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If anyone has played SA in real life.

• renniw52 5,385 Posts

  Sun, Sep 2 2012 2:21 PM

  Is it common to have a 19-31 mph wind in your face on every single hole? How can you change directions and still have a head wind every time?  This is not random, this is programmed by some one who has never played a real round of golf. Shameful WGT.

• saltiresfan 2,266 Posts

  Sun, Sep 2 2012 2:59 PM

  I've never played the R&A but I've been to St Andrew's many times. Whilst I'd say it's always breezy I don't carry a copy of the Beaufort Scale around with me so hard to know exact windspeeds.

  I would generally say that wind in real life tends to blow in one direction depending on where you are facing rather than randomly for each hole ;)

• alosso 21,060 Posts

  Mon, Sep 3 2012 12:25 AM

  Winds are random in WGT AFAIS.

  It ain't realistic if you know the directions of sequential holes. In STA, holes 2 - 6 are lined up in the same direction with holes 13 - 16 forming the "opposite lane", classic links style, with common greens between them. 17 continues in the same direction. 1 and 18 are about 120° off this general direction.

  Lately I had a 25 mph crosswind left to right on #17, coming from the 18th green. At 18, no headwind as you would expect but a 25 mph tailwind. That's not "swirling winds" but random occurrence IMO. OTOH I'm pleased by the fact that we don't have the wind in the face for six holes in a row.

  High winds are well possible on these links courses but calm days, too. I remember Padraig Harrington saying (in the year he won the Open) that it was very unusual to aim the shots far off the greens (60 yds?) to compensate for the high winds. These are "Legend" conditions, us mortals have less brutal winds usually. From playing Jubilee (parallel to the Old Course) in 2009 I remember a comfortable breeze.

• scottishbloke 1,277 Posts

  Mon, Sep 3 2012 5:15 AM

  i have played st andrews a few times and it can be still early morning no wind . by 5 or 6 holes in it can change anytime its on the eden estuary and almost the river tay / north sea. coastal conditions affect it indeed also changing tieds i do believe have something to do with it.the locals who play it regular have the fine art of telling what wind and conditions are. may explain why they pick the best tee times?? its pot luck on links courses as others have said it plays a new way every round.last time i played around summer 2010 it was sunny with around 15 mph winds still dam tough.

• maury62 449 Posts

  Mon, Sep 3 2012 6:54 AM

  I have said this before  when playing those uk courses the guy who wrote the programs had his  head so far up hi s hole. i hit a driver  305 into a 25 mph wind  then commign back i ht a drive 275 with the same wind. COME ON GWT  REAL. the law of physics say that cant  happen. the same waywith  aputt against the wind very fast  greens soyoumake and adjustment for it and the balls goes 7 yrds past the hole cxomming back you adjust again and the ball come sup 2 ft  short. vi

• alosso 21,060 Posts

  Mon, Sep 3 2012 9:06 AM

  The LAW OF WGT outmatches the laws of physics. ;)