Hitting Tricky Golf Shots with the Ball Above or Below Your Feet
Many golf courses are made and designed to incorporate rolling hills throughout the fairway. Although these shots can be difficult, if you know how to navigate the slopes, you can turn them from tricky to manageable. When finding yourself on an upward or downward slope with the ball above or below your feet, respectively, follow these alignment and swinging tips to hit your target.
Ball above your feet
When the ball rests above your feet it has a tendency to fly right to left because the ball plays closer to your body. To prevent this, grip up on the club and choose a lower loft to shorten the length of your club. Align your body to the right of the target and place the ball further back in your stance. With a slightly open clubface, prepare for a smooth and controlled swing to avoid losing your balance and compensate for the loss of distance.
Ball below your feet
With a tendency to move from left to right, aim left of your target when the ball rests below your feet. Rather than choking up on the club as you would when the ball is above your feet, hold the club normally but use a smooth and controlled swing. It’s also important to put the weight in your heels and maintain a deep knee bend to keep your balance throughout the swing.
Keep these tips in mind when hitting off a slope and always remember – ball above your feet, aim right, ball below your feet, aim left. If you’re hitting off a slope you might also need an extra set of eyes to keep you on target. TGW.com has a variety of Golf GPS systems featuring advanced technology to keep you positioned toward the pin with exact distances shot after shot, even for those tricky golf shots.
