Blown Away

Of the four extreme elements that we golfers have to deal with--rain, cold, heat and wind--the one I will always opt for is wind (so long as it is not combined with the rain or the cold).  Not the kind of winds they've been dealing with this week at Kapalua--that is obviously unplayable--but the kind of wind we get here in Wisconsin for pretty much the entire months of April and May.

Tom Watson is generally considered the greatest wind player of all-time--which explains his incredible record at the Open Championship.  Roger Maltbie told a story this week on Golf Channel of how they played a tournament in Arizona one year back in the 70's where the wind was up around 30 MPH.  Maltbie shot a 92 in that round.  Watson--playing in the group behind the Course Whisperer--shot a 68.  Watson's success came from being one of the most ball-strikers of all time as well--thereby guaranteeing himself a shot that would come out with the kind of spin to either bore through the wind, or to limit the amount of effect the wind would have in knocking it off line.

I'm not a particulary good ball-striker, but I do have a good imagination--and for some reason, I can "visualize" how much curve the wind will produce on a shot.  When I'm getting those shots on the line that I imagine, I can pretty much guide the ball right to where I need to be.  I like to call it "painting pretty pictures in the sky"--as the ball creates these lovely curves and finds a fairway or a green.

In my run to the Match Play Championship in 2009, I had two matches against better seeds on very windy days.  In both cases, these younger players never adjusted to the conditions--playing their regular lines and watching everything end up in the wrong spots--or just trying to overpower the wind.  Meanwhile, I let it ride the wind--aiming way left or right of fairways and greens--and just letting Mother Nature take 'em home.  Preceded of course by the official golfers shout "C'mon wind!!"

I had another good wind day two years ago in the Net Partners Qualifier at Thornberry Creek.  A large section of that course is exposed to the wind--and that is where Greg and I made our hay--relative to the other players in the field.  Just two groups finished below net par--with us leading the way at 4-under. 

But as the Golf Gods giveth, they can certainly taketh away.  As much as I like the tailwind--and I can work with crosswinds--the headwind continues to be my nemesis.  That is what seperates the good wind players from the great wind players.  As a high ball hitter, I'm powerless against the headwind.  And if that clubface doesn't come though squared up to the line I'm trying to play...I've ended up missing some fairways by nearly 100-yards--just watching the ball move farther and farther right.

I'm also a "flop guy" on shots around the greeen.  It's amazing how much effect a stiff wind can have even a little shot like that--usually killing it milliseconds off the clubface.  That's why I placed an emphasis on playing more bump and runs--along with low-flighted approach shots into greens at the end of last year.  Results were mixed, but with another season of work I hope to be better.  Not Tom Watson better--but good enough to get back into single digit handicap range.