If it's cold enough, being out in the wind is no fun.  We saw a few of those days over the course of construction in Lubbock and in Tasmania.

Ever since I started playing the game I've said that I'd rather play in a 40mph wind than a calm day. I HAVE called people on howling days and said let's go tee it up one step from the back. The best round I've ever played was on a day gusting to 45mph.

I think I've figured out WHY I've always played so well in the wind. When everyone else is complaining, I tend to have an advantage since I enjoy it so much. Plus, I put very little spin on the ball, allowing me to hit shots that aren't effected by the wind that much. I'll rarely have a shot balloon into the wind and fall short. More often than not, I'll hit a bullet that doesn't get held up as much as expected and it will go long.

I've yet to find a day that was TOO windy for me to play. And I'll take a lie detector test on that one  

But I agree with Shivas - If it starts raining, count me out

I played in an open competition at Goswick Golf Club, a lovely links just south of Berwick-upon-Tweed (just over the border into England from Scotland), last Sunday in a consistent 30 mph wind that gusted even more. Playing one par 4 of about 380 yards into the wind, I hit driver-driver and came up 20 yards short, then putted very cleverly to five feet from the hole...and made seven, because the ball wouldn't sit still on the green and I wound up yipping three short putts to either side of the hole.

That is categorically not golf to me. The day before I played at Dunbar in virtually no wind and tremendously enjoyed myself (and scored 22 shots better than I did at Goswick). Mind you, this type of enjoyment is not related to scoring well; it's all about feeling like you have some control over what you're doing, and therefore engaging the golf course on something like equal terms. Personally I've never played a single round of golf in my life where I felt like the game was too easy, and that it was boring making nothing but birdies and pars; golf is difficult enough in still conditions. And what the "nae wind, nae gowf" brigade doesn't get is that a good golf course in good, linksy, Scottish conditions doesn't need wind to make it interesting. In fact, as someone who plays 90% or more of my golf on links courses, I often pine for safe inland courses that are protected from the wind, even if they are of lesser quality. (I'm rather looking forward to my open next weekend at Blairgowrie, where neither course is super-special or anything but where the trees will hopefully minimise the effects of the wind a bit...)

Cheers,
Darren

I don't have great control over my ball flight and worry too much about my score, thus don't particularly enjoy playing in the wind.

I've gotten used to it living in Austin for the last three years, but I'm looking forward to not having to deal with it every time I play in Charlotte.

As others have alluded to, you need adequate width to make playing in howling winds enjoyable. I understand the conditions Greg is accustomed to, living one province away, and can attest that the densely treed, parkland courses are not much fun in really strong winds for medal scores. It is even worse when thick bush threatens every stroke. However, the point is mute when competing in match play, and the presence of the wind does force one to develop some more strokes in their aresenal.

TK

There's a course in Cheticamp, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scota, (Le Portage) where they use a granular pebble-like material in the bunkers due to the wind.  The wind, called the "Suete", is a downsloping wind that reaches up to 200 Km/Hour

Playing in wind is great fun. I love the thought of manufacturing shots. Both times I've played Crail the wind was blowing 20-30 mph. Frankly, that course would be pretty boring to me without the wind. Played TOC the first time with a 30 mph wind in our face and left to right on the way out. It really made that first shot on the way back in tough as my swing had been grooved to pull it into the wind on the way out. But, the most wind I've ever played in was on the Arran course at Turnberry. We got up that morning and turned on the the TV to hear that there was a small boat advisory and wind gusts up to 60 mph. My dad almost didn't play but I talked him into it. I shot  over on the front and held on the back to break 80. The few holes along the top of the cliff around the middle of the round where tons of fun with the wind. The par 4 with the blind hitting a knock down six iron from maybe 100 yards. Nailing a very low drive on the next hole and realizing it went only 180 yards - about 70-80 yards shorter than normal. I think it's great fun.

I love playing in the wind to a point...over 2 to 2.5 clubs it gets out of control

I love playing in the wind to a point...over 2 to 2.5 clubs it gets out of control

Yep. For me it is about when the club gets blown off line during my swing.

Depends on the course too.  I played the Ocean Course in 35 to 40 winds.  No fun, imo.

When I have to post a score, I hate a strong wind because I like to have a low handicap.  I would like to play with no wind whatsoever.  Or I guess I am almost good enough that I can use 1 club or less wind to my advantage many times.  

If it isn't score posting season (i.e. winterish), I'm fine with wind because it gives me more of a challenge to hit different kinds of shots.  

I also have dry eyes which can make a 2 club wind or more quite painful to my eyes.

I wish I didn't have to post every score, but those are the rules in the US if you want to keep a handicap.

I like the wind and love it fresh. However when it gets in the 5 to 6 club range and more then I think it takes away from the game a bit.

I played in an open competition at Goswick Golf Club, a lovely links just south of Berwick-upon-Tweed (just over the border into England from Scotland), last Sunday in a consistent 30 mph wind that gusted even more. Playing one par 4 of about 380 yards into the wind, I hit driver-driver and came up 20 yards short, then putted very cleverly to five feet from the hole...and made seven, because the ball wouldn't sit still on the green and I wound up yipping three short putts to either side of the hole.

That is categorically not golf to me. The day before I played at Dunbar in virtually no wind and tremendously enjoyed myself (and scored 22 shots better than I did at Goswick). Mind you, this type of enjoyment is not related to scoring well; it's all about feeling like you have some control over what you're doing, and therefore engaging the golf course on something like equal terms. Personally I've never played a single round of golf in my life where I felt like the game was too easy, and that it was boring making nothing but birdies and pars; golf is difficult enough in still conditions. And what the "nae wind, nae gowf" brigade doesn't get is that a good golf course in good, linksy, Scottish conditions doesn't need wind to make it interesting. In fact, as someone who plays 90% or more of my golf on links courses, I often pine for safe inland courses that are protected from the wind, even if they are of lesser quality. (I'm rather looking forward to my open next weekend at Blairgowrie, where neither course is super-special or anything but where the trees will hopefully minimise the effects of the wind a bit...)

Cheers,
Darren

Is this the first mention of Goswick on GCA?

Goswick's pretty tight for a links.  It's a bitch in strong wind.  Good course, though, I'm glad you liked it.