How To Calculate Distance In The Wind

How do you judge distance in the wind? If it's through a mix of guesswork and estimation then you're never going to be as accurate as you could be. The first thing you need to do is work out which direction the wind is blowing in. This is often easier said than done but should always be done as part of a good pre-shot routine.

On tree-lined courses the wind can swirl at ground level and, as the flag is blowing in a different direction to the way the clouds are moving, it can become seriously confusing. 

The advice here is not to worry too much about what is going on at the ground. Instead, look to the clouds, see how the top of the trees are moving and make your decision based on that. Once the ball gets above the tree line, the wind will come into play.

Crosswinds won't affect your distance too much, but they do make it even more important to consider how to aim properly. Failing to allow for enough wind is just one of the mistakes great golfers don't make. On the contrary, playing into a headwind or with a tailwind behind will have a huge impact on distance. And to work out just how much, we recommend using the following handy calculations...

Into the wind

A great rule to use is to add 1% for every 1mph of headwind. So the following distances would change like this:

• 100-yard shot into a 5mph wind = 105 yards
• 200-yard shot into a 5mph wind = 210 yards
• 100-yard shot into a 10mph wind = 110 yards
• 200-yard shot into a 10mph wind = 220 yards
• 100-yard shot into a 20mph wind = 120 yards
• 200-yard shot into a 20mph wind = 240 yards
• 100-yard shot into a 30mph wind = 130 yards
• 200-yard shot into a 30mph wind = 260 yards

Downwind

When playing downwind use 0.5% instead, so judging your distance in the wind would look a bit like this:

• 100-yard shot with a 5mph tailwind = 98 yards
• 200-yard shot with a 5mph tailwind = 195 yards
• 100-yard shot with a 10mph tailwind = 95 yards
• 200-yard shot with a 10mph tailwind = 190 yards
• 100-yard shot with a 20mph tailwind = 90 yards
• 200-yard shot with a 20mph tailwind = 180 yards
• 100-yard shot with a 30mph tailwind = 85 yards
• 200-yard shot with a 30mph tailwind = 170 yards

Strategy

Despite the numbers shown above there is an art to picking the right club in the wind. Part of this is based on how you shape golf shots. The basic concept to bear in mind here is that if your shot is moving in the same direction as the wind is blowing the ball will go further. 

So, if you are hooking the golf ball (or cutting across the golf ball for a left-hander) and the wind is blowing right to left, it is likely to go further. You might think this is a huge benefit but, for many good ball-strikers looking for precise distance control when hitting into the greens, this can actually cause problems. 

For these players, shaping the ball back into the wind is often the better play, creating a softer ball flight that will stop faster after landing. And for those who tend to play with the same shape on the majority of shots, keep in mind that the ball will go further when moving in the same direction as the wind.