Prevailing wind

[Tommy Williamsen]

I played a course on the east coast on Ireland last fall. The wind came out of the south east. There are four holes along the Irish Sea that run south to north. They were pretty long and downwind two of them were difficult to hold on a fly so a low running shot was the best play. When I got back to the golf shop I asked the young pro if that was the prevailing wind. He said, "Today it is."
So what constitutes a prevailing wind? If it goes in the same direction 60% of the time? 70%? 40%? How often does the prevailing wind blow the same direction? Is there such a thing as a prevailing wind along the coast or inland?

[Jeff_Brauer]

It varies by locale and season.  For example, in the Midwest, its SW in summer and NW in Winter, but you can get winds from the NE in spring, usually to cold to still play.  In Chicago, my old weather almanac doesn't list a prevailing wind direction, but most maximum gusts seem to come from somewhere west, with the exception of Feb.


Here in DFW, it lists prevailing winds as from the south all 12 months (I would have guessed it from the north in winter, and those blue northers do happen in the winter months, but I guess not as often as we remember dropping 30 deg. in an hour.


Some pros think we should design for the prevailing wind, always.  Between fitting the land and variable breezes/winds, I try, but if I get 2/3 accommodating the prevailing wind, I rationalize that the others play better in "off" winds. 


As to length and prevailing wind, some architects try to put long holes downwind and shorter ones in head winds.  Makes sense until you realize every hole plays with similar clubs!  Others try to accentuate the difference by putting short ones down wind to be really short, and long ones into the wind to play really long.  One pro suggested a long 4 par into the wind with a short par 5 coming back parallel, so the "real" par five was the four, and vice versa to give golfers something to think about.


Again, weather Almanacs (I have a tattered book, but I suppose they are on line now) will tell you.

[Jason Topp]

In the US - this is a good reference:


https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/climate/windrose.html

[Tommy Williamsen]

If I remember correctly, Pete Dye designed the Ocean Course with the longest holes playing into the prevailing wind.

[Thomas Dai]

For GB&I and other parts of Europe it’s all about the Gulf Stream coming across the Atlantic, fortunately too, or else it would be damn cold with all the implications that would bring.
Atb

[Tommy Williamsen]

How often does the wind have to blow in the same direction for it to be prevailing?

[Sven Nilsen]

How often does the wind have to blow have to blow in the same direction for it to be prevailing?

Did the wind blow that sentence.


The answer is more often than any other direction.

[Steve Lang]

when you look at wind roses, typically based on 5+years, if not decades, of hourly national weather service data, it's often obvious, i don't think there is a hard % of time, and sometimes its interpolated within a quadrant or 4 of 16 cardinal wind directions



If in doubt, or wondering about impacts on gca, take an aerial view of the local airport runways' orientation... they're based on prevailing winds per FAA guidance

[Pete_Pittock]

Bandon has two prevailing winds - from the NW in summer and from the S in winter. For my game I preferred Pacific Dunes in the winter, excepting the tasks at 14,15,18.

[Tom_Doak]

Bandon has two prevailing winds - from the NW in summer and from the S in winter. For my game I preferred Pacific Dunes in the winter, excepting the tasks at 14,15,18.

So does Crystal Downs.
So does Murifield.
So does Barnbougle Dunes.
So does The Rawls Course.


And on all of them the second most common wind is pretty much the dead opposite of the most common one.  So, it's often foolish to try and design holes around the wind in one particular direction, lest the course be completely unplayable when it's blowing the other way.  The better way to look at it is to give an appropriate amount of leeway to play in the wind based on the strength of the wind in the area, more than the direction of it.  The stronger the winds, the wider your fairways, and the less you should jam bunkers right up into the front of the greens.

[Jon Wiggett]

Look at the trees in the area and if they are not growing in one obvious direction then there is no noteworthy prevailing wind. Then again, the prevailing wind is not so relevant to golf.

[Niall C]

When Sky Sports took over from the BBC at the last Troon Open they used a graphic that showed wind directions and strengths at various points on the course. What was interesting was that at any point in time the wind direction at the various points was slightly or significantly different, possibly due to topographical factors, and that the wind was continuously changing direction and speed.

It just highlighted to me the futility of trying to design for a prevailing wind on a UK links course as per Tom D's post. It also pulls a rug from under the feet of those who disparage out and back routings because of that.

Niall

[Kevin Stark]

One of the things I loved the most about Old Mac was how the line that one should take on a given hole would vary depending upon the wind direction, the tee placement, the turf firmness, and the hole location. The tee shot on #10 stands out in my mind as particularly interesting when choosing a club and a line of play off the tee. (Even though the green thumped my skull every time I played it.) To me, that variety is a defining characteristic of a great course.

[Sean_A]

When Sky Sports took over from the BBC at the last Troon Open they used a graphic that showed wind directions and strengths at various points on the course. What was interesting was that at any point in time the wind direction at the various points was slightly or significantly different, possibly due to topographical factors, and that the wind was continuously changing direction and speed.

It just highlighted to me the futility of trying to design for a prevailing wind on a UK links course as per Tom D's post. It also pulls a rug from under the feet of those who disparage out and back routings because of that.

Niall

Jeepers, how long are you going to bang a drum which doesn't need banging?  If I recall, folks said, repeatedly, that wind is far more varied on a design such as Muirfield rather than one such as TOC.  You can wax poetically about the 2% wind shift between TOC 2 & 3, but it ain't really gonna make much difference now is it?  Out n' backs are largely necessary designs, not by choice...and understandably so.

My experience of the last 25 years in the UK is the prevailing winds are becoming less so.  Any wind at any time of year no longer surprised me. 

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Wind is often experienced within Clubhouse bars and at golf club meetings.

Atb

[Niall C]

Sean


I'm delighted you have become educated as to the ways of the wind. Well done grasshopper. How long will I keep banging on about it ? For as long as numpty raters mark down courses because they have a series of holes that going the same general direction. You get plenty of variation in wind direction/speeds on out and back designs to negate the need to keep turning back on yourself.


Yes, out and back designs are largely due to the land given but the same can largely be said about Muirfields circular routing.


To quote Steve Smyers on routing a golf course - "When we first set foot on any property we ask ourselves, where would you want to go ? How would your body naturally move about the property if you weren't even thinking about it, if you were simply reacting to the land saw in front of you ?" Now I don't know about you but I don't check the wind direction every 10 minutes to determine where I go next when out for a wonder. I think I'm more likely to go in the same general direction with a few detours for anything that takes my fancy. But in fairness, that might just be me.


Niall

[Sean_A]

Sean

To quote Steve Smyers on routing a golf course - "When we first set foot on any property we ask ourselves, where would you want to go ? How would your body naturally move about the property if you weren't even thinking about it, if you were simply reacting to the land saw in front of you ?" Now I don't know about you but I don't check the wind direction every 10 minutes to determine where I go next when out for a wonder. I think I'm more likely to go in the same general direction with a few detours for anything that takes my fancy. But in fairness, that might just be me.

Niall

Luckily, an archie then thinks about the all the elements prior to finalizing a routing.  Sometimes, there isn't much choice, but if there is...

Ciao