Playing in the wind is hard work. Every shot comes with an added calculation: How is the wind going to affect the flight? Average golfers know to add some club when hitting into the wind, and club down when the wind is helping, but there’s something many miss. Megan Padua, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher who spent years teaching on the windy Hamptons courses, Maidstone Club and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, says that average golfers forget to account for the wind once they get their putters in their hands. And that’s a mistake.
“When hitting a full shot, most golfers automatically factor in the wind, but many forget that it matters on the putting green too,” Padua says. “Wind can completely change the read of your putt.”
When approaching a putt in windy conditions, Padua says to first read the putt like you always would. Then, start paying attention to the wind. Which direction is it blowing? And how hard?
“Now, adjust accordingly,” Padua says. “A crosswind can add or reduce break, while a headwind or tailwind, especially on uphill and downhill putts, can influence how firmly you need to strike the ball.”
Watching the wind affect a ball flying through the air is more obvious than what it can do to your ball on the green, but you need to account for the wind if you want to score your best during a blustery round.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
