Striking From A Downhill Slope: 7 Secrets From Professional Golfers
If you know anything about hitting uphill lies, then hitting downhill is most of those techniques done the opposite way. Here are the seven checks each professional makes when hitting a downhill lie.
- Keep shoulders parallel with the declining hill
- Stand further back from the ball at address
- Stand with the ball forward from the centre
- Widen your feet according to the decline of the hill
- Aim left of your target
- Keep your body weight on the left foot
- Use the correct club to accommodate for the low shot
It feels a bit awkward, but stand in such a way that your shoulders run parallel to the angle of the slope. Use your club to gauge this, because the better positioned your shoulders are, the more accurate your shot will be.
It’s best to stand a bit further from the ball in your stance. You want more control of the shot and a bit of distance will give you that.
Stand slightly behind the ball at address. This is one area where hitting an uphill lie and a downhill lie are the same. Each instance will require you to have better eye control of the ball.
How far apart your feet are at address should be relative to how steep the hill is. The steeper the hill, the less balance you will have. Standing with your feet further apart will lend you that needed balance.
When hitting downhill, the ball will usually swerve slightly to the right. For this reason, aim about ten degrees to the left of your target. You’ll soon see how the ball ends up landing exactly where you wanted it.
Weight distribution will remain unchanged throughout the entire swing. Start with your weight on the left foot. As you make the swing, keep it there. The only thing that will change is that your right heel will lift, ending the swing with your toes pressed against the ground.
Downhill shots will travel lower and therefore further than normal. If the shot is being made from high up on a hill, use a club that is two numbers higher than the one you would normally use to reach the same distance. If the downhill slope you’re playing off is the only one you need to clear, then use a club that’s one higher than normal to accommodate for the distance the ball will travel.
