maximise your distance into the wind

Golf Monthly Top 25 Coach Keith Wood explains how to maximise your distance into the wind with some simple tricks for playing from the tee

Maximise your distance into the wind

If you find yourself reading this, then you probably already understand the joys of winter golf. There is nothing like a clear, crisp winter’s day when the course is both score-able and free from fair-weather players to stir your most basic golfing instincts.

The challenge facing you over the winter months will, of course, be subtly different. Master the basic changes and you’ll become hard to beat, even when the worst of our gloriously unpredictable weather strikes.

Into the wind players often make the mistake of teeing the ball down. But this causes you to strike the ball from te bottom of the clubface which actually creates spin. You need to aim for an area on the face above the centre to maximise your distance into the wind. Also, the other way to keep spin off is to swing as smoothly as possible. This will prevent too much backspin from being created at impact and the ballooning into the sky. So tee it high and swing it a fraction softer than usual - this will help you maximise your distance into the wind.

When the fairways are wet, distance is all about carry. For a lot of amateurs, especially those with slower swing speeds, this means that you’ll find more distance from your 3-wood than your driver. The extra loft will offer you more carry through the air with the added bonus being that more loft will also deliver less sidespin, which should make you more accurate. Just pulling out driver without thinking about the carry distance is a mistake worth avoiding.

The other factor to consider before you tee off is where to peg up. Teeing grounds will often become muddy and slippery so pick a spot with a fair coverage of grass to stand on. Some simple consideration here could go a long way.

Neil Tappin
Editor

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. 

Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points. 


Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X