Note: Port St. Lucie, The PGA Learning Center. We’re beginning our second day under beautiful, sunny skies. Yesterday was clouds all day, a big wind, and cold! But we didn’t sweat the small stuff. I can’t tell you how great these students are. They ask good questions all day and are determined to go to the next level in their game. This afternoon we all play the private course at the PGA Village. Did I mention WIND? I think the following will be a big help.
When I play with any wind above a soft puff, I can never hit a shot without being absolutely certain the direction the wind is blowing. I have to factor the direction and force of the wind into how I am going to play my shot. Wind blowing consistently in one direction is the simplest to judge. It really gets difficult and crazy when it is swirling around changing directions, or gusting and then laying down.
You’ve seen this or done it yourself. The simplest way to determine wind direction is to grab some pieces of grass, throw them up in the air, and watch which way the wind blows them to the ground. If you are set back in a sheltered area, look up and check out the top of the trees, or at a nearby green and look at the flag to see which way it is being blown by the wind. If you are near a lake, the waves can give you a good idea which way the wind is blowing. Out on Tour, the caddies and pros usually check the local weather to find out which direction the wind is predicted to blow. The yardage books they use on Tour have direction compass or an arrow pointing due north so they can get assistance on wind direction.
When I bend over and tee up a ball, grabbing some grass with my right hand before I stand up is a part of my routine. For the rest of my shots, I will throw up grass before I make my club and shot selection because the wind is a major factor in determining the club and the shot I will hit. Many times if the wind is being fickle and elusive, I will throw up grass as many times I need until I am convinced of the direction and can COMMIT to the shot based on the direction and force of the wind at that moment.
PGA Tour players are also very committed to knowing the direction and force of the wind on all shots. If you stand near the tee, you will hear many of the pros ask their caddy for the direction of the wind. The caddy will respond with say, off the right and may point or wave of his hand in the appropriate direction. Sometimes he bends over, grabs some grass, throws it up, watches the flow, and then gives his pro the answer.
The thing that blows my mind, when I watch and see these pro and caddy wind conversations, is how most of the time the caddy never uses throwing up grass, and if he does, the pro doesn’t even watch. Now, what they mostly do is feel it, and look around to assess all the external factors and give his calculation — a little into us and off the right, or off the left and helping a little. The pro says OK and then steps up and swings. My question at this point is, what is a little off the right and how much is it into us? I want to know just about exactly the direction, not an estimate that could be 10 to 20 or more degrees off. I want and need to see the direction the grass is being blown by the wind.
What I really want to know is what is the big deal with not bending over, grabbing some grass and throwing it up to see which way the grass blows. They are all strong and healthy and bending over is no big deal. But, I guess it is a big deal since just about none of the caddies and the pros do it anymore. It is just look around, see, feel and make a calculated judgment. Heck, at my age, I consider it good exercise, as well as getting a good stretch. Of course, it also gives you a good, visual means to see what the wind is doing.
There is one player I see mostly on TV, who bends over, multiple times if needed, to grab some grass to check the wind. He is a pretty good player and is ranked #1 in the world. Tiger pays a lot of attention to the wind when he plays, and throwing up grass and watching where it goes is a critical element to his shot and club selection.
I like the way he thinks and acts on this wind direction thing. A lot like me.
The Surge!
Tell me what you're thinking... and what part of the golf swing, or this great game... you'd like to know more about. If you want your pic to show with your comment, go get a 
Now that you have my shot going straight and high so that I am hitting greens, I am becoming more interested in HOLDING those greens. I know the wind can be a factor. But I have had a lot of shots lately that landed nicely on the green, even took a good ball mark, but kept rolling right on off the back. Any advice?
I purchased your program and am working with it for some time. However, I am short on distance and my goff course pro has watched my swing and tells me that I am hitting at the ball and finishing with a fake followthrough. I have been working for some time to hit throught the ball to a full natural finish but the pro tells me that I am still not finishing correctly (I am still htting at the ball and not through the ball). I wonder if you can give me a hint or drill that I can work on to have a fluid free full natural finish. My swing obviously has cost me distance and I can only carry the ball about 200 yards. I am a supersenior but am in good condition, strong and exercise regularly so that my physical limitations are minimal if any. Would appreciate any help you can provide. Regards,
Moe (mnedil)
Surge
I purchased your DVD’s on the PPGS. You and your son do a great job. It is taking me a while to get accustomed to the new swing but it is coming along.My question is regarding chipping and short pitch shots. Do you use the same concept ( cathers’ mit, up the tree ) but on a smaller scale?
William G Smith
DeWitt, Iowa
In addition to direction, I am also concerned about the force of wind. The approach I take is to measure how far grass thrown carries in the wind. My working assumption is that every three feet (one normal step) is worth a club length. Is there a more precise measurement, that is, each 10mph = ?
Hi Don and Ken:
I am interested in your comments about wind play. Oddly enough some of the best scores of my life have come in significant wind. I have been golfing a long time, and was a caddy as a kid, so wind assessment and the “grass toss” have been part of my game for 50 years. I atrribute some of my better in wind scores to; 1. being able to well judge the impact of side, following and head winds. 2. make sure to check the flag direction as well as grass toss, because sometimes they are different. 3 knowing how to hit both a high shot, for out of wind, and a knock down for cross or head winds. 4 It took me years to recognize (and correct for) that wind affects even short pitch shots.
I find a knock down shot can have me avoid losing much distance or control into the wind and that a high out of wind shot gets me distance I would not normally have. So in some ways a windy day gives me more scoring opportunity. One of the difficulties is that a knock down, the way I play it has me in the “forbidden” area of my backswing with the PPGS. I will be getting a tune-up from Greg Monday or Tuesday, after he gets back to Hilton Head from St. Lucie and asking him if it is possible to play a knock down with the PPGS. Cheers.
As a windsurfer as well as a golfer, the whole topic of wind is very important to me.
My advice for golfers would be simple – know where the wind is coming from above the trees. That’s where the flight of the ball will be affected the most, when it’s up in the air. If the wind is swirling on a golf course, there is no way to predict what wind conditions the ball will encounter as it lands. But, if you know what the overall direction is above the trees, that is all you can really try to take into account when planning your shot.
One more thing – a North wind tends to change direction back and forth more often than a Southwest or South wind. That is my experience from sailing, in any event.
After 35 years in air traffic control, I learned from pilot reports and wind shear reporting equipment that the wind blows from a different azimuth and at a different velocity the higher one gets above the ground. Sometimes the direction may differ by many, many degrees. On the golf course, the swirling/channeling effect of surface wind (caused by treelines, hills, etc.) will present differing wind directions than the wind direction above the hills/trees. My pre-shot routine involves the observation of the movement of the tops of trees (leaves/branches) to get a more accurate idea of wind direction, unless I need to hit a worm burner…then tossing the grass blades works well. I refer to tree tops that are as close as possible to the altitude where the ball will spend the lion’s share of it’s flight time. Another method to get an idea of prevailing wind direction in an area is, if there is an airport nearby, to observe aircraft on final approach to land at nearby airports. Aircraft land into the wind, so this will give you a good idea of the general wind direction at that time. Hope this helps
Today’s article on wind and all of the contributions have been an eye opener for me. Being rather new to golf, I mainly paid attention to wind in my face and tail winds because of (too much) focus on distance. I just did not consider estimates of how many degrees the ball would move left or right depending on the wind direction and strength. Starting today, I will–can’t wait to get on the course. All of the writings provoked a “Duh, why weren’t you thinking?” response. Thanks, again.
I have been very satisfied with my golf game this year but for my short game. My chips and pitch shots have been squirting off to the left (I’m left-handed). They do not feel like shanks. I’ll be playing well and then I’ll have a hole where I hit 2 or 3 like this in a row. It has been frustrating to hit 2 good shots on a par 5 and then not be able to hit the green from 25 yards out. I have tried making sure I stay down on the shots but then it seems I loose all my touch around the greens. Help!
Thanks,
Bill
Don,
I am very much enjoying your daily articles, just wondering how on earth you can find the time to write these! I do like your humoristic touch in these very instructive do’s and dont’s. Wind; here in the Netherlands we are used to it, being a constant factor in our life, like the sun. Usually the westwind blows from the North Sea on the golfcourses so the players here are very surprised if they can play without wind. Unfortunately no palmtrees here, Don. The greens along the coast are situated on windy dunes. It may sound silly but all the Dutch people are praying every winter for icecold heavy north eastwinds from Russia since that means SKATING on the lakes and canals. That means that the golfclubs will be swapped for skates during that period. A national illness, I admit, but we all love it. Anyway, I have a question. Can you shine your light as to what is the best way to hit the ball first and then the turf in front of the ball? I am having difficulties with fat shots. Do you know good drills for this?
Arthur M.
Don,
Enjoyed your article about playing in the wind…….one of the indicators we use in New England (and particularly at Allendale CC) is the blanket of leaves blowing across the fairways and greens…they usually give a pretty good hint about where the breezes will take the ball………
dear don,
never did receive your dvd’s, but am not too concerned as living down under we are often treated indifferently.and considered by many in the northern hemisphere to be of little consequence. have been more than happy however with your daily correspondence and am getting back into form after a 40 year break. if the old body survives I look like playing better than I ever did. thanks to you.
regards….ron from ozz.
Surge: Like to THANK YOU for the article a week or two ago of The Golf Swing by Ernest Jones
got the book and read it….Teaches alot of what you teach in the PPG system…..To make a long story short…I played last wed. afternoon 47 degrees and wind 15 to 20 mph…Thats a good day here in Erie, PA in November……Keep the ball under control for the most part and was able to take some
money from the guys! Thanks for helping us want a be golfers out!
i now get a100-105 score instead of 120 but iwant the next step. I slice quite abit unless i slow down my take away and downswing but then i lose speed and power. i am 69 , love the game and think i should be in the 80’s help!!!!!!!!!!!
i shoot around a 100 , havw a big slice and want to shoot in the 80’s. i am better if i slow down my backsing and folllow through but lose speed and power help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some of the newer design clubs make tips for playing in the wind different than in past years. I still use blades and purposely hit the ball thin with one more club on par 3s into the wind. It keeps the ball low trajectory and lower spin.
Newer clubs are weighted to get the ball up in the air – usually good, but not into the wind.