Wind band · holes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
The Gust — Playing Through the Crosswind Band
A band of strong crosswind halfway up odd-numbered holes. It pushes shots sideways, but a long, high flight crosses it almost untouched.
What it is
Holes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 have a gust: a band of moving air across the hole at about halfway. It blows either left or right, and on a full push moves the ball between 8 and 16 yards sideways. It is separate from the hole’s normal wind, which affects every shot.
Which shots it affects
The gust only touches shots whose flight crosses the band — the ball starts on one side and lands on the other. Shots that stay short of it, or that are played from beyond it, are not affected, and rolling along the ground does not count.
Why long flights escape it
How hard the gust pushes depends on how high the ball is when it crosses. A ball crossing near the top of its flight is barely moved, and with long clubs the push can disappear completely. A ball crossing just after take-off or just before landing takes almost the full push. The shortest wedges are always moved a little, even at their highest point.
How to play it
From the tee, a long club that crosses the band mid-flight is usually unaffected. Be careful with shots that start just in front of the band or land just past it: those take the full push, so aim off by the gust’s strength or choose a club that keeps the ball short of it.