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driving into the wind


cliche

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as the titel suggests, i just cant.

as a fader of the ball, the shot either ballons or it powerslides into the woods, water or the OB. 

the next club in the is a 5wood and i still got two spots left.

is anyone successful with a 3wood, that he just uses off the tee and its better into the wind than the driver? 

what would be some options? ping lst?

 

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As a natural fader I practice this shot prior to an annual links trip early in the season. At my local range we have a chipping net about 6 feet in diameter set 50 yards from the bays and I try to hit full drives into it. I’ve found trying to control trajectory with my right wrist, addressing the ball slightly out of the toe to promote an inside swing path and standing tall all help. To hit the ball with a solid contact while thinking about all those swing thoughts is not easy so I always end up swinging slower to start with. This takes spin off the ball promoting that lower flight. When I get a consistent contact, I gradually increase swing speed to a point I’m happy with. It’s great fun practicing the drill and deeply satisfying when you hit the net. You automatically get a low, penetrating draw flight that runs forever. 

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I use a 17* hybrid, that I can flight really low with low spin. Fantastic wind club. Driving irons are normally great options here as well. 

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1 minute ago, gwelfgulfer said:

Part of the problem that people have when trying to hit balls into the wind without the technique/ability to do so reliably is over swinging and still generating too much spin.  You can't 'muscle' the ball in the wind and hope to be successful, nature always wins out in the end.

 

Exactly.  Tee it a little lower and swing smooth and a little slower.  But don't move the back way back in stance.  That will cause a descending strike and bump the spin up. 

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When it’s breezy swing easy..... just practice a smooth 3/4 driver shot.  I know.... easier said than done.

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Up until this year I had a Taylormade HL driver I would tee about half as high and move the ball back in my stance. Made a nice piercing low drive. This year I have been experimenting with 2 irons. Just picked up a Taylormade SIM UDI 2 iron with a Hazardous Smoke shaft and so far it has been the ticket.  Last Saturday I hit a drive on a par 4 direct in to the wind. The tee box is probably 60ft above the fairway and I happened to hit it high on the face and the drive went high, above the trees and ballooned, Landing about 200 yards.  Still 260 or so from the green, I hit the Taylormade SIM UDI off the fairway,  low piercing flight that landed about 250 and rolled to the front edge of the green.

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3 hours ago, cliche said:

as the titel suggests, i just cant.

as a fader of the ball, the shot either ballons or it powerslides into the woods, water or the OB. 

the next club in the is a 5wood and i still got two spots left.

is anyone successful with a 3wood, that he just uses off the tee and its better into the wind than the driver? 

what would be some options? ping lst?

 

Don’t fight your natural shot. It’s into the wind, so the ball will go shorter. However, downwind it will go further. Most courses the into and downwind holes cancel each other. Just line up and hit your normal shot. In the words of my favorite movie, “don’t think meat, it will only hurt the team”. 

TaylorMade Sim Max 9* @ 7* Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 5 Reg
Ping G425 3wd @ Flat setting Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 5 Reg 
Ping G425 7wd @ -1 Flat setting Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 6 Reg
Ping G425 22 hybrid @ Flat setting Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 6 reg
PXG Gen 4 0311XP 6-GW Fujikura Axiom 75 R2 

Cleveland CBX Zipcore 50*, 56*, 60* DG Spinner Stiff stepped soft
Evnroll ER7  33” Rosemark grip

 

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3 hours ago, cliche said:

as the titel suggests, i just cant.

as a fader of the ball, the shot either ballons or it powerslides into the woods, water or the OB. 

the next club in the is a 5wood and i still got two spots left.

is anyone successful with a 3wood, that he just uses off the tee and its better into the wind than the driver? 

what would be some options? ping lst?

 

Driving iron or utility iron if you want to keep the ball low... though learning to hit a low driver is also good.

 

woods are going to launch balls higher than a utility iron.

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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A coach of mine told me once he liked hitting into the wind on the driving range bc that would tell us what was really happening with the strike. He's right.

I think there's a complicated spin loft answer that someone more technical than me could attempt. In essence, there's some relationship bt your AoA and anticipated launch that can be optimized. If you match them up and there's less plus or minus difference, you minimize spin significantly.

As for what has worked for me, I had to learn how to hit a draw with driver on command. It's the easiest club to hit a draw with at least for me, bc it being teed up and the face being so large, even someone with my pedestrian golf can figure it out with some practice.

The low draw with a level strike goes right to left for a right hander and rolls out on a windy day. It's about the only help we can get against the wind.

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I've always been a high ball hitter, and with the advent of the tracking info, apparently also a pretty high spin as well.

 

I recently bought a Epic Flash SZ, and a Nemysis shaft, and my normal tee shots seem pretty good (still coping with less clubhead speed now that I'm in my mid 50's).


What I have found to work, finally, into the wind is this approach:

 

-tee the ball maybe a 1/2" lower than my standard driver tee height

-choke down 1/2" to 1"

-play the ball 1" further back

-try to hit it just above the sweet spot, and slightly towards the toe

-put a little more weight on my left side

-don't swing quite so hard as normal

 

I am actually getting really good, though not always, results.  Ball definitely tends to launch lower, has less spin, and goes further than when I try my standard setup but into the wind.  I am seeing at least 10-20 yard improvement over my bombs away approach.

 

 

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9 hours ago, scooterhd2 said:

I use a 17* hybrid, that I can flight really low with low spin. Fantastic wind club. Driving irons are normally great options here as well. 

This.

I have a Rocketballz (original) Tour 3 hybrid, that is 18.5° and really low spin. It knuckles off the tee and is a more forgiving equivalent to a driving iron. I cut it about 1" short when regripping and added some lead tape to get back to my desired SW. Cant hold a green with it to save my life but GREAT off the tee and running on longer par 5s. Have measured up to 40 yards of rollout during summer LOL

 

I am not a natural fader of the ball, but hit the awkward high right from time to time. Not with this baby.

Callaway Rogue ST Max 10.5° @9.5°

Cobra Radspeed Big Tour @ 15.5°

Mizuno ST-Z 230 19°

Srixon ZX Utility MKII 23°

PING i230 5-U, +1/2", 2°up
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L.A.B. Golf DF 2.1

 

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I hate to be a downer but you’re better off spending money on lessons to get your technique right. The club isn’t the problem. You need to tee the ball lower and use a driver or 3w and swing like 30% so it’s low and straight with little curve...

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Mizuno MP-18 4-P Nippon SPB X
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I tee the ball down a bit with my driver, and half top it with a smooth, punchy swing. Swinging too hard will increase backspin, catch the wind wall, knock planets out of orbit, etc. Firm summer turf gives a decent run out.

 

On shorter holes, a smooth 4i draw gets it done. The 4i has hybrid shaft which gives good launch without ballooning the ball as apex.

Edited by ChipNRun

What's In The Bag (As of April 2023, post-MAX change + new putter)

 

Driver:  Tour Edge EXS 10.5° (base loft); weights neutral   ||  FWs:  Calla Rogue 4W + 7W

Hybrid:  Calla Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  Calla Mavrik MAX 5i-PW

Wedges*:  Calla MD3: 48°... MD4: 54°, 58° ||  PutterΨSeeMore FGP + SuperStroke 1.0PT, 33" shaft

Ball: 1. Srixon Q-Star Tour / 2. Calla SuperHot (Orange preferred)  ||  Bag: Sun Mountain Three 5 stand bag

    * MD4 54°/10 S-Grind replaced MD3 54°/12 W-Grind.

     Ψ  Backups:

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When it comes to headwind, it is all about spin. A lower flight is nice as well, but controlling spin is the more important of the two. If your natural shot is a higher spinning fade that just takes off with the wind then you either need to learn to control that to some extent or use a different club altogether. The aforementioned driving irons or low lofted hybrids may be a good bet here. 

I disagree with everyone saying "tee it low" though. All this will do for most people is lower their strike which will decrease ball speed and increase spin, two things that will NOT help you into the wind. The holy grail driver into the wind shot is the one where you can lean it forward and present less loft while striking higher on the face. This creates a flatter, penetrating flight with low spin that will pierce through the wind very well. However, you need to keep the ball fairly straight with that flight, and if that is too difficult then simply raising your strike point to drop spin is a the next best option, or simply using one of alternate clubs above. 

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Much of playing into the wind is just accepting that it is going to be difficult and you are going to lose yardage. At that point you have to just make a controlled swing and accept the results to a certain extent. You can tee it low, and try to hit it low etc but that is really to just try and add control and be in the fairway more than gain yardage. 

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Low take away and not trying to crush it but hitting it solidly. Expectations need to be realistic.

Edited by Jack Pearsall

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Something I've seen caddying oceanside is that most amateurs who fade/slice the ball tend to aim extra left to accommodate the curve. But really, that pre-sets a fade setup when your brain is still looking down the middle. I generally don't like on-course adjustments, but many of our guests aren't used to the environment and just want to find a way. In that scenario I suggest keeping squared up or even setting up a bit closed to encourage straight ball flight or hopefully a bit of a draw. Other than that, I encourage any amateur to try to play their normal shot and accept the effects of the wind. If you didn't show up knowing how to hit a knock-down it isn't going to magically happen on the course. I know you're looking for practice tips so this is a bit less relevant, but the setup cues are worth trying. Best of luck to you.

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I've played a fade for past 20+ years, used to playing in the wind, as learned game in Chicago and now in N. Texas.  Just tee it lower, and hit a sort of 'stinger' with driver.

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Epic Max LS - MMT 60S

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Okies  know ?

 

Best be nice and smooth with proper release

 

HOVER your driver at address, using the lightest grip pressure possible.....solid contact is the most important variable! 

9 Clubs Sunday Bag

 

 

UST Mamiya - Lamkin - RXS 

 

https://forums.golfwrx.com/topic/1840618-witb-731-full-bag/

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I'd work on your technique cause pays dividends big time. 

 

Keep it simple and learn to hit a low one and even straighten it out or put a little draw on it. 

 

Many lower the tee a little which is good but not imperative for me.... more important to move ball back in stance just a smidge and definitely do not swing up on it like I would normally, stay on top of it if that makes sense and there is no way its coming out high.  But work on not playin a big cut cause wind will eat that up... jus sayin

Can't figure how to like my own posts

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It's not an equipment issue.  The balloon or powerslide is going to occur with any of those clubs.  You need to hit a draw into the wind.  It's not your natural shot, but you can learn to do it.  

Hit em good

Driver: Ping G25

4w & 7w: Ping G25

23° Hybrid: Ping G25

5i - pw: Mizuno MP64

54° & 58°: Cleveland RTX 4 raw

Putter: The Wilson 8802 (vintage model)

Ball:  Titleist Pro V1x
Bag: Original Jones Golf Bag (green)

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