playing disc golf in the wind
If you play disc golf, you know that the most frustrating and influential weather problem you’ll face is high winds. Wind can greatly affect your disc golf game, both physically and mentally, but there are things you can do that will lessen the effect and allow you to use it to your advantage. Sometimes special shots are needed to deal with difficult situations.
The first thing you should do is assess the wind conditions at the start of each hole. Look at the direction of the wind in relation to the layout of the hole. The direction of the hole, the elevation of the area and the trees around the hole, these factors will vary the effect of the wind on your shots, so your evaluation will vary on each hole due to the factors mentioned above.
The way to approach a headwind disc golf drive is to use a disc that is too stable and throw it as a flexible shot with a lot of snap. Try to keep the throw low by keeping your throwing shoulder low at the time of the throw.
When throwing approach shots into a headwind, you should keep the puck nose down on the low flight path to maintain the most control. The more snap, the better, as this gives it more spin, which reduces the effect of the wind.
Going against the wind is the hardest thing to overcome. Keep the puck low and the nose down. If you lift it high, it will fly out of the basket.
A tailwind can be used to your advantage. Use a less stable disk. Release the golf disc a little higher and allow air to get under the disc and carry it. If you can throw a hyzer flip, this is the best place to use it. When approaching with a strong tailwind, approach as you normally would, low and full of energy. Putting is also not affected much by a tailwind, if you keep the puck down.
A crosswind can also be used to your advantage if you allow the spin. If you are blowing in the direction your drive would normally spin, you need to allow the drive to spin faster than normal. If you blow in the opposite direction of your normal spin, you can allow less spin at the end. This is the same for drives, approach shots and putting.
If you think of the wind as something you have to deal with and not as something that is going to ruin your round, and keep the mental part of the game in check, you can adapt to the wind and use it to your advantage. One of the things you will see if you watch the top pros is that they know how to use the wind and not be beaten by it.
Sometimes you have to play in bad conditions and sometimes those conditions are a strong wind. Don’t let it get to you. Think about the shots and use the wind to help you so you can still score low, it can be done.