Does It Ever Suck When the Wind Blows

[Greg Murphy]

Does it ever suck when the wind blows—you can read this as a statement or as a question.

Does it ever suck when the wind blows! I live in a place where the wind blows constantly. The past week we’ve been dealt a steady diet of 30-45kph winds with gusts over 60, i.e., 20-40+mph. I routinely come across posts on this site from players saying how much they love to play in the wind. I’ve begun doing a personal survey, asking everyone I play with whether they like playing in the wind. So far, everyone I’ve asked ranks it just ahead of rolling buck-naked on broken glass. What are they missing? Why is it I can confidently predict I’ll never, ever get a call some mid-afternoon at the office, “Murf, drop everything, it’s absolutely howling outside, see you at the course in half an hour!”

And for those who could pass a lie detector test proving their love of playing in the wind, the question becomes, does it EVER suck when the wind blows? At what point does the love affair end?

[Tom_Doak]

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.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Like Tom at Lubbock and Tasmania, we've seen a number of super-windy days during the construction of Sagebrush that wouldn't make for fun golfing. Last Tuesday, it must have been blowing 90 km/hr.

Wind within reason makes the game more interesting, particularly on a spacious links. I played the Old Course a few years ago when the wind was gusting 50 km/hr. It was a chore going out, but an unforgettable experience nonetheless.

The key on a windy site is to provide adequate room to play, of course, and alternate tees. As long as there's adequate lateral forgiveness, and option to play the course from a reasonable length, even a windy day can be fun (as long as it's not too cold, as Doak says).  

[Doug Sobieski]

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

[Joe Hancock]

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.

CORRECTION: You don't put much backspin on the ball...it can't overcome the incredible hook spin......

Joe

[Darren_Kilfara]

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

[Andy Troeger]

I think you'll find that golfers who play in the wind frequently might like it. Most others hate it, I don't know any non-GCA'er either that likes strong wind.

The wind can be brutal in Albuquerque in the spring. I just don't play those days generally...

Anything over about 20 mph to me becomes more work than fun.

[David Miller]

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.

[Greg Murphy]

Tom & Jeff

At some point, it would seem wind removes all of the options the designer has worked so hard to create and, from a player's point of view, becomes even more of a straight jacket than, for example, narrow playing corridors and an endless succession of forced carries. In high winds there is one choice only: whether it be driver or iron, chip or pitch, the ONLY sensible play is to try to hit it low, under the wind. A one or two club wind at least allows some chance to ride the wind or curve a shot to hold into the wind, but over a two club wind, wouldn't you agree monotony sets in?

[Tyler Kearns]

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

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Noooooooo!  The Ocean Course is the most fun when the wind's howling!

[Dan Herrmann]

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

[Jay Flemma]

Never...unless it's raining too!

Come on wind!  Bring it like Act III of King Lear!

[Steve Kline]

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.

[Buck Wolter]

Playing golf in the wind is a blast but I've heard that the suicide rate is substantially higher in windy places. Not sure if it's true but I can imagine all that white noise driving a person batty.

[cary lichtenstein]

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

[redanman]

Wind

Rain/(snow!)

Cold/Hot temperature

I would not have played the KP in Palm Springs had I gone - 36 holes in 110*? Fergit it.

Played Pine Valley on a sunny day in 28*, on wind, shot 71 or 72 - that was a great day. The towel on the bag froze like a rock (doubt it was 28*!) but it was so good.

I think if the temperature is tolerable, wind is OK and gets to be entertaining if it reaches ridiculous levels.  Mrs. r and I once played Mauna Kea in winds that eventually got to steady 50+ mph with gusts out of this world.  We had bought one of those 2:1 passes for Mauna Kea and Hapuna and were down to our last day to play the Mauna K round.  We played and laughed our asses off. The ball blew off the tee like 5 times.  It was no biggie because it was 82*. We had a blast. 427 yards into the wind Driver 1-iron 3-iron.  hahahaha

Then again Cirba and I went to A.C. this winter on a day it was supposed to get to 48* or so with "some" wind.  It only got to 40*, wind was a steady 30 knots and the humididity was 90%. THAT was marginal at best.

At Pacific Dunes once it was 20-25 knots, raining and 48* - tough.

It's all about the combo.

[Sean Leary]

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.

[C. Squier]

Hate the wind.  Nothing worse than it howling in your ear and you can't even talk to your friends 20 feet away.  Rain, snow.....no problem.  I'm a mudder, I play the best in a driving rain.  But winds blows.  Pun intended.  Though I am getting better at playing in it.

CPS

[astavrides]

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.

[Greg Murphy]

. . . 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...)

I think Darren has made a sensible observation: one of the allures of golf is the feeling, fleeting though it tends to be, that you have some control over what you're doing, and engaging the golf course in those moments is tough to beat.

One undeniably good thing about wind is that courses tend to be empty when it howls. I easily played eighteen with my son today in 2:45  

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

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.

[Sean Leary]

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.

Weatherpussy once again. Do you not play in the fog at Olympic?  Can you play golf in the Superdome? Perfect for you.  

[Mark Pearce]

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.

[Greg Murphy]

So does it boil down to being either a windwarrior or weatherpussy, with the dividing line somewhere above a 2 club wind? You warriors out there, Shivas, Tiger, et al, could any of you actually articulate (like Darren did about the depth of engagement with a course he experiences in relatively still conditions) what it is about playing in 3 and 4 club winds that makes it interesting and fun rather than a monotonous chore as so many others seem to view it? What are the weatherpussies missing—besides cajones?

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