How To Approach Down Slopes On Any Golf Course

In some of my golf suggestions I tell the story about playing a course which had severe fairway undulations. I could see where the course would be discouraging for recreational golfers. I seldom had a flat lie on the course. Actually, it was so hilly, I was nearly always hitting from some type of slope. More frequently than not, I was hitting down hill.

If you’ve ever played a course like this and you probably have you know how tricky hitting from a downhill lie could be. Its particularly challenging for recreational golfers, who're sometimes intimidated by a downhill slope and/or have small experience hitting from this type of lie. The resulting effort isn’t pretty and does absolutely nothing to lower the players golf handicap.

Hitting from a downhill slope is primarily a matter of making the right adjustments. I cover these in my golf lessons and golf tips but, clearly, there’s nothing like hitting from a down hill slope to learn how you can do it.

Here are the 4 adjustments I suggest:

Tailor set-up for slope
Position ball back in stance
Swing with the slope
Chase ball down the slope

Maintain two things in mind when faced with a downhill lie: (1) a shot from a down slope tends to fade correct and (2) the slope impacts the clubs loft.

The tendency to fade is really a by-product of the slope. There’s little you are able to do about it. Even if you hit the ball perfectly, it will have a tendency to fade correct, so learn to deal with it as best you can, as I emphasize in my golf lessons.

Club loft is different. You are able to deal with it effortlessly enough. On a steep slope, hitting a 7-iron becomes much more like hitting a 5-iron, necessitating an adjustment in club selection depending on how far you're from the green. How much of an adjustment is hard to say. And golf instruction sessions don’t help, either. Only private experience can tell you just just how much to make.

Also, tailor your set as much as the slope. That means making certain your spine is perpendicular to the slope and your weight in your front foot, a weight distribution you must maintain throughout the backswing. As a result, your shoulders will tilt downward to match the lie of the land. These changes make sure clean contact with the ball, positioned toward the back of the stance.

An additional issue with downhill lies is trajectory. To generate height, hit down and using the slope, as if you’re chasing the ball downhill. Chase it for as long as feasible by forcing your right shoulder to follow the ball to the target.

Also, don’t let the transfer of weight get out of control at impact. Remain as balanced as feasible, finishing the swing with a nice, smooth follow-through. Clearing your left hip as you swing down and via the ball assists with the follow-through.

These changes in your set-up and swing, as I point out in my golf lessons, nearly mirror those needed for uphill lies.

With uphill lies, the weight is on the back foot, the ball is positioned forward in the stance, and also the tendency would be to pull the ball left, which is caused by a golfer’s hands obtaining overactive via impact. Also, concentrate on generating a wide takeaway. This change counteracts the tendency to narrow your backswing, which frequently happens on an uphill lie.

Regardless of whether uphill or downhill, you need to control weight transfer and you must swing down and with the slope. You also should control your head, keeping it behind the ball at the point of impact.

If you make the changes I recommend in this golf tip the subsequent time you play a hilly course, you’ll discover your self hitting better shots from a sloped fairway. You’ll also discover your self developing increasingly more confidence playing a hilly course and confidence by no means hurt anyone’s golf handicap.

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The Author has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. Come visit his Golf website over at kpgolfpro.com which helps people with their golfing problems. Find the best Correcting A Slice tips to help with lowering your golf scores.

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