====================================================
Newsletter - Issue 21 Date 05/26/07
====================================================


==================================================== 
Golf Tip: Wind Considerations
====================================================

If anyone has a golf question that they would like answered, 
please email your question to: teachingpro@bataviacc.com and 
I'll do my best to answer it in an upcoming newsletter.

This week's tip comes from some research that I did after
leaving a whole bunch of approach shots short this morning while
playing in a healthy wind!

With today's sophisticated trajectory simulation programs, it is 
relatively easy to understand the effect of wind from any direction. 
As rule of thumb, a head wind will hurt you a little more than a 
tail wind will help.

For guidance purposes taking a 250 yard drive as an example; a 2 mph 
tail wind will help you gain about 2 yards whereas the same speed head 
wind will hurt by about 2 ½ yards.

When you increase the wind to 10 mph the tail wind will help increase 
the distance (all else being equal) by about 9 yards but the 10 mph 
headwind will hurt by 13 yards.

The trick for a golfer is first to get a good reading on the wind 
direction and the speed. This is not easy as the surface wind where 
he tosses up some blades of grass is not necessarily the same as the 
wind speed or direction 50 to 100 feet up off the surface that the 
ball sees.

Wind turbulence causing eddies are real and are hard to read or take 
into account when planning for a short iron shot. There might be a head 
wind when you launch the ball but when the ball reaches its peak 3 to 5 
seconds later, it may experience a tailwind condition. 

The real problem is that golfers find it difficult to determine the wind 
speed and direction correctly. It is generally a good idea to keep an eye 
on the treetops while you are playing; only if you are out in the open will 
tossing some grass help give you a general idea of wind direction and speed 
where you are.

Hope this helps,

Tom