Australian News Today

Short game guru: This is what you need to know about putting in the wind – Australian Golf Digest

Short game guru: This is what you need to know about putting in the wind – Australian Golf Digest

Playing in the wind can be exhausting. You’re constantly adding the breeze to your yardage calculations and trying to figure out which direction it might be blowing from, and how that could change your ball’s flight. You probably do all of these calculations on full-swing shots, but do you respect it enough when you’re putting? Probably not. You can improve your putting in high winds by following these tips from short-game guru Gareth Raflewski.

First, adjust your stance. Raflewski recommends standing with a slightly wider stance to create more stability. Next, slide your hands down the grip a little. By holding the putter lower, you’ll have more control, Raflewski says. Finally, hold on a little tighter. Again, this will help with control.

Now that you have your setup ready to putt in the wind, Raflewski has some advice on how to handle specific windy situations you’ll find on the golf course:

Putting into the wind

Raflewski says the common mistake here is leaving the putt short.

“Putts into the wind are tricky because we never hit them hard enough,” Raflewski said. The wind will slow the ball down, so add a little to the putt to make sure you get it to the cup.

Downhill putts won’t be as quick when you’re putting into the wind. And that can affect your read.

“Putts downhill will move offline more because they’re traveling at a slower speed,” Raflewski says. So just focus on managing speed.”

MORE: This small detail can decide if you make or miss putts—a top teacher shows why

Gusty Crosswind Putts

If you’re putting at the hole, and the wind is gusting towards your line at a perpendicular angle, the ball can be tossed offline – especially if you don’t hit it hard enough.

“It’s almost impossible to guess the wind or the gusts on crosswind putts so hit them firmer to reduce the variable,” Raflewski says.

More From Golf Digest Golf IQ It’s hurting your handicap and making your putting worse—but most golfers make this mistake anyway Instruction The 20-putt routine that Tiger Woods does ‘incessantly’ before rounds Instruction One of the best putters on tour does this 1 thing every day to get ‘dialed’

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com