The Ultimate Wind Guide for PGA TOUR 2K23 – Wind Distance and Aim Affect on all Golf Shots

Article Updated: November 03, 2022 at 10:04 AM

Learn everything you need to know to master the wind in PGA TOUR 2K23! Checkout the official full Gamer Ability YouTube video guide with examples at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZReS69KnO0

In today’s tutorial video and guide, I will teach virtual golfers how each different wind types affect carry distance and the aim of your shot in PGA TOUR 2K23. I did a full wind guide with data sheets in PGA 2K21 and I wanted to do it again for this new game. Now this time around I simplified my approach and my data to make it easier to understand and follow. Here is my created data sheet attachment that you all can pull up and have handy during your rounds in PGA TOUR 2K23:

My YouTube video linked above goes over everything you need to know about how to use the data listed in the attachment above.  I highly recommend you watch the video to learn how to apply the wind data in a real example. 

Keep in mind these key points when reading the above PDF if you are not watching the video:

• All the wind data was collected with Rhythm My Player Archetype, default golf balls, no shot shaping, hitting perfect tempo, straight swing plane, 100% power or partial power golf shots. Overpowered, fast tempos, slow tempos, or missed swing plane golf shots will all change the wind affect.
• More information about wind affect changing with different elements is covered at the end of this article in the wind bonus tips section.
• My wind data is based on wind speed values in MPH – Miles per hour
• It is important to know that all the multipliers for distance and aim are averaged from 1000s of golf shots. So they will not be exact, and wind affect will vary between the different wind speeds. I speak more on this in the YouTube video.  But using only the average data will get you pretty close. However, never forget to use your golfing instincts and make adjustments by feel after doing the calculations for the wind.  

There are 5 main types of wind in PGA 2K23:

1. 1. Straight Headwind: Takes off distance from your shot but does not affect aim in regards to left and right.
   2. Cross Headwind (diagonal wind): Takes off distance from your shot and it does affect aim in regards to left and right movement. The wind will push or pull your ball depending on the winds direction in regards to right or left direction. There is a lot more variability in cross winds due to there being many different angles the wind can blow in the diagonal directions. I talk a lot about this in my video. 
   3. Straight Tailwind: Adds distance from your shot but does not affect aim in regards to left and right.
   4. Cross Tailwind (diagonal wind): Adds distance from your shot and it does affect aim in regards to left and right movement. The wind will push or pull your ball depending on the winds direction in regards to right or left direction. There is a lot more variability in cross winds due to there being many different angles the wind can blow in the diagonal directions. See the video for  more specifics on how to play the different angles of the cross head or tail diagonal winds. 
   5. Straight side wind: Only affects left and right movement of the ball, and does not change carry distance. The wind will push or pull your ball depending on the winds direction in regards to right or left direction.

Here are the normal shot wind distance multipliers to use for calculating the winds affect on the club carry distance for the different wind types/directions: 

PGA 2K23 Wind distance multipliers: Multiplier value multiplied by wind speed gives distance affect. More on this later!

Here are the pitch shot, flop shot, and chip shot wind distance multipliers for calculating the winds affect on the club carry distance for the different wind types/directions:

PGA 2K23 Pitch, Flop, and chip shot Wind distance multipliers: Multiplier value multiplied by wind speed gives distance affect. More on this later!

It is important for this guides purposes, for you to think of the wind values in this game as mph = yards affect on distance and aim. So you will multiply the wind multipliers listed in the charts by the wind speed number you see on game and this will give you your wind distance or your wind aim affect. This is just an introduction on this, example calculations are below with more specifics and all information is thoroughly explained in the YouTube video.

Let’s start with a simple approach to the wind for those of you that do not care about all the specific numbers. The important wind multiplier for both aim and distance to remember is the 1.25 “average percent multiplier.” If you use 1.25 in all your wind calculations you will be pretty close. You will definitely be closer using the data listed in the sheets above, but starting with the 1.25 multiplier and making adjustments by feel is a great way to start! More on what the 1.25 multiplier even means below in the calculation section.

EASY WAY: JUST REMEMBER 1.25 – Here are important notes on the 1.25 multiplier method:

• • You can use the base 1.25 for all your wind calculations at base value.

• • Then use your eye test and knowledge you have gained from this video to make adjustments by feel.

• • Tailwinds affect less than 1.25

• • Cross winds affect less than 1.25

• • Wedges affect less than 1.25

• • Very high winds speeds affect more than 1.25

• • You will still be pretty close always using 1.25 but adjusting for wedges and also at very high wind speeds for all clubs.
  • Pitch shots are affected way less than 1.25, so make sure you use 0.50 multiplier for pitch shots. More on this in the video. 

Important Bonus Tip for Wind Distance Affect:

• Higher winds have greater affect than shown in the average wind multiplier shown (14-15 mph and higher wind speeds)
• Therefore, in high or very high wind speeds compensate by adding more yards of wind affect in your pre-shot calculations or just increase your multiplier to 1.5 or higher.

In the following section, you will learn how you can make your calculations of the wind distance and aim affect. The data from the 4th page in the document above is used in the following calculations depending on what club you use.

Calculations

1. “Average Percent Multiplier” x Wind Speed (MPH) = wind distance affect in yards

2.  If Tailwind or Cross tailwind: Add to carry distance – Carry distance (yards) + wind distance affect = total carry distance

3.   If Headwind or Cross headwind: Subtract from carry distance: Carry distance (yards) – wind distance affect = total carry distance

Example calculations:

1. Driver carrying 291 yds, with a 10 MPH Tailwind

1st – look for “average percent multiplier” value for driver in Tailwind section above or in video: value is 1.25

2nd – Enter it into equation above: 1.25 x 10 MPH = 12.5

3rd – Add value to carry distance since it is in the tailwind category.  The wind is going to push the ball further therefore increasing its carry distance: 291 yds + 12.5 = 303.5

4th – Now we know that If hit 100% with an 100% lie percentage, the club should carry between 302 and 305 with a high probability of being 303.4

2. Lob Wedge carrying 82 yds, with a 10 MPH Headwind

• • 1.25 x 10 MPH = 12.5
  • 82 yds – 12.5 = 69.5
  • Now we know that If hit 100% with an 100% lie percentage, the club should carry between 68 and 73 with a high probability of being 69.5

Now moving on to wind aim multipliers! Here are the calculations. It is very similar to distance, but the number given will tell you how many yards left or right to aim to compensate for the wind. 

• Multiply the following numbers by the wind in mph to get how many yards to aim right or left.
  • For Straight Side Winds: 1.25 Multiplier
  • For Cross (diagonal) headwinds* and Cross (diagonal) tailwinds*: 1.0 Multiplier
• IMPORTANT NOTE: Use grids for easy aim. Grids are in meters, so 1 grid (1 meter) is 1.094 yards. My data is in yards.
  • Every time you move 4-8 grids take off a half grid line at the end to correct.
  • Every time you move 9 or more grids take off 1 to 1.5 grid lines at the end to correct.
• Summary: take wind value in mph times/multiplied by multiplier and that is how many yards you aim right or left to compensate for wind aim affect
• If the wind arrow is pointing to the right you need to aim to the left to compensate and vice versa! 

A final important note before we get to the bonus wind tips is this: there are many different variety’s of cross head and tail diagonal winds. Therefore, shots in diagonal winds will require a lot more adjustments by feel and using the eye test based on the angle of the cross wind. Here are the important slides to learn in regards to playing diagonal cross winds. 

Photo Above: PGA 2K23 Cross (Diagonal) Winds variability and affects on wind distance affect

Photo Above: PGA 2K23 Wind Aim Multiplier Cross (Diagonal) Wind variability and affects on wind Aim affect

Here are some bonus tips on the wind to close out this guide for the wind in PGA TOUR 2K23!

1. • Headwind and cross headwind adds more backspin to the ball thus decreasing bounce and roll.
   • Tailwind and cross tailwind decreases backspin and increases roll and bounce.
   • Hitting into higher elevation greens or lower elevation greens.
     1. • Higher elevation greens: Ball will have a lower flight (closer to the ground) and thus wind will affect it less than hitting into a green level in elevation to the golfers starting position
     1. • Lower elevation greens: Ball will have a higher flight and longer flight and thus the wind will affect the ball more and you will have to compensate accordingly. 
        • Do not forget the importance of the eye test and using your instincts and knowledge from shots in previous rounds in similar winds.  If you are consistently short of your landing spot in headwinds, then compensate on headwinds in the same round by adding a few more carry yards to each shot.  It is so important to adapt and modify your wind play in each round.

1. • Fast or slow tempo downswing will change the wind affects. A fast tempo shot decreases headwind distance affect and increases tailwind distance affect.  A slow tempo shot increases headwind distance affect and decreases tailwind distance affect.  On straight sides and Cross Head/Tail (Diagonal) winds, the fast or slow will either decrease or increase the wind aim affect depending on the direction of the wind at the time of the fast or slow shot. 

1. • Overpowered golf shots will of course fly farther and the wind distance affect will change.  If you consistently hit 101 or 102 power golf shots, then make sure you account for this in your pre-shot calculations.

1. • Shot shaping affects with wind distance and aim affect.
     1. • Adding loft with the left stick (moving the left stick down) and/or changing the attacking angle/adding spin (moving the right stick down, will increase the winds distance and aim affect and you will have to compensate accordingly depending on the wind direction. The ball will have a higher flight and therefore the wind will affect the ball more.
          1. • Headwinds will take off more distance, tailwinds will add more distance, and the ball will move more left and right than typical with straight side winds or cross head/tail winds.
          1. • Moving both shot sticks up (adding deloft/delofting the club and front spin) will decrease the winds distance and aim effect on the ball. The ball will have a lower flight and thus wind will affect it less. Golf ball will have increased roll out as well.

I hope you all found this ultimate wind guide helpful for PGA TOUR 2K23! Let me know if you have any questions by either leaving a comment below or leaving a comment on my YouTube video!

Checkout the Official Gamer Ability YouTube Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/GamerAbility