Wind Blows Missed Putt Back In at St Andrews: Laugh It Off

Penn senior Madeleine Zang had been fighting the wind all day at St Andrews. Then she missed another putt, and a gust rolled the ball back into the hole. The clip has been watched millions of times. The beginner lesson: wind is hard for everyone, so make your putting simple and keep your sense of humor.

The viral moment

In October, Penn's golf teams traveled to Scotland for the St Andrews Links Collegiate. Stroke play was on the Jubilee Course, with match play to finish on the famous Old Course.

It was a windy day on the Jubilee. "The wind was super strong," Zang told The Daily Pennsylvanian. "The last few holes I had missed some short putts because the wind was making me very unstable."

On one hole she had a short bogey putt. It slid past the right side of the cup. "I was pretty frustrated when I missed another putt," she said. She started walking up to tap in.

Then the wind picked up, and the ball started rolling backward, right into the hole. Because the ball never stopped moving, it counted as holed with her putt: a five instead of a six.

"I was so surprised and couldn't believe my luck," Zang said. "I was super happy, and my playing competitors and I had a good laugh because of it." Her own summary: "I'm an airbender."

Golf Channel shared it on October 13. The Instagram reel, posted with St Andrews Links and Penn women's golf, had 7.7 million views by October 21, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

And the happy ending: Penn's women beat Washington 4-2 in match play on the Old Course to finish third, and Zang won her match.

Your first-nine lesson: wind is hard for everyone

Zang is a college golfer, and she was missing short putts in that wind. If you've ever struggled on a breezy day, you're in good company.

Laugh it off with your group. That's exactly what she and her playing partners did. A good laugh resets you faster than a lecture to yourself.
Widen your stance a little on the green. Feet a bit wider apart help you stay steady when gusts push you around.
Make your putting stroke smaller and smoother. A short, even stroke holds its line better than a big, jabby one.
Take your time, and step away if a gust hits. Re-set and go again. That's allowed, and good players do it all the time.
Around the green, stay low. Your 52° and 56° wedges can hit low, short chips that the wind bothers less than high shots.
Too windy to enjoy? Play fewer holes or come back another day. PGA Tour pros had a whole final round cancelled for wind in Bermuda on October 25. Read Austin Smotherman's back-to-back wins.

Our putting basics guide covers the simple stroke, and 9 holes vs 18 makes the case for a shorter round on rough days.

Sometimes the wind takes. Once in a while, it gives one back.

The Putt the Wind Blew Back In at St Andrews

The viral moment

Your first-nine lesson: wind is hard for everyone

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