"It did make the course quite difficult, especially if you had a bit of slice on the ball so it took you into the trees."
While mindful of the inclement weather, Hurley said most of the golfers went out to enjoy themselves, especially in the testing gusts in the morning.
"You had to be aware of which way the wind was blowing to see if you're hitting towards it or playing shorter irons if it was behind you."
While many would have grizzled about carding bogeys any other day, yesterday, it seemed, many scribbled them down on their cards with a sense of relief, if not satisfaction.
"Most people if they got 32 stableford points in today's round they would have been happy," he said, adding 36 points would have been playing to their handicaps.
Hurley, a 20 handicapper, was delighted with his 37 points while clubmate Bernie McDowell, a 24 handicapper, claimed 30 points for a nett total of 67.
"I had a birdie today so it was four points for me," Hurley said.
In the last two holes the wind had dropped dramatically in the afternoon.
The Bay club course has been a hotbed for the golfers who have had to come to terms with lightning fast greens.
"The greens are a lot faster than what a lot of people are used to," Hurley said.
Many greens had pin placements on slopes so it demanded players approach them comfortably below the hole for an achievable lie.
"That [dropping before the pins for an uphill putt] didn't always happen."
He was anticipating more placid weather today although the field of 256 intended to "plod along" regardless.
"The wind's dropping now so hopefully we'll have Hawke's Bay weather for once."
The pair have played together in half a dozen clubs national pairs tournaments.
"We have had our bad days, like in Invercargill when it didn't go above eight degrees for four days," Hurley said.
"We hopped off the plane from Christchurch after changing planes and pheew."
Ironically, Hurley and McDowell finished third in the Invercargill tourney four years ago for their best result.
Hurley is the president of the Waitomo Golf Club which will host the nationals in 2016 under the umbrella of the Otorohanga chartered clubs.
Next year it'll be played in Canterbury as it is staged in North and South Islands on alternate years.
"Otorohanga has glorious weather," he said with a laugh. "We don't normally get this much wind."
Hurley thanked the Bay club here for its superb organisation.
"A lot of people volunteer their time so it's great."
The Taradale Club No2 pairing of Robin Mohi and Allan Greeks are setting the pace today with Lyn Evans and Trevor Burnard, of South Wairarapa Club in second place and Heretaunga No1 team of Roger Spencer and Bernie Kent are third.
Hibernian RSA's Henry Heather and Laurie Lambert slipped from sixth to 29th place.
