Putting

Putting in the Wind

Adjust height, power and spin for the wind.

Why it matters

Wind is the condition that separates scores, because almost nobody practises in it — the still evening in the back garden is not the round you lose strokes in. The adjustments are small, specific and different in each direction, and knowing them turns a windy round from a lottery into an ordinary one.

How to do it

Into a headwind, putt lower and firmer with more spin. The extra airspeed gives the disc more lift and makes it want to turn over, so aim at the bottom of the chains or the base of the pole rather than the top band.
With a tailwind, take power off and aim at the front edge of the tray. There is less airspeed holding the disc up, but the wind is carrying it along, so a normal-strength putt sails past.
Across the wind, aim upwind of the chains by however far you judge it will drift, and tilt the leading edge slightly into the wind so the air pushes the disc down rather than lifting it.
In any wind, get lower and widen your base — a straddle is often the right answer — and put more spin on the putt so the disc holds the angle you gave it.
Keep your routine running at its normal speed. Waiting out a gust that never fully arrives costs more putts than the gust would have.

Common mistakes

Putting soft into a headwind, which lets the wind knock the disc down short.Firmer and lower. A headwind punishes a floaty putt more than any other condition.

Aiming at the chains in a crosswind and letting the wind decide the rest.Pick an aim point off the basket, upwind, and commit to it. It will feel wrong and it will work.

Standing tall and getting pushed around mid-stroke.Lower centre of gravity, wider feet. Stability first, then power.

Using the same putter in 25 mph as in dead calm.Carry something more stable, or a beaded putter, for wind — and know which one it is before you need it.

Key points

Headwind: putt lower and firmer with more spin.
Tailwind: take power off and aim at the front of the tray — the wind carries it.
Crosswind: aim into the wind side so it pushes the disc back to center.

The drill

Drill · Three directions — 20 putts from 20 ft in each of headwind, tailwind and crosswind (60 total). This one has to be done on a windy day, which is the whole point — it is the session everybody skips. Move around the basket so the wind comes from each direction in turn, and note how far the misses drift rather than just counting makes. The drift distance is the number you will actually use on the course.

Watch: Pro Tips: Putting in the Wind with Nate Sexton — Innova Discs