Have you ever stood on the tee knowing the wind is dead in your face and yet you still hit the highest shot you have all day? The most common fault when playing into the wind is to hit the ball too hard. This makes the ball spin faster and therefore go higher. When playing into the wind we want to keep the ball low, so we must make a few adjustments in the setup and also in the swing motion. The wind's strength will dictate which club you use. Always take at least two more clubs. For example, if faced with 7 iron distance, then take a 5 iron and choke down on the grip. Choking down on the grip will give you more control. Take a little wider stance than normal and play the ball further back in your stance.
Keep your hands slightly forward of the ball, so that the shaft slopes more obviously towards the target. To avoid changing the clubface angle at address, be sure your hands are only slightly forward of the ball. This setup and club choice will give you a good chance of hitting a low shot. However, a swing adjustment is also needed. The first swing change is to shorten your backswing. Make what feels like a three-quarter length backswing. As you accelerate through impact, try to keep your hands ahead of the clubface. Having your hands ahead of the ball at impact will aid in keeping the ball low. Be sure to have a well-balanced finish.
When practicing this shot at the range, hit some full 7 iron shots and then try to hit your 6 and 5 irons the same distance. When driving, tee the ball a touch lower and use the same setup. Remember, do not try to hit the ball too hard. Swinging into the wind can be very difficult and knock you off balance. Swing smoothly, and try to finish balanced.
As published on:
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Labels: Swing Improvement