How much do wind rounds impact your scoring?

[autocrosscrx]

**This isn't intended to be an advice thread.**

Relatively open 5500'-6000' course, no wind versus steady 17-20mph gusts.

How many strokes is that worth?

For me, I see no real difference in throwing the disc. Some shots get knocked down way short, but I also can squeeze a little more distance out of shots because I can keep stable discs in the air longer and I probably take less risks. I'm usually good for a couple of bad roll aways that I don't normally see and I'm definitely a couple putts worse.

 

[ray1970]

Relatively open 7000' course with little or no wind versus the exact same course a week later with 20+ mph winds and it probably adds eight or nine strokes to my round.

There is some OB on the course that I described so a few of those strokes were errant shots that went OB and the rest of the additional strokes were likely missed putts.

 

[Moose33]

Depends of the style of course but generally probably 3-4 strokes more usually coming on putts that lift or drop.

I bag a ton of OS discs so there is always something that will cut through wind decently well off the tee.

 

[dmoore1998]

Relatively open (which I take to mean few trees and little OB)...not a lot of difference, but it depends on the length of the holes. I can park a 300 foot hole a lot easier with no wind than I can in trying to adjust for it...which means a longer putt...and a putt with some wind. It's not the length of the course, it's the length of the holes. 600 feet split between 2 holes if it is 300/300...I might be 2 shots worse. 450/150, I probably have the same score in both conditions.

For teh course you describe, I'm guessing I'm about 5-6 shots worse.

 

[ru4por]

Depends on the course:
OB
Rollaway potential
Terrain-skip potential
Elevation
Wooded or open

Depends on the wind:
Direction
Gusty

Depends on your bag:
Speed
Stability

Depends on you:
Skill level
Power
Disc selection
Putting style

Most of the above have a few subsections, not listed. Like Disc selection could be choosing a more shallow disc vs deeper, driver to putt with vs regular putter.....

For me, the variables and decisions are too great, to simply throw a number out. I might play considerably worse or, if having a good putting day and making solid decisions, no worse at all. The wind can giveth and the wind can taketh away. (sorry, that might have been advice)

 

[txmxer]

Relatively open 7000' course with little or no wind versus the exact same course a week later with 20+ mph winds and it probably adds eight or nine strokes to my round.

There is some OB on the course that I described so a few of those strokes were errant shots that went OB and the rest of the additional strokes were likely missed putts.

Seems about right to me. 20 MPH winds are always going to do something to a disc that's not thrown perfectly. On Sunday, one of my buddies throws his understable disc in to a head wind. The disc turns over and becomes a 400 foot roller due right of the line. Now that was poor disc choice, but it was pretty fun to see it stand up like a sail and just keep going.

Same thing can happen with a correct disc selection if you give up the flight plate to the wind.

And yes, in 5-10 mph, maybe up towards 15, I think you can take advantage of the wind in many ways. Start pushing 20 MPH and bad things are going to happen.

 

[DavidSauls]

On an open level course, at least 5 strokes. Not so much from the drives, but the putts, and the number of putts I'll lay up instead of run.

I frequently play a very hilly, mixed open-and-wooded course, with lots of danger, which is locally famous for being unusually windy. Depending on the wind direction, it can jack my score by 10 strokes.

A recent, wind-blown tournament seemed to have the SSA bumped up by about 4 strokes. That's for 1000-rated players; weaker players presumably affected even more.

 

[BillFleming]

Wow, I'd say it affects my game, but how much? I don't know. The issue for me is that I don't judge the wind well or how it will affect my throw/disc.

I do know I have trouble controlling my shots in wind. So my score will go up. And since the wind direction changes throughout the round (since the holes don't play in the same direction), I have to make adjustments every time and I don't do that well.

For tee and fairway shots....it's not that bad as the shot still gives me a chance to recover/improve (unless it goes in water/ob). It's the upshots that hurt. Those are the ones I'm counting on being in a certain spot when they come to rest and affect me more when they don't. Throw a tee shot that catches the wind? Okay, might have to throw a 'longer' disc than originally planned. But if wind caught my upshot and instead of 'parked' 15 feet from the basket (my 9/10 range), I'm 25 feet from the basket (5/10 range); I'll be less likely to make the putt.

 

[nothinbuttree]

I don't have a powerful throw, so 4-5 strokes on drives, maybe 1-2 on upshots, and 3-4 on putting. Wind affects my game quite a bit, because my control is not great. I know full well what the wind does, but compensating accurately for it is another matter. Any slight mistake tends to get harshly penalized, especially if I throw one nose up.

 

[autocrosscrx]

Alright. I've been playing in wind as I described the last couple of days.

Played a course that I shot a +8 in minimal wind. Played it in the wind and felt I played really really well outside of a par 4 where I threw 2 drives OB and took a 9. Shot a +11.

Played a 9 hole course with short and long tees. My best on the shorts is -5. I rarely play 18 there, but my best on 18 is -1. I shot -1 on the shorts and a +5 overall (3 OB drives on the longs).

Played another course where my best is +6. Played probably my best round ever off the tee and probably one of my better strategic games. No long come back putts, no crazy scramble shots where I hit a tree 30 feet in front of me. I had 1 really bad double bogey and a few approach shots that didn't fade in towards the basket. And I don't think I hit a putt beyond 10 feet.
Shot a +9.

So I guess that seems in line with how a rec player should deal with the wind.

 

[elmexdela]

i just play a moar wooded course to hide from the wind

 

[autocrosscrx]

i just play a moar wooded course to hide from the wind

I did that the other day. First couple of holes, I kept hearing this constant knocking noise that I couldn't figure out. Around hole 5, I realized it was trees banging into each other in the wind. Freaked me out. I grabbed my disc and GTFO'd.

 

[ray1970]

i just play a moar wooded course to hide from the wind

Geographically, not everyone has that option.

 

[DavidSauls]

i just play a moar wooded course to hide from the wind

I'd rather have the wind, myself. Without it, where's the blame for my bad score going to fall?

 

[dmoore1998]

Wow, I'd say it affects my game, but how much? I don't know. The issue for me is that I don't judge the wind well or how it will affect my throw/disc.

I do know I have trouble controlling my shots in wind. So my score will go up. And since the wind direction changes throughout the round (since the holes don't play in the same direction), I have to make adjustments every time and I don't do that well.

For tee and fairway shots....it's not that bad as the shot still gives me a chance to recover/improve (unless it goes in water/ob). It's the upshots that hurt. Those are the ones I'm counting on being in a certain spot when they come to rest and affect me more when they don't. Throw a tee shot that catches the wind? Okay, might have to throw a 'longer' disc than originally planned. But if wind caught my upshot and instead of 'parked' 15 feet from the basket (my 9/10 range), I'm 25 feet from the basket (5/10 range); I'll be less likely to make the putt.

Add to that even if you have a pretty good idea what you're doing in the wind, and know the current wind speed and direction on every hole...then you've gotta figure out how much of that current wind speed is getting through any windblocks to reach you. My home course, a 20 mph south wind will fully hit you because the course is open field on that side. 20 mph north wind and much less gets through. And that's before you consider which holes have wind tunnels blowing across the fairways at which points.

The last hole in particular...nothing special about it...it's 220 feet and goes south to north (and typically we get a south wind). There are other south to north holes on the course of approximately the same distance...but this one happens to have a nice wind tunnel that pushes most discs into the ground. It's beyond amusing to watch someone walk up, throw, and halfway down the fairway it looks like someone dropped a piano on their disc and it hits the ground immediately. And MOST people try to compensate the next time by throwing a faster disc...which just dies harder. But take a putter and toss it straight up in the air and the wind will practically carry it to the hole. I've probably played that hole a thousand times at least in a strong south wind and even sometimes I just wanna throw my hands up and shrug.

 

[txmxer]

Alright. I've been playing in wind as I described the last couple of days.

Played a course that I shot a +8 in minimal wind. Played it in the wind and felt I played really really well outside of a par 4 where I threw 2 drives OB and took a 9. Shot a +11.

Played a 9 hole course with short and long tees. My best on the shorts is -5. I rarely play 18 there, but my best on 18 is -1. I shot -1 on the shorts and a +5 overall (3 OB drives on the longs).

Played another course where my best is +6. Played probably my best round ever off the tee and probably one of my better strategic games. No long come back putts, no crazy scramble shots where I hit a tree 30 feet in front of me. I had 1 really bad double bogey and a few approach shots that didn't fade in towards the basket. And I don't think I hit a putt beyond 10 feet.
Shot a +9.

So I guess that seems in line with how a rec player should deal with the wind.

I think for most of us novice/rec lower level players, strategy is one area that could greatly improve scores regardless of conditions. Too many hero shots.

 

[dmoore1998]

I'd also say that going from wind to no wind negatively impacts my score more. I played about 3-4 months in constant wind last spring...and when we had our first day of less than 5mph...I had no idea what to do. I'd gone so long playing with a 20-30mph south wind on the same course so often that I just didn't know what to do without it for a while.

 

[dmoore1998]

I think for most of us novice/rec lower level players, strategy is one area that could greatly improve scores regardless of conditions. Too many hero shots.

100%. We play a ton of random draw doubles, and it's amazing how often the first putter runs a 50 footer in heavy wind, has the wind carry it 100 feet away...and the next person just says "I'm gonna run it, I think I can make it". Or the first person lands 40 feet away and the 2nd person says "close enough, now I can run it". And in my mind I know neither one of them are gonna make that 40 footer straight into the wind if that's their shot.

 

[foxdawg10]

**This isn't intended to be an advice thread.**

Relatively open 5500'-6000' course, no wind versus steady 17-20mph gusts.

How many strokes is that worth?

For me, I see no real difference in throwing the disc. Some shots get knocked down way short, but I also can squeeze a little more distance out of shots because I can keep stable discs in the air longer and I probably take less risks. I'm usually good for a couple of bad roll aways that I don't normally see and I'm definitely a couple putts worse.

It is tough to put a number on. Wind clearly has an affect. US for tailwind, OS for headwind. Discs are more angle sensitive, and I try to focus on more spin for all shots.

 

[sidewinder22]

Wind affects the short game/scoring a lot more than driving. Anything under 20mph isn't terrible, couple strokes maybe. Once it gets over 20mph is when the strokes start sky rocketing. Played a tourney Black Friday in 30-40mph winds, 10' birdie putts became bogies after sailing or rolling 60' away.