How to play a shot with the golf ball above your feet and the secret for success?
Being on the fairway does not guarantee the shot you will play next will be on a flat lie. Some of the best golf courses within the region; Hindhead G.C, Hankley Common and Farnham Sands G.C. are good examples of great golf courses with undulations that have developed over time. These undulations could result in the ball position being almost waist height and sometimes higher.
There are three set-up adjustments and two swing adjustments.
Photograph 1 displays the golf club being shortened. The normal position for the left hand is about ½ inch lower from butt of the grip. For this shot you need to grip it at least 2 inches from the butt and this in effectively shortens the club.
Photograph 2 displays the correct posture and ball position. The posture will feel very upright depending on the severity of the slope. With any slope balance is crucial and finding your balance and maintaining your balance is more important than how you think you might look! The ball position should be in the middle of your stance.
Photograph 3 displays the correct length back swing. Nearly every shot that involves a slope must have a short back swing. Taking a short back swing ideally waist height will give a more balanced swing.
Photograph 4 displays the correct length follow through. Any slope restricts the follow through. An extended follow through in the swing will push your weight back on your heels and gravity will move you backwards down the slope. Not good!!!
With any difficult ball position club selection has to be managed. What I mean by managed is that many club/social golfers can hit the ball very well but do not produce the score that they are capable of due to bad decisions. For example if you have 180 yards to go and the ball position is about knee height. What club do you think you should? Your favourite 7 wood or the get me out of jail rescue wood?
The Secret
That was a trick question! It would be foolish to choose your rescue or 7 wood and making club selection choices like that means you could be the golfer that isn’t realising his or her potential. The golf ball above your feet FLATTENS YOUR SWING! TAKING A LONG CLUB WILL MORE THAN LIKELY PRODUCE A STEEP DOWN SWING AND YOU WILL HIT BEHIND THE GOLF BALL!!!
THE SECRET IS TO TRY AND CREATE A BASE BALL STYLE BACKSWING. THIS WILL HELP FLATTEN THE PLANE OF YOUR SWING.
Having made all the above adjustments you must try and create a rounded swing that will feel like a base ball swing. As I have already mentioned the slope will flatten your plane and all the adjustments will help create that plane but most amateurs become to ambitious and striking a foot behind the ball is not uncommon with no adjustments and a poor concept of the swing.
The correct club to select for this shot is a 8 or 7 iron. The shot will go about 80 – 100 yards and by taking that sensible course management decision you will still be competing!!!!!!