Trouble Shots – Part IV
Have you ever wondered why you can’t take your good swing on the practise range and apply it on the golf course?
In previous articles we have discussed some of the reasons why this occurs but there could be one very simple reason above all others.
On the driving range you are usually playing on a flat surface (either grass or a mat), which is aligned, in accordance with your target.
There are two things that happen here, firstly subconsciously you align your self with the mat and this ‘assistance’ you do not have on the course.
You should also note that on the course you will tend to align yourself with the tee on which you are standing so check carefully when you walk on the teeing ground that it is actually aligned with your target line on the fairway or green.
The second thing to recall is that on very few a occasions on the golf course will you have a flat lie to play from.
You need to understand how these different lies impact upon the shot to be played and below are a few quick tips to assist you with these eventualities.
Downhill lie
The ball will generally fly lower and further than normal and so you can use one club less for the shot.
Always keep your body perpendicular to the slope and keep your weight a little more on your back foot because as you swing and follow through you will tend to fall down the hill as your weight transfers through the ball.
In general because of this the ball tends to fly with more left to right spin and fade if anything so allow for this in your alignment by aiming a little to the left.
Uphill lie
The ball will generally fly higher and shorter than normal and so you can use one club more for the shot.
Always keep your body perpendicular to the slope and keep your weight a little more on your front foot because as you swing and follow through you will tend to fall back down the hill and it is difficult to transfer your weight through the ball.
In general because of this the ball tends to fly with more right to left spin and hook if anything so allow for this in your alignment by aiming a little to the right.
Ball above the feet
You will find circumstances on the golf course where your ball is positioned higher than your feet.
From this position the ball will usually fly with a right to left hook spin and so allow for this by aiming a little to the right of your target.
To reduce the impact of this difficult ball position you should also go down the grip slightly and move your weight more onto your toes to restrict the amount that you fall backwards down the hill as you transfer your weight through the ball.
Ball below the feet
Conversely there will be times when the ball is positioned lower than your feet.
From this position the ball will usually fly with a left to right slice spin and so allow for this by aiming a little to the left of your target.
To reduce the impact of this ball position you should also go up the grip slightly and move your weight more onto your heels to restrict the amount that you fall forward down the hill as you transfer your weight through the ball.
Obviously there will be occasions where you have a combination of cross hill, down hill and uphill shots but by practising these techniques you will be able to determine the amount of allowance and adjustment that you have to make for your swing to operate in these circumstances.
Practise does make perfect here but just by understanding how the ball will react in these circumstances and how you can tackle the shots will provide you with extra confidence and will restrict the impact on your golf score and how you think.