MODERATE CROSSWINDS WITH GUSTS ON LANDING PROVE TOO LARGE A HURDLE FOR LOW TIME PRIVATE PILOT.

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I WAS CLRED TO LAND STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 22. THE RPTED WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 160 DEGS AT 9 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 15 KTS. I HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH XWIND LNDGS AND FELT I COULD HANDLE IT; SO I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC. ON MY APCH; I BEGAN TO SET UP THE AIRPLANE FOR LNDG WITH 20 DEGS OF FLAPS AND 65 KTS IAS. I USED THE STANDARD CRAB METHOD FOR APCH WHILE I WAS ON FINAL. I ALSO TUNED IN AND TRACKED THE LOC FOR PRACTICE HOLDING A WIND CORRECTION. AS I BEGAN MY FLARE; I APPLIED L AILERON AND R RUDDER TO MAINTAIN MY DIRECTIONAL CTL. MY L MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN FIRST; FOLLOWED BY MY R MAIN. AFTER MY NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN I BEGAN TO APPLY MY BRAKES. AT THAT TIME; I ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST AND THE L WING BEGAN TO RISE AND I TRIED TO COUNTER IT WITH MORE L AILERON. AS THE WING WAS STILL HIGH; AND FEARING A GND LOOP; I APPLIED R RUDDER TO TRY AND LEVEL THE WINGS AND BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE R OF THE RWY. THE WINGS LEVELED OFF AND I BEGAN TO APPLY FIRM BRAKE PRESSURE BUT ROLLED INTO THE GRASS. I THEN RETRACTED MY FLAPS AND TAXIED ONTO THE RWY WHERE I PROCEEDED TO THE RAMP. A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE MAIN LNDG GEAR AND THE NOSEWHEEL SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE. I CALLED THE MONROE TWR AND INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I BELIEVE IT WAS AN UNWISE DECISION TO LAND ON RWY 22 WHEN I COULD HAVE JUST AS EASILY REQUESTED TO LAND ON RWY 18 (WHERE I NOTICED ACFT LNDG AND DEPARTING). I ALSO HAD ONLY 12 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND I WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT; SO NEEDLESS TO SAY; I WAS A BIT LIGHTER THAN I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO. I WAS WRONG TO ASSUME THAT I COULD HANDLE SUCH GUSTY CONDITIONS AND ON MY ROLLOUT WAS A BAD TIME TO REALIZE I COULD USE MORE PRACTICE. I WOULD ADVISE LOW TIME PLTS TO PRACTICE IN A LIGHT XWIND WITH LITTLE OR NO GUSTS (WITH AN INSTRUCTOR) TO DEVELOP THE PROPER TECHNIQUE AND CTL INPUTS THROUGHOUT THE LNDG AND TKOF. I AM NOW SETTING PERSONAL LIMITS ON THE XWIND COMPONENT FOR MY AIRPLANE AND NOT JUST THE MAX IN THE POH.