How far can you drive INTO wind?

Hey guys, I'm just wondering how far you can drive the ball into the wind. I was at the range yesterday and the wind was moving at around 15-20 km into wind directly into my face. Somehow I was carrying it 250 and it ended up around 260. Its weird though, I could only hit my seven iron 150 into wind. If the wind is around 20 km/h into wind, do you need to club up at least 2 clubs with your irons?

Scholar,

It depends, sometimes you find the driver isnt as badly affected. Yuu must have a pretty low launch angle though. The irons suffer more because of the increased launch angle and the fact that most irons are designed to generate lots of backspin which makes the ball climb especially into the wind.

As for how much you club up into the wind, its very much trial and error. a 20km/h (12.5mph for those of you who dont speak metric) is probably a 2 club wind but you might find it turns a wedge into a 7 iron and a 4 iron into a 2 iron because of the difference in the launch conditions. I find the lower the flight the more control so think about dropping lots of club and hit a part shot. If you are 120 yards or wedge distance from home into such a breeze then consider a 3/4 7 iron played back in the stance instead of dropping to a full 8.

D.

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Thanks for the advice Mizunoman. If I play a 3/4 7 iron from say 120 into the wind will there be enough spin produced to make it take one or two bounces then stop? Cause I know a 3/4 7 back in the stance is gonna be low, but will it just take a big bounce on the green and release?

If you strike with a crisp descending blow you should get the ball to land quite softly but you are always going to have trouble stopping a more punchy shot. Your best bet is to land it short of the flag and let it release up, if you have trouble short of a tight front cut pin then take the medicine and play over it rather than to it. Sometimes in tough conditions on a par 4 you have to accept a 5 to avoid a 6 or worse

You can always stick with more club move the ball forwards and really hammer it into the wind if you want, the ball will go super high and you have to get the right club for the distance but it certainly wont run very far when it lands, its a much harder shot to pull off and the margin of error is tiny compared to a nice low controlled punch, but in a make or break situation it might be the only option.

D.

__________________
Longniddry Golf Club Champ 2005.

In the Taylor Made Bag:

Callaway FT-3 Tour 9.5 Aldila NV 65S

Callaway Steelhead 3 Wood

Callaway Steelhead 5 Wood

Callaway X-16 3-PW

MacGregor Tourney 52 Degree

Cobra Phil Rodgers 59 Degree Rusty

Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Callaway Tour iX

Yeah, those are pretty much the two options into the wind on approaches huh? I like the idea of clubbing up 1, 2 or even 3 to allow for a lower ball flight and more stability in the air. I just hate hitting the ball pure into the wind then see it balloon back at me only to find out that my five iron went about 150 yards. When in reality, you couldve probably hit a 7 iron low punch shot about 150-160. I think Im gonna work on that shot this year more and more.

I pretty much subscribe to the hook into the wind, fade with the wind school of golf. If I have a 150 shot, I hit a 7 iron 150, or hook a 7 iron 165. Into the wind 150 I just hook a 7 iron. If it takes more then that, hard wind, I use my zero iron...whats a zero iron you ask...it's the steering wheel on my cart, I grab it, steer towards the club house, get into my car and go home, because it is just too nasty to play. I figure I'm not a pro, not getting paid to play in this S&%#(t and if I am not having fun, whats the point, might as well go home...lol

People allways just think of the wind, but you also need to account for the atmosphere, dryer conditions will go further over cast etc will be less.
When driving into the wind I hit it lower, so its hard too say how far, but usually only 10mts less, however i get more roll so usually about 230mtrs, where as most of my drives are 230-250mtrs. But i dont mind playing in the wind.. as long as the rest of the comp has the same conditons..lol

First off I want to say that playing golf on a windy day changes the game completely. Every aspect of you game is effected...for the worst. Living in South Florida, we have days that are still and days that have steady winds with strong gusts. It seems that most of the holes faced the wind is coming at you. Lately, I've been playing my 3 wood off the tee because my driver gets me into trouble. I try, (operative word is try) to hit the ball a little lower than on a still day. This allows me to get reasonable distance off the tee so I can hit my long irons from the fairway. When approaching the green, rather than hitting a pitching wedge, I may select a 7 iron and try to run it up to the flag. Whenever I dare to loft it high, the wind plays havoc with distance and I get into trouble so I try to play it a bit safer with a longer club and lower trajectory. I don't play enough to do it any differently. My scores are more erratic on windy days.

Does anyone have a different approach to solving the wind?

When playing into the wind i try and have much lower trajectory and just run it up too the green, even if i feel confident enough that i can play a low punch shot from a pitching wedge distance, ill try it. I usually choose a much lower club than what i usually would and and play short punch strokes, this would obvisouly depend on how much wind there was, and there would need too be at least close too 20knots for me too play like this, anything less and id just club up.