Much is made of how holes will play with the prevailing wind in mind, perhaps none moreso in my travels than the talk of the murderous back nine at Royal Cinque Ports/Deal, but I wonder just how reliable or accurate that is.
I first played Deal in late February this year, and have since managed about 15 games. Only twice has it played into the famed prevailing southerly that is said to make holes 12-18 such a bitch. I thought perhaps it was just a seasonal quirk at first, then later believed perhaps it was just a quirk of the days I played there, so I asked around, and it seems many members regard the prevailing wind as a myth.
In my experience, the most common wind blows into you and from the right at about 30 degrees on the fourth hole. ie. just a little from the north of straight in off the ocean, making 9 and 11 play downwind, 8 and 10 play into the teeth and the rest pretty much accross with a little bit of help or hurt.
But that is just one example. What I'm wondering is how constant or relable a wind needs to be to be considered "prevailing" and have a GCA design holes with it in mind? And how regularly, though evolution of the climate and weather patterns, do they change?
Folklore being what it is, I imagine the legend of the last seven holes at Deal will live on regardless, but does anyone else who has played it enough think it's largely a myth nowadays?