Wind

[Mark Chaplin]

Definate ly the windiest day for a while, lots of bridges closed, trees down, etc all over the UK.

[John Chilver-Stainer]

Here's the latest wind situation. Remember that 50 knots is 1.85x50=92.5 mph

The black areas are over 100 mph.

Only wooly hats today!!!

[Mitch Hantman]

Simon,

Did you play the round in question at North Berwick this past September 13th?  If so, I played that day, and it was incredibly strong. 
Hole number 4 played into the wind, 166 yards, normally a 6 iron for me, and my 3 wood, which I hit very well, landed just short of the green.
The wind was the remnants of Hurricane Katia that had drifted over to the UK.

[John Chilver-Stainer]

Mitch,

Monday September 12th I was in Machrihanish with a couple of pals  and we had to abandon any idea of playing golf.
As you mentioned the remnants of Hurricane Katia were battering Scotland.
When I checked the Wind Forecast for that day a huge blackspot was in the Atlantic about 50 miles off the coast.
The winds on the course were estimated at 45 Knots about 83 mph.

It was impossible to play - I went for a walk over the course and chucked a few balls from 40 yards in front of the greens - they trundled along the fairway, on to the green and rolled off into a sheltered depression.

I walked out down wind to look at the course, occasionly being buffeted into an involuntary sprint.

Coming back was a fight. Like walking in water. Progress was slow and I could feel the strain in my leg muscles, the wind burnt my eyes and I was glad it wasn't raining.

The Mull of Kintyre appears to be particularly exposed to the Atlantic storms.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I have played most of my golf in the north west of Ireland (Donegal) where the wind really howls in the winter. I really can't say what's the strongest wind I've played in, as I have no idea how to judge the speed. The 9th hole in Gweedore is about 360 yds and usually plays into the wind. I know that on many occasions, I have hit driver followed by a 3 wood, and have come up well short of the green. The par 3 second is 130 yds, and I'm sure I've hit 3 iron or 1 iron many times.

I think that most golfers in the west of Ireland (and Scotland) look at the forecasts and tend not to play when it's stormy. There's usually rain combined with the wind, so it's no fun at all. I have played many times when the rain was hitting us horizontally and it was a real battle to hold the unmbrella sideways, as we huddled down for a little respite. Horizontal hail stones are sore! It's ok to try it once, but when you've been brought up in that environment, the novelty factor soon wears off.

When the car door is at risk of being blown off, it's best to leave the clubs in the boot.

[Simon Holt]

Simon,

Did you play the round in question at North Berwick this past September 13th?  If so, I played that day, and it was incredibly strong. 
Hole number 4 played into the wind, 166 yards, normally a 6 iron for me, and my 3 wood, which I hit very well, landed just short of the green.
The wind was the remnants of Hurricane Katia that had drifted over to the UK.

Mitch,

Yes, that sounds about right.  I had a pro friend of mine visiting the area for a few days and he had never played so we headed out.  He played Muirfield and Renaissance with me the next day.  We were punching drivers to the back of the 9th green at Renaissance which is about 165 yards!!

Quite interesting actually.  He is a teaching pro and does a little work with Brad Faxon.  When Brad knew he was coming to Scotland he gave him a list of 'must plays' to really experience links golf.  The list was as follows;

North Berwick, Muirfield, Machrihanish, The Old Course, Cruden Bay and Royal Aberdeen.  Who says that tour pros dont ever want to go and play the connoisseur's golf?!

Simon

[Mark Pearce]

Simon,

Brad Faxon gets it.

[Kalen Braley]

Mark P,

I for one am very glad to see you posting on this thread as a voice of reason with actual experience/hard facts in this area.  If I had a dollar for every "fish" story I've heard of people playing in 40+ MPH winds I'd be half way to retirement. 

My windiest round ever played was at Pacific Grove in Monterey, CA.  While playing we were convinced it must have easily been 30+ MPH sustained winds with gusts approaching 40 as the entire back 9, which is played in the exposed dunes, was just a comedy of crazy shot after crazy shot.  We had tee balls going backwards, balls jiggling on greens, hitting full 8 irons 75 yards... the whole works.

I recall looking up what the actual reported conditions were a week later.  It said it was 15-20 MPH sustained with gusts in the 25 to 28 MPH ranged.  A far cry from what we figured it must have been.

[Mike Hogan]

I had my windiest round ever in Bandon last week and Loved every minute of it. I was playiing Pac Dunes and the wind was blowing from the SSE and were a steady 30-35 mph gusting to 50-55. When the wind gusted it was almost unplayable.

The worst conditions were on 4 and 14 both playing into the wind. 4 played like a 1000 yds. I hit Driver, 3wood, 3wood, 5 Iron and putted from there. I wasn't keeping score, I think I had a 7, maybe 8.

Hole 14


This hole was butal into this particular wind. It played 128 Yrds. I hit driver aiming out over the 13th fairway. I hit what I thought was a good shot and wathced my ball get taken for a ride and I was 20 Yrds short. The wind blew my ball 100 yrds left across the green and left down into a low area just left of the green. I attempted to chip up, when the ball got hit by the wind my ball was blown backwards,  I Swear it. I putted over the green next and down into the ugliest bunker ever. I finally got onto the green and was putting down wind, putted off the green, the wind blew it right off the green. I chuckeled, cursed Doak and off I went.

[Kalen Braley]

Mike,


Its crazy how varied that hole can play.  I played it with a summer wind at about the same yardage.  Hit a baby sand wedge that landed 10 yards short of the green and ran to a back hole location about 10 feet away,  where I made my only birdie of the day.

P.S.  Also agreed on that bunker short right of the green.  One of the nastiest devils I've ever seen.

[Jason Topp]

   
5   17-21   Fresh Breeze   Moderate waves 4-8 ft taking longer form, many whitecaps, some spray   Small trees in leaf begin to sway   

This is helpful to me.  When I was at Lahinch for 3 days the forecast called for a fresh breeze each day.  I pictured a gentle zepher but found the conditions extremely difficult.