This time of year, it seems like every time I play, it’s more windy than summer time. Maybe I just notice it more because it’s a cold Canadian wind, instead of a hot breeze coming up from the south.

The bottom line is, if you have wind in your face on the tee, you need to make some small adjustments.

Ball spin comes into play so much in golf, but it becomes a huge factor when hitting into the wind. The wind will cause the ball to rise higher than it normally would have, causing a serious loss in distance. And that’s if you’re lucky and the wind is only coming straight at you, and not from an angle.

To counter this effect, the best plan is to keep the ball on a lower trajectory with less spin. This will give a more penetrating ball flight that not only increases distance, but also helps with consistency.

On the tee, make the following adjustments for better shots into the wind:

• Tee the ball a bit lower. This will help you strike it a little lower on the club face and help keep it down.
• Position the ball back in your stance some. If you normally drive the ball off your left heel, then move it back and inch or two.
• If the wind is severe, consider widening your stance some. Sometimes the wind will cause a player to sway, leading to inconsistent contact. Widening your base will give you more stability to counter that effect.
• Set your hands a little ahead of where they’d normally be at address. If you would typically set up for a drive with your hands a little behind the ball, then set them a little ahead, either over or slightly in front of the ball. This will take some loft off the club and help hit the shot lower.
• Most importantly, swing a little slower. Most likely, this will help you make more consistent contact, but the main reason is to reduce the amount of spin put on the ball and to give more control and consistency. The harder you swing, the more spin you will impart on the ball.

With these small tweaks, you’ll start hitting the ball longer into the wind and you’ll be more consistent too. Practice these adjustments on the range a few times to get the feel for how the ball reacts. It’s great if you can find a day to hit into the wind on the range, but even if there’s no wind, you’ll still get the feel for setting up with the proper adjustments and you’ll get a taste of what the lower ball flight will be like.

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