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Really high wind golf

RCI

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2008
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Golf is always challenging, but when the wind gets really narly it can get comical. Today I hit a 300 yard 3 wood and and a 190 yard drive -- one with the wind and one into it. I had one downwinder that went about 395 yards so that was fun... but can you imagine an into the wind approach to a par five from 105 yards out, and having to nail a 7 iron to get there? It was a base line 30 mph with gusting well over 35 mph, maybe into the 40's, and the balls would not stay still on the greens. I suspended the rules a bit and pushed my ball down to keep it in place on the greens. Watching down wind putts tapped to go 6 inches actually roll 30 feet or off into the fringe made for an interesting day.

I think this was very close to unplayable but probably a typical Scottish day on the links. I have played in worse, but not on greens as fast as today's comedy. The wind was more dominate than the slopes.
 

zaphod

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Jan 30, 2007
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Yeah, I've played on those type of days. This year had the ball actually oscillating as I addressed the putt. A few years back we played in a 40+ mph wind as a front blew in. I went forward about 60 yards and had my son hit a full pitching wedge into the wind. For him normally about a 130 yard shot. Ball went out maybe 80 yards then came back to him ending up at my feet. I ended up trying to hit a driver into a 160 yard par 3 and was well short. We all had carry bags and had to lean perciptoisly in order to move forward.

Playing windage on a putt is tough. Got to look at the borrow and wind deflection.
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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While we get some wind, there are not a great deal of courses in this area that are not shielded well with trees. So if you keep the ball below the tree line and use alot of bump and runs for inside around 100 yards or so you will not be greatly affected.

Tomorrow is supposed to be about 44 and an 18mph wind. Don't mind playing in cold, wind or rain, but when you mix any of the two it usually becomes miserable. Today is warmer but may be a washout.

Nothing like what KS used to be where it seemed like you had alot of days with 40mph winds. If that happens out here you usually see trees start to go down because they don't have a real deep root structure.
 

Wi-Golfer

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Jul 25, 2007
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As Zaph mentioned, have played many times with winds in the 25-30 mph range. For some strange reason I have gotten used to it & actually enjoy playing in those conditions. Makes playing into the wind on those long par 5's rather tough, but that's when I break out the R7, the pro-launch red keeps it low & outta the wind.
 

Harold

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Sep 15, 2007
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A month or so ago one of the typical fall wind storms blew through the Pacific Northwest. With the front passing I was out playing in 35+ sustained winds with gusts much higher. High enough that at times oscillation was noticeable when teeing and in one case on a green. Tree limbs and tops were broken off and popping could be heard a number of times during the round. It was a 2+ club day when hitting into the wind and I'm a low ball hitter compared to most. It was for a fun round.
 

BigHunk

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Nov 14, 2008
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Sounds alot like here,playing on a course right next to the ocean the wind is definatly a factor.I work alot on my "knock-down/punch"shots which help keep it from ballooning when your into the wind.
 

Scotty01292

Mmmmmmmm..... Cake.......
Oct 16, 2005
804
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Played a medal last year which was soooo windy, that the flags were like almost bent over touching the greens, and found out on the weather forecast that evening that it had been like 50 mph winds and up to 90 mph gusts (My course is right on the sea so we get strong winds all the time)... Won the medal with a nett 75 (6 over handicap) and played absolutely out my skin... Won by 7...
 
OP
R

RCI

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Jul 26, 2008
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My airplane pilot friend confirmed the wind speed that prompted this post to begin the discussion. He said several gusts were recorded at over 45 mph during the time we were playing. I was wonderfing if I was crazy for thinking this was the case. We have several days each year when we get 40+ and even 50+ winds. Golf is not really playable on unprotected fast greens when the wind gets above about 40 mph -- in my opinion.

However, if you accept the conditions and play on... it can be fun just to observe the amazing things that happen (dark humor.) For example, on the day mentioned I hit an approach on the green and was walked up getting ready to mark the ball. Just before I could bend down to mark it, it started rolling towards the hole. Since I did nothing to influence this, I got the benefit of winding up several feet closer. I would also have had to accept the reverse if the ball blew off the green before I could mark it (and one did that day.) Once marked and before addressing a putt by soling the putter, I would have to replace the ball. If it moves after addressing, there is a penalty and I must replace it. I mention this last stuff just in case there are newbies to the rules reading this. If you can do it, the best thing to do on super windy days is to hover the putter and never let it touch the green. This can avoid the penalty if it moves. A wiggling ball that does not leave its position is not deemed a moving ball, BTW. (I read all this some place.)

Another rule I learned one day in a state amatuer tourney cost me dearly. I chipped up and was hanging on the lip. I tapped the putt in with my putter while I had the wedge in my other hand -- penalty! Replace and putt while only holding one club. You cannot tap in while holding another club or the flagstick (again for those that did not know.)<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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Another rule I learned one day in a state amatuer tourney cost me dearly. I chipped up and was hanging on the lip. I tapped the putt in with my putter while I had the wedge in my other hand -- penalty! Replace and putt while only holding one club. You cannot tap in while holding another club or the flagstick (again for those that did not know.)<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Your Tourney was wrong and should be ashamed unless you were using it to assist your stroke. You are further allowed to use it as such if it is for a known medical condition, like say helping keep you on your feet as a cane. Although you are not allowed to make a shot with more than one club with the intended purpose of striking the ball with both. Anytime someone tries to penalize you in a tourney for something you are unsure of, ask to see the rule and why they interpret it that way. Or at least get a overwhelming consensus of the other people if you think it might just be you don't know the rule, if it is not overwhelming, go to the rule book. Also doesn't hurt to carry a rule book in your bag.

---------------------


Except as provided in the Rules, during a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment, or use any equipment in an unusual manner:
a. That might assist him in making a stroke or in his play; or
b. For the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play; or
c. That might assist him in gripping the club, except that:
(i) plain gloves may be worn;
(ii) resin, powder and drying or moisturizing agents may be used; and
(iii) a towel or handkerchief may be wrapped around the grip.
and.
17-1/5 Holding Flagstick with One Hand and Putting with Other Hand
blueDot.gif

Q. A player holds the flagstick with one hand and holes a short putt, gripping the putter with his other hand. Is this permissible?
A. Yes, provided the flagstick has been removed from the hole and the ball therefore does not strike it. If the ball were to strike the flagstick, a breach of Rule 17-3a would occur.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I like playing in the wind as long as it's not really cold as well. I love hitting a pure iron shot with 2-3 clubs too much and letting the wind drop it right on the stick. As with any bad golfing weather, I seem to strike the ball better when it's windy out.
 
OP
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RCI

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Jul 26, 2008
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The decision on holding the flag stick must be a new one that I did not know. Certainly it used to be a penalty if you held the flag and tapped a putt at the same time. Years ago when I played competitively this was a very common thing we were all cautioned about. I am pretty sure in my copy of the decisions on the rules of golf that you cannot hold two clubs while tapping in a putt. But I do not have the latest copy on the decisions. The medical exemption for a cane or something is beyond my knowledge. As I recall, the rule you quoted was not the one applied -- there was another place stating only one club. I will try to remember to check up on this one.

At the time when I happen to be holding a club and tapped in, I did inquire and it was verified in the decisions of the rules that only one club could be held while making a shot, and there was nothing about intent at that time (but that was years ago and my memory of the exact wording is long gone.)

Perhaps you may remember an old rule long sense changed... the one about holing out from off the green with the flagstick in the hole. You had to remove the flag without the ball coming out of the cup for it to count. Again, my memory is vague on these older rules so, heck, I could be wrong on that one too. I keep the book about the decisions on the rules of golf by my bedside and read it often drifting off to sleep. There are some really weird rulings but equity is often used as a final reason for a decision. For example, can you remove a pineapple from a sand trap? Well not if pineapple trees are in the area, but otherwise you can -- I guess this could be a problem in Hawaii, huh? I was very happy when we were given the option of holing out a second putt and not having to wait for formal order of play on greens once you had begun putting. In match play, when not on the green, a shot played out of order can be recalled by the opponent but I think the pros have some variant on this rule. At one time, I think it was permissible to elect to play a shot left handed and gain relief from an obstruction... then proceed to play the drop right handed, but this was changed a long time ago, so you cannot do that anymore.
 

Wi-Golfer

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For example, can you remove a pineapple from a sand trap? Well not if pineapple trees are in the area, but otherwise you can -- I guess this could be a problem in Hawaii, huh?

Wasn't aware of pineapple trees, always thought they were a small single fruit plant? Learn something new everyday.:cool:
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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I guess I would have to see specifically what they mentioned, but to my knowledge it would not be a penalty unless you were trying to use the other club to aid you or your grip in some way. So I think one of the examples the USGA gives is that if you took 3 clubs to hit a ball out of the tree, that would be a penalty because use of club to make the shot is in singular tense, or if both where in the hand you made the shot with it could be considered aiding your grip.

I have only been playing for around 6-7 years, so I am not sure of past rules and how they were applied or changed.

To me it was pretty clear that if you did not use the other club in a manner that would assist your stroke, aid you for the shot, or influence your grip, I would be asking for a specific interpretation. If this is a USGA sanctioned event, I would have asked for it writing and further send a copy to the USGA. Sounds to me like they are creating their own BS rules, which if they want to do so is fine, but it should not be considered a USGA sanctioned event.
 
OP
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RCI

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Jul 26, 2008
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Rules are always subject to strange tests.

Here's something I read last night in the decisions. Let's see if any of you can answer this question: Is it ever OK to hit a moving ball (not just a wiggling ball but one moving from one place to another), and if so, when can you do this?

And you are right... I should have used Pine Tree and Pine Cones rather than Pineapples, but the rule would be the same. I changed Pine Tree to Pineapple just before sending because the weird thought of Hawaii jumped into my head. If you have pine trees, you cannot remove pine cones in traps, but you could remove bananas unless someone planted a banana tree near the trap.
 

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