Baku literally translates as windy city, so it’s a good idea to know how best to control your ball flight to beat the breeze when playing Dreamland Golf Club. Most golfers find it difficult to control their ball when playing straight into the teeth of the wind. The shot outcome I often see in this case, is a ball ballooning into the air and falling short of the green.
To combat this and give ourselves a greater chanceof hitting the ball on a lower, more penetrating trajectory, there should be two main objectives:
1) Lower the launch angle.
2) Reduce the spin rate.
The best way to create a lower launch angle is by changing your set-up. Moving the ball position back in the stance will enable you to keep the hands forward of the ball, which will, in turn, help you reduce the dynamic loft at impact. This might feel uncomfortable at first and the temptation might be to try and return the hands to their natural position. To ensure this doesn’t happen, try and keep the weight favouring the lead side. To give yourself the best possible chance of reducing the spin rate, it’s important to reduce the clubhead speed. In addition, depending on the severity of the wind, you can choose a less lofted club.
From here simply swing slower adopting a three quarter length backswing and shortened follow through. To further reinforce this you can grip lower down the handle whilst always reminding yourself of the famous adage, ‘when it’s breezy, swing it easy’. An important note to bear in mind when attempting these punch shots is that the changes discussed can alter the distance the ball travels through the air and how far the ball is likely to run along the ground. Also, by no means is playing into the wind an exact science, so be sure to practice the technique and remain realistic with your expectations.
Applying these changes to your swing to create a more penetrating ball flight is a really valuable skill to possess and one which will definitely give you a greater chance of hitting more greens in windy conditions.
Head over to Dreamland Golf Club in Baku, Azerbaijan for more great tips and to check out their world-class golf course and facilities.
