One of the great things about playing summer golf in the desert foothills, is that you will find a refreshing breeze most afternoons. That brings the temperature down, which is usually 5-8 degree’s cooler than posted at the Phoenix Sky harbor airport.

So the breeze is our natural air conditioning. And remember the low humidity. I digress, this isn’t a weather report. This is a practical golf instruction blog!

Playing in a breeze: Forget the myth that a well struck ball won’t be affected by the wind. Rubbish!  As the ball looses velocity any wind will move the ball in the direction it is blowing.

Let’s visualize a left to right wind, a breeze blowing off of your left shoulder, often called a cross- wind. The wind is blowing across the fairway from left to right. You shouldn’t ignore the wind. Depending on your natural ball flight, here are some suggestions as to how to deal with it.

The Slicer: if your ball tends to slice, it will slice more on this wind. So allow for that slice. Aim down the left side, even the rough line, but align your shoulders along the same line as your feet. Make your best swing trying to square the clubface to your aim. That will start the ball where you aimed and the wind will assist you and blow the ball into the fairway. You may need some courage here as watching the ball start left over trouble can be nerve wracking. Trust your swing and the wind in this case.

The Hooker: someone who curves the ball right to left. Easy here. Aim straight down the middle of the fairway and play your natural draw. The right to left curve of the ball flight will be counteracted by the left to right wind, resulting in a straight shot!

Straight Hitter: doesn’t curve the ball one way or another. Use the wind to your advantage. Aim down the left side of the fairway, grip it and rip it! Let your drive work on the breeze helping add some distance and the ball finishing in the middle of the fairway.

Play the breeze, enjoy it, just don’t ignore it!