Hitting Into The Wind

Video Transcript

Here’s a tip on how to play some shots into the wind. We get a lot of it here in Texas so you have to know how to hit the golf ball low. First thing you have to understand is what makes the ball go in the air? clubhead speed and loft. The more clubhead speed you have, the more you’re going to send the ball in the air. The more loft you have, the more you’re going to send the ball in the air. So, you reduce your clubhead speed a little bit, which means, instead of hitting a 5-iron, you might take out a 4-iron and hit it easy. Instead of taking out a 6-iron you might take out a 5-iron and hit a little easier. Choke down on the club just a little bit, that shortens your swing, which lowers your clubhead speed and knockdown the ball down just a little bit. When you swing take more of a three-quarter motion, back and especially through. And that once again will lower your speed and knockdown the shot. A little softer swing, a little slower swing, you’re going to hit a lower shot. But also make a little adjustment in your set-up. You can put the golf ball just a little bit further back in your stance. Not much, but if the wind’s really blowing and you’ve got to keep it way down you can go ahead and adjust it even further back. Just a slight adjustment is all I recommend. What you really want to try to do is concentrate on having a lower finish through the shot. So the back of your left hand is turning down, it faces more towards the ground and that delofts the club. The more you hit with the back of your left hand pointing up, the more you send the ball up into the air. Your left wrist is collapsing; you’re adding loft to the club. The more you hit with the back of your left hand turning down the lower the shot. So shorter swing, choke down a little, it’s a three-quarter swing at most and turn the left hand down. That’s how you play a shot under the Texas wind.

Hank Haney
Hank Haney Golf Ranch
2791 S. Stemmons Freeway
Lewisville, TX 75067
Tel: 972-315-5300

Hank Haney is the instructor to PGA Tour Pros Tiger Woods and Mark O'Meara. He is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #4 instructor in the world.

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