Don't let wind blow your chances of decent golf!

Watching the PGA Championship and listening to the commentators raving about the 'tough' conditions they players are facing always makes me chuckle. It's 10-20mph over in Kiawah at the moment and fellas are dropping like flies around the joint.

Like most Irish golfers, especially those living in south west Ireland, I crave days when the wind's only blowing at 10-20mph. That's not wind, that's only a gentle breeze. Sure it doesn't even count as 'wind' until you need 3 or 4 extra clubs when you're hitting into it!

I love playing in the wind (within reason of course), and if it's windy with a little rain - even better! If you're shaking your head reading that please know that I am referring to competitive golf - like your Sunday club comp or whatever. Of course I don't want to play in the wind and rain in a friendly 4ball.... I'd rather be in shorts and a t-shirt and be struggling to know which one of my playing partners I'm looking at because of all the suncream on their face and in my eyes!

But in competition I've always liked shite weather. I like it because half the field gets beaten before they even go out - if indeed they even tee it up in the first place! I'm watching the PGA Championship here. It's blowing around 15 mph and its absolute carnage lol. McGinners, Radar, Butch and co. are harping on about how the tough conditions suit the 'gritty' players, the 'grafters', and those with 'absolute control' of their golf ball. I'm decent in the wind and I'd never describe myself as possessing any of those three attributes.

So how do I do it....and more importantly, what can you do to play better golf when the wind gets up? And not 'fancy little 10 mph American wind' I'm talking cold, hard, 'kick you in the balls and throw sand in your eyes' Irish wind! Here's a few bits to try next time you're playing in windy conditions;

• Spin control! Sounds advanced, but its really not. Playing into the wind or in a cross wind, you need to hit lower spinning shots. If the spin is low your ball will hold its line and go closer to your desired distance. To make a ball spin less - hit it softer! As Manolo Vega would say, 'an Dassit!'. Into the wind consider 2, 3 or even 4 clubs more with a smoother swing rather than smashing one extra club and pulling your hair out when it comes up short.

• Plant your feet! It's no use swinging normally if you're being buffeted all over the shop and struggling to keep your balance. Plant the feet, feel nice and solid over the ball, and shorten the backswing and follow through. This goes for all shots, from driver to putter.

• Leave yourself into the wind! Try to miss your shots on the side the ball is being blown. I mean, try to be long downwind, short into the wind, right in a left to right wind and vice versa (depending on skill level and the hazards around the green of course). I'm not saying you try to blast it way long downwind or leave it miles short into, I'm just saying to try err on those sides on all approach shots. Why you ask? Because if you're always playing back into the wind around the greens - ideally for birdie from 10 feet, but really on all short shots - the long putt, chip, pitch or bunker shot back into the wind will be a much more straightforward shot than the same shot down wind. This will save you lots of shots over the course of 18 holes.

• Be committed on your short putts! We don't want any wishy washy efforts dying away from the hole as they slow down. Decide to be committed to rolling the putts in when into the wind and beware that the wind will move putts most as the ball slows down so factor that in on the down wind and cross wind ones.

• Finally I'll leave you with one of Bob Rotella's nuggets. "Love the challenge of the day, whatever it may be". Go out and enjoy the challenge of trying to get your ball around the course in testing conditions. I promise you'll enjoy the day more with this attitude and you'll score better too! Your playing partners will benefit also as there's nothing worse than spending 4 fours with someone moaning about the bad weather! 😂

Try those next time the wind blows 👍⛳

And Dassit! -follow @manoloteachesgolf if you want a laugh - after following @wildatlanticgolfpro of course! ;)