Jerry King: Playing in the Wind

One of the hardest things to do in golf is to play in the wind. The wind causes way more problems than we expect. In order for you to be successful in the wind, you are going to have to change a few things about your approach. Jerry King, former Director of the Kapalua Resort Golf Academy and now the Director of Instruction at the Discovery Land Company at in Mexico, gives us a great lesson on how to deal with the wind.

The goal when you play in the wind is to hit the ball lower, which means you are going to have to alter your swing a bit. In order to hit the ball high, you finish your swing high allowing the ball to jump up into the air. If you want it to go low, you finish your swing lower than normal.

Jerry King: Playing in the Wind

One of the hardest things to do in golf is to play in the wind. The wind causes way more problems than we expect. In order for you to be successful in the wind, you are going to have to change a few things about your approach. Jerry King, former Director of the Kapalua Resort Golf Academy and now the Director of Instruction at the Discovery Land Company at in Mexico, gives us a great lesson on how to deal with the wind.

The goal when you play in the wind is to hit the ball lower, which means you are going to have to alter your swing a bit. In order to hit the ball high, you finish your swing high allowing the ball to jump up into the air. If you want it to go low, you finish your swing lower than normal.

Balance and control

The two words that Jerry King has for golfers playing in the wind are balance and control. When the wind is blowing, it’s important to maintain balance, which will give you more control over your body and the ball flight. To do this, Jerry recommends setting up with a slightly wider stance and getting a little lower. This will provide a better foundation and more balance, leading to more control.

In addition to balance, it’s important to control the length of your swing. Jerry recommends being wise in your club selection and taking one or two extra clubs for every ten miles per hour of wind. Swinging at a smoother pace and with a more compact motion will lead to less spin on the ball, giving you a more penetrating trajectory with less spin.

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Conclusion

By following Jerry King’s advice and maintaining balance and control, golfers can have more success and have more fun when playing in the wind. Be sure to take extra clubs for every ten miles per hour of wind, swing in an easier pace with a compact motion, and get a little wider and lower for a shallow angle of attack. With these tips, you’ll be able to take on the wind like a pro.

MORE ABOUT JERRY KING

Prior to accepting the position at Makena, Jerry headed up JERRY KING GOLF instruction while managing all sales in Hawaii, Guam & Saipan for TaylorMade Golf. From 1995 – January 2012, Jerry directed Kapalua Resort’s golf instruction program. Prior to moving to Maui, Jerry worked at Country Club of the Rockies in Vail, Colorado; and mentored under Mike Adams, 2016 PGA National Teacher of the Year, at The Academy of Golf at PGA National.

Jerry King was instrumental in the creation & design of the Kapalua Golf Academy (opened January 2000) and worked on all levels of project development and coordination of launching this state-of-the-art facility.

Jerry has been featured numerous times on The Golf Channel’s “Golf Academy Live” in Orlando, Florida. Jerry has been the emcee and official starter of the PGA TOUR’s Tournament of Champions since it’s inception at Kapalua. Under his leadership, Kapalua Golf Academy was recognized by Golf Magazine in its “Top 25 Golf Schools in America”. Golf Digest magazine has designated Jerry as “Best Teacher in Hawaii” 8 different years. This is a biennial ranking of America’s 50 Greatest Teachers and Best Teachers in Each State. Jerry is currently a GOLF MAGAZINE Top 100 Teacher.