Playing in the wind
Enjoying a beautiful summer day of golf, everything off the tee in the fairway, on the green in regulation, you wax poetic in your mind as you envision the carding of a score to lower your handicap. Aaaaah. But wait... what's that, groaaan, the wind has picked up! Alas you ignored the advice of your friends, golf channel, or some coach, and never really practiced playing shots affected by wind.
So, what do they do on TV? Throw a few blades of grass up in the air. So you do that and smoke a drive on the exact line you planned, and up up and awaaaaay, curving to the right. You shake your head in exasperation!
Well think logically, the blades you threw up were not at the level of the tree tops, which is where the ball was going to travel for the majority of the time going towards your target. So, look up at the tree tops, this will help you to determine how your ball will be affected.
You always need to take into account that when the wind is at your back it will add distance, playing into the wind will rob you of distance, and of course the side to side wind flow moving the ball off your line, even in putting!
So when you want to keep the ball low take an extra club length, so for example 5 iron instead of 6, move the ball back in your stance, choke down to keep your launch angle down, make a controlled 3/4 swing and make make to adjust your aim to account for the wind.
And of course, to add to your consternation, remember the wind may die down in your back swing! That's why we love this game!!!!