PLAYING THE WIND when it’s breezy, swing easy!
One year I was invited to play golf in Ireland with the boys. Ten glorious days of golf, 36 holes on some days. It was early in my golfing career, so I was excited about the opportunity to explore foreign fairways and greens. I was warned to pack accordingly, as the weather would not be ideal; 20-mile-an-hour winds with light mist was in the forecast. So I went to the golf store and bought the best rain gear money could buy, as well as rain gloves and an invert-proof umbrella.
The first day, we played at Lahinch Golf Club in Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland. The weather was fierce: 50-mile-an-hour winds with heavy rain. I couldn’t believe we were actually going to tee it up in these dreadful hurricane-like conditions.
The boys explained that this is why they come to Ireland. Anything else wouldn’t be as fun.My experience on the Emerald Isle
So I went along with it and made some adjustments to my set up and swing tempo, to name a few.
Keep these key points in mind to ensure you play your best the next time you get caught in hurricane-like conditions – retreating to the cozy, dry clubhouse is not an option!
When fairways are soggy due to heavy rainfall, the ball has a tendency to settle down in the grass. As a result, you’ll tend to hit behind the ball or fat. To make matters worse, you’ll feel like you’re hitting out of the rough, and the ball will not have as much roll. SOLUTION:
Select one club more than you normally would and stand a bit taller at address to promote ball-first contact.
Play the ball more back than you normally would to ensure you catch the ball first. For example, rather than left of center for a wood, play the ball more toward the center of your stance.
With a modified ball position, more club, and a taller stance, you should pick the ball off the turf, avoiding the mud-divot factor.