Zephyr Melton
October 16, 2021
After her individual win at the Aramco Team Series – New York, Charley Hull gave two simple tips to play well in the wind.
Aramco team series
OLD WESTBURY, NY – Conditions during the final round of the Aramco Team Series – New York were brutal, but if you looked at Charley Hull’s scorecard you would never know.
The Englishwoman was bogey-free in stormy conditions at the Glen Oaks Club on Saturday and scored seven birdies in her round of 65, which secured her the individual title.
“I played pretty well,” said Hull. “I kept it simple.”
That simplicity was key with winds blowing from the south at over 20 miles per hour. On a day when only four players cracked on field 70, Hull had wonderful control of her ball and tamed the wind with relative ease.
Hull opened the round with four straight birdies and didn’t slow down after that. The 25-year-old added birdies in 8th, 13th and 18th places and avoided trouble for most of the day as she chased 36-hole leader Nelly Korda for a one-shot win.
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What was the key to Hull’s outstanding Saturday? An old golf proverb says, “When it’s breezy, just swing” and she told GOLF.com after the round that that was the thought she had been leaning on all day on the wind-blown course.
“I was just trying to swing smoothly,” said Hull. “I didn’t try to kill it because you get too crazy and the ball can go anywhere.”
However, controlling the ball while it bounces towards the green is only part of the fight in the gusty conditions. Putting can also be an adventure when the wind is whirling – especially on slippery greens. But for anyone wanting to throw the ball in the wind, Hull had some wise advice.
“Keep your head down,” said Hull. “Don’t come up because you will feel like you’re wiggling around in the wind. You just have to make sure that you stay as calm as possible. “
Zephyr Melton is Assistant Editor at GOLF.com, where he spends his days blogging, producing, and editing. Before joining the GOLF.com team, he attended the University of Texas, followed by stints with Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He supports in all matters of teaching and covers amateur and ladies golf.