[War Against Severe Weather①] Wind "Utilizing Direction and Strength"

Tailwind and Headwind "Maintain Your Usual Rhythm, Focus on Club Selection", The Secret of Tee Height "Higher with Tailwind, Lower with Headwind"

The stronger the wind, the more important it is to maintain your usual swing rhythm.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Wind, dust storms, heatwaves, fog, and severe cold."

Golf is a sport deeply connected with nature. Korea, in particular, experiences distinct four seasons. Players must overcome various weather conditions such as spring winds and dust storms, summer heatwaves, autumn fog, and winter's severe cold. There is no special know-how. When it rains, you endure it; when the wind blows, you adapt?that is the best approach. Asia Economy Newspaper examined "how to wisely cope with harsh weather" for the new season. The first method is the 'Wisdom of Solomon' in utilizing the wind.

▲ Tailwind and Headwind: "Course strategy changes" = Recently, with the rise of seaside courses, wind control has become very important regardless of the season. The key is to maintain your usual swing rhythm. The stronger the wind, the more psychologically tense you become, causing a stiff address and instinctively trying to hit a powerful shot. First, focus on accurately calculating the wind’s direction and strength to misalign your club selection and target accordingly.

A tailwind is relatively easier to handle. It has the advantage of longer distance. However, when attacking the green, there is more roll, making it difficult to stop the ball. Tailwinds also reduce side spin. From the tee shot, a strategy to leave your preferred distance is necessary. If you are more confident with a 100m wedge shot than a 50m one, choose a 3-wood and rely on the next shot. This is especially effective when there are hazards such as bunkers or water hazards on the route to the green.

For headwinds, select clubs with extra distance and respond flexibly. Imagine being able to use a 6-iron or even a 5- or 4-iron for a 7-iron distance. If you are not comfortable with long irons like 4 or 5 irons, use a utility club or fairway wood with a shorter grip. Keep your shots compact. Since your body will shake and your swing quality will decrease, the short game should be all about rolling the ball. Use a pitching wedge to 'tap' the ball and approach the green to reduce missed shots.

Tiger Woods is blowing grass into the air to gauge the direction and strength of the wind.

▲ The Secret of the Tee: "Adjusting Trajectory" = It is interesting that you can change the ball’s trajectory by adjusting the tee height. The tee, developed by William Lowell, a dentist from New Jersey, USA, is regulated to a maximum of 4 inches but plays a significant role in affecting distance and trajectory. First, raise the tee. With a tailwind, tee the ball higher to increase distance. This creates an upward strike as the swing path passes the lowest point and rises, contacting the ball on the upswing.

Conversely, with a headwind, the tee is relatively lower. During the downswing, the clubface strikes the lower part of the ball, producing a low trajectory flight and reducing roll, thereby improving control. Remember that if the tee height is too high, it causes a high trajectory with a hook; if too low, a low trajectory with a slice occurs. The usual appropriate height is when the ball is halfway up the driver head when placed on the ground.

Tilting the tee in a specific direction also changes the ball flight. Tilting it toward the target produces a low-trajectory fade at the same height, while tilting it the opposite way results in a high-trajectory draw. Lastly, the use of the teeing ground: amateur golfers tend to always tee the ball at the front. Instead, find the flattest spot possible. For a fade shot, tee the ball on the right and aim left; for a draw shot, apply the opposite method.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.