Hitting uphill or downhill shots
If you want to be able to post a good score at RedTail Landing or any other course that has undulation as a ‘defense’, you need to know how to hit it well from hills and valleys. When hitting shots from ‘uphill or downhill’ lies, it is important to first match your shoulders to the slope and then take a slightly wider stance to help maintain your balance during the swing. For a shot on an uphill lie, you will need to adjust your shoulders (and spine angle) to allow the club head to follow through past impact and not get ‘stuck in the ground’ at the ball. When you tilt your shoulders and spine back, take a practice swing to confirm your balance and where the club is hitting the ground (needed to confirm correct ball position for the shot). This adjustment will mean that your shot will launch higher with the addition of the slope to the loft of the club, and you may have to take a less lofted club and choke down a little on the grip to control the trajectory and distance. For a shot on a downhill lie, adjusting your shoulder and spine angle forward to match the slope will keep you from hitting the ground behind the ball as you swing, but be aware that this shot will launch at a lower trajectory and have more roll out when choosing your club and your target. The big key for these shots is to maintain your ‘balance’ as much as possible so don’t be afraid to ‘club up’ and take an easier swing.
See you in the ‘flat stuff’, Dave Lengyel
