripping down on the club and no half swings. Just swing low...sweet chariot...

When it's breezy swing easy. But if you need a 200 yard 3 iron stinger, that won't get it.
When you've grown up around the Great Lakes like I have, you learn to hit a low ball on demand.
I'm sure sooner living in Oki figured that out. Amateurs

You guys clearly didnt read well enough...These guys where taking 5 clubs more then what they needed to..On the one par 3 150Meters,20-30mph wind from the front right I took an 8i of the backfoot and put it just left of the green pin high....These guys where hitting 3-4 iron..... And both of them can hit a 3iron over 200meters easily...

Fluffy wrote:

12pierogi wrote:

FamousDavis wrote:For an amateur golfer, the smart thing to do in windy conditions is to avoid playing. Nothing will destroy your swing faster than playing in the wind. I prefer playing in heavy rain rather than a strong wind.

But, if you must play, like I do when I've got a serious tournament, the best thing you can do is lighten your grip, take two additional clubs and slow down your tempo. Swinging slowly will keep the ball much lower than usual. Plus, let's face it, the average golfer isn't good enough to choke up no a club and hit a stinger through the wind. Most of the time the result is a shank or a shot that balloons even more than usual.

Take a nice easy swing in the wind. No divot, no gripping down on the club and no half swings. Just swing low...sweet chariot...

When it's breezy swing easy. But if you need a 200 yard 3 iron stinger, that won't get it.
When you've grown up around the Great Lakes like I have, you learn to hit a low ball on demand.
I'm sure sooner living in Oki figured that out. Amateurs

You guys clearly didnt read well enough...These guys where taking 5 clubs more then what they needed to..On the one par 3 150Meters,20-30mph wind from the front right I took an 8i of the backfoot and put it just left of the green pin high....These guys where hitting 3-4 iron..... And both of them can hit a 3iron over 200meters easily...

Seems a little excessive to take that much more club fluffer. I see my partners doing the same thing, playing 2-3 extra club, and there always amazed when I hit the same club I usually do, just keep it low, and hit a draw. I think there pissing with you. Probably cause you can it longer then them.

12pierogi wrote:

Fluffy wrote:

12pierogi wrote:

FamousDavis wrote:For an amateur golfer, the smart thing to do in windy conditions is to avoid playing. Nothing will destroy your swing faster than playing in the wind. I prefer playing in heavy rain rather than a strong wind.

But, if you must play, like I do when I've got a serious tournament, the best thing you can do is lighten your grip, take two additional clubs and slow down your tempo. Swinging slowly will keep the ball much lower than usual. Plus, let's face it, the average golfer isn't good enough to choke up no a club and hit a stinger through the wind. Most of the time the result is a shank or a shot that balloons even more than usual.

Take a nice easy swing in the wind. No divot, no gripping down on the club and no half swings. Just swing low...sweet chariot...

When it's breezy swing easy. But if you need a 200 yard 3 iron stinger, that won't get it.
When you've grown up around the Great Lakes like I have, you learn to hit a low ball on demand.
I'm sure sooner living in Oki figured that out. Amateurs

You guys clearly didnt read well enough...These guys where taking 5 clubs more then what they needed to..On the one par 3 150Meters,20-30mph wind from the front right I took an 8i of the backfoot and put it just left of the green pin high....These guys where hitting 3-4 iron..... And both of them can hit a 3iron over 200meters easily...

Seems a little excessive to take that much more club fluffer. I see my partners doing the same thing, playing 2-3 extra club, and there always amazed when I hit the same club I usually do, just keep it low, and hit a draw. I think there pissing with you. Probably cause you can it longer then them.

My assumptions after the round was more when I tried to keep it low ,some of my shots still got taken by the wind, with the 4club more none of their shots got taken by the wind.I think doing that doesnt lean towards any if/else situation...

In a series "tee it up with tiger" he mentioned also hitting various irons the same distance, then each of them high/low etc....

So will be playing around more with my lower clubs in the future....

Just incase you dont know a true 30mph wind is a 190m 9iron for me.....My 1iron with the wind at the back I got to 290meters teeing it up.

One takeaway I got from watching PGA players live is that they hit layups much differently than the average hacker. Everyone I watched layup at the par 5 11th at Muirfield would hit little half swings with longer irons instead of blasting 7 and 8 irons. It makes a lot of sense.

Fluffy wrote:

12pierogi wrote:

Fluffy wrote:

12pierogi wrote:

FamousDavis wrote:For an amateur golfer, the smart thing to do in windy conditions is to avoid playing. Nothing will destroy your swing faster than playing in the wind. I prefer playing in heavy rain rather than a strong wind.

But, if you must play, like I do when I've got a serious tournament, the best thing you can do is lighten your grip, take two additional clubs and slow down your tempo. Swinging slowly will keep the ball much lower than usual. Plus, let's face it, the average golfer isn't good enough to choke up no a club and hit a stinger through the wind. Most of the time the result is a shank or a shot that balloons even more than usual.

Take a nice easy swing in the wind. No divot, no gripping down on the club and no half swings. Just swing low...sweet chariot...

When it's breezy swing easy. But if you need a 200 yard 3 iron stinger, that won't get it.
When you've grown up around the Great Lakes like I have, you learn to hit a low ball on demand.
I'm sure sooner living in Oki figured that out. Amateurs

You guys clearly didnt read well enough...These guys where taking 5 clubs more then what they needed to..On the one par 3 150Meters,20-30mph wind from the front right I took an 8i of the backfoot and put it just left of the green pin high....These guys where hitting 3-4 iron..... And both of them can hit a 3iron over 200meters easily...

Seems a little excessive to take that much more club fluffer. I see my partners doing the same thing, playing 2-3 extra club, and there always amazed when I hit the same club I usually do, just keep it low, and hit a draw. I think there pissing with you. Probably cause you can it longer then them.

My assumptions after the round was more when I tried to keep it low ,some of my shots still got taken by the wind, with the 4club more none of their shots got taken by the wind.I think doing that doesnt lean towards any if/else situation...

In a series "tee it up with tiger" he mentioned also hitting various irons the same distance, then each of them high/low etc....

So will be playing around more with my lower clubs in the future....

Just incase you dont know a true 30mph wind is a 190m 9iron for me.....My 1iron with the wind at the back I got to 290meters teeing it up.

If I could swing that hard, I would look into a TT Monaco in x stiff 135 grams, or the TT dg tour s400 tipped big guy. I can swing a x100

Must mention I have been trying to hit 3-5 clubs more on some shots into the wind, Have practised a few shots and have found some great results.


My scores on Par3's have improved alot,getting alot more makeable birdie putts. Am hitting alot more par3's with ease..been practising with 8iron for 115m into the wind for a front pin, 7 for 115m back pin. This half a swing,just trying to work the ball slightly right to left to make sure it doesnt balloon. Been trying the 5 & 6 iron into greens for front and back pins for 150-155m. Same half a swing with slight low draw....

So basically have 4 new shots in the bag.with some practised consistency.