Wind: A golf course's defense against low scores

[Jerry Kluger]

I was fortunate to be able to attend the Masters yesterday and the wind was blowing around 25 MPH and it certainly made the course challenging to the best players in the world.  We sat in 2 locations and saw how the wind could affect the best players psychologically and physically.  Sitting in the grandstand behind #12 we could see the approach shots into 11 where the pin was in the front right.  The wind was blowing from right to left and against and more than half the field left their approach shot to the right and away from the water.  Their next shot either came up short or wound up 20 feet past the hole.  I sat next to the scorers and out of more than 50 players there was one birdie.


On 12 the flagstick on 11 was blowing right to left but the flag on 12 green was blowing in the opposite direction. I would say that perhaps one third of the players hit the green.  There were some in the water and some way up the hill.  In fact one player had to take an unplayable and wound up going back to the tee box to play his next shot.


We also sat on the left side of 16 so we could see them hitting into 15 which was playing into the wind.  The only player I saw go at the green in 2 and hit it was Lee Westwood.  Sergio Garcia hit it right of the green in 2 but did not get up and down.  The rest of the players who I saw had wedges into the green and most did pretty well but there were a number in the water.  Despite the wind they played 16 very well as the pin was around the middle of the green on the left side.  Nearly everyone hit the green or just off but the putting was extremely difficult with perhaps 20 percent of those hitting the green making birdie.

[Thomas Dai]

Wind, I for one enjoy playing more when there's wind about.
Playing implications.
Wind and terrain and there use in architecture and construction.
Doesn't have to be a 'big' wind either. Subtle winds, eddy's, currents, swirles, effects of slopes etc.
How wind speed and direction varies with height, temperature etc.

The effect on the landscape... firming things up, drying things out, crustiness, swaying longer grass and branches. Wind blown sand.
15th club, course management and expectations.
Warm winds, cold winds.
Green speeds and height of cut.
Balls types that spin, ball types that keep low or rise high.
Fairway metals vrs hybrids vrs long irons.
Shotmaking...draws and fades, knock downs and trajectory control
Elevation change.
Clubbing and distance.
"Swing easy when it's breezie".
Hidden areas - calm teeing areas, windy fairways, calm greens.....and the opposite. Valley's, ridges etc.
Playing in more clothing layers.
Wind burn on the face.


So many implications.....wind to me enhances the game.....but when it gets too strong and balls are rolling off greens, well that's clubhouse time!



Played golf with an aerodynamacist once, fascinating listening to him explain air flow over the landscape etc.


Atb

[Tim Gallant]

'Hoylake, blown upon by mighty winds, breeder of mighty champions' - Bernard Darwin

It could apply to any course where wind impacts the ground and play in general.