Wind off the left tip

Golf Monthly Top 25 coach Andrew Reynolds a very simple tip to help you deal with wind off the left

Wind off the left video

To become a competent golfer you need a sound understanding of how to control your ball flight in the wind.

For right-handed golfers, the toughest wind to handle is the wind off the left (the opposite direction applies for left-handers), encouraging a slice.

Making a committed swing and stopping yourself from losing the shot to the right is easier said than done.

However, there’s one tip that I’ve always found incredibly useful. Address the ball in the normal way then, before you take your grip, turn the club so the face points a fraction left.

Now place your hands on the club. By closing the face a little, you will create draw spin through impact that will fight the wind and hold the ball on a straight flight. Try it for yourself, it’s a very simple tip but it works wonderfully in difficult conditions.

The way to control ball flight is through the pace of your swing. Essentially, the key is to find a smoother tempo than usual.

So take a club more than you usually would and keep the pace of your swing as smooth as possible. Try to curtail your finish position a little as this will take speed away at impact.

By reducing the speed of your swing you are reducing backspin created at impact and this will help you find a ball flight that is a little lower than usual.

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So if the wind is off the left, I take my aim up the left side of the hole and swing a little smoother. The lower flight will prevent it from drifting too far.

When you are out on the course and competing for real, this is the best way to find the control that will help you attack the flag.