With fall in full bloom, the cool wind has a greater impact on the ball distance than during the summer. If we do not use the proper technique when hitting the ball into the wind, we can lose as much as 50 yards off our drive. That is truly frustration, but can be avoided. There is a saying that when it is breezy, swing easy. This simple statement is a challenge for most amateur golfers. For some reason, the inexperienced player things that hitting the ball harder will have better results into the wind when the opposite is true. There is a simple technique to achieve maximum distance into the wind, but it takes mental discipline to achieve it.
I have practiced many different ways to hit the ball into the wind. Through trial and error, I have settled on a simple technique for hitting the ball into the wind. To save you time (as I wish someone had done for me) I found a perfect video that sums up what I have figured out:
The whole key to hitting the ball into the wind (at least for me) is to swing smoother. I follow the set up routine that Reeve Whitson demonstrates, but it will all be for not if I do not swing a little easier than normal. The important thing to remember about swinging easier is to complete the entire swing. I find that many players (including myself in the past) would only use my arms to accomplish the swing. This, of course, was folly. Swinging easier does take a bit of practice, but the results are worth the effort and time.
Hitting the ball into the wind does take a bit of practice. However, the technique is simple and will produce great results if used properly. It is the technique I use with success and recommend it for you as well.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
This is what is called setting up with intent. One of the better players was telling me tonight about what he’d been working on. Basically the turn. I told him what I’d seen tonight looked good and that I’d been on that same theme for awhile. I mentioned a small movement I make before I start my swing that helps me. He did it and said it feels like it just sets him up on the right path. Basically it’s just a small twist of the hips only moving them a touch open at address while keeping feet and shoulders on path. That tiny twist sets me up to turn and never sway.
So I purposely do that on almost every swing to promote ball first contact and better compression. Twist it open more and open the shoulders a little too maybe and I’m setting up for a draw. Open the hips less and close the shoulders and I’m hitting a low fader. These are things that control whether my swing goes from in to out or over the top. There are things that prepare my body to perform the kind of swing I need while keeping my turn so I can get back to the ball.
This is probably the most important aspect of learning to play this game. Our set up determines our swing. You set up differently to hit a draw or a fade or to hit it high or low in the same way you set up differently to throw a football or a bowling ball or a Frisbee. They all require different motions. And we set our bodies up differently to make those motions correctly. Setting yourself up exactly the same every time will bring you the same results. The same misses. The same good shots. It won’t bring real control over the ball. We have to make tweaks to change the results we get. Some big, some small. And we have to know what we need to do before we get over the ball so we can prepare to deliver the shot we want to make when we set up to the ball. It’s far more than just wind. It’s golf. That same wind shot in the video is going to be a fairway finder when you aren’t bringing your A game or when you just can’t bring yourself to have faith in a bigger swing because of what you see downrange. It’ll become an easy go to shot for short, tight par 4’s where you just don’t need anymore than that to give yourself a wedge or 9 iron in or to get you in position on a dangerous par 5 to layup. That’s the big lesson here I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kevin,
Your points are founded in basic golf for someone who has played for a bit of time. Your description on how to apply our set up to hit the ball with intent is something that I have also worked on for years. It does help when my swing is struggling and also helps with a fall back swing when I need a shot in play. Golf is a game that requires many different approaches and our set up is a fundamental skill that we all need!
Cheers Jim
LikeLike