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If March comes in like a lion, what kind of animal was January? Santa Ana winds blew through during the middle of the month, knocking over trees, cars and a golf writer or two. I was at Oak Quarry Golf Club in Riverside on a sunny, good-looking day — from inside the car. When I opened the door, it almost blew off. But my friend, Ryan, and I were undeterred, even after we read the note taped to the pro shop counter that read: No Wind Checks. We were paired with two pros — Justin Beasley, an assistant from Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley, and John Gorski, who teaches at Golftec in Irvine. The four of us opted to play from the championship tees, figuring the tournament tees at 7,002 yards would blow us away. Playing with the wind at your back can inflate your ego and driving distance, but turning around and heading the other way can be a deflating experience. That’s why it was fun to play with the pros that day. Watching them smoke drives with the wind and make adjustments when it was in their face was a good learning experience. “That was the craziest wind I’ve ever played in,” said Beasley, who shot an impressive 77. “The ball’s rolling off the green. I mean, it was affecting chip shots.” Gorski, who bettered his buddy by a stroke, agreed. “I’ve never played in anything windier,” he said. “I was almost knocked down.” But Beasley and Gorski managed to stay on their feet by managing their games in adverse conditions. Here’s how: “I definitely take a wider stance with all my clubs,” Gorski said about his setup in windy conditions. “Also, I take at least one extra club when hitting into the wind.” Gorski and Beasley both recommend swinging easy. “Tempo is everything,” Beasley said. “The only thing I try to do when I play in the wind is not take full swings. I hit it with more of a three-quarter swing. That way I can control clubhead speed.” Both players also took ball position into account for the trajectory of their shots. “I might play the ball back a little bit, especially with the driver, but not much,” Beasley said. “Just enough that when I look down I notice the ball is toward the back of my stance.” “I tee my driver down,” Gorski said, “but I don’t necessarily tell a lot of my students to do that. It’s too much to think about.” Great pieces of advice. But the best lesson I learned is not to be afraid of a 50-mph breeze. It’s actually fun, even if you occasionally get blown into the next fairway. After all, when else am I going to get the chance to hit the ball that far? five ways to beat the breeze 1) To maintain balance, take a wider stance with every club. 2) When hitting into the wind, select at least one more club. 3) Swing easy. Tempo is everything. 4) Play the ball a little back in your stance. 5) Tee the ball lower when hitting your driver. |
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