Uneven Terrain will Make or Break You

Last week we listed solutions to improve your GIR (hitting more Greens in Regulation). We ended with the problem of hitting off uneven terrain. Most golf courses are setup with undulating greens and the same problem with the fairways. If you can “read” a green, you can learn how to attack the fairways when you setup next to your ball.

Last winter I ended many days (at the cocktail hour) sitting on our Lani overlooking the dogleg on a fairway which allowed me to view many golfer from behind their target line.  I could see the direction of their stance and the height of the ball above or below their feet (when they stood on a side hill lie). For most of the golfers, I was able to predict where the ball was going to fly. They would line themselves up with the green but the uneven ground forced their shots to fly left or right depending on the level of the land. It was almost hysterical to see the antics of each frustrated golfer after their perfect shots flew anywhere but on the green.

Fairways are rarely level. Using your foot wedge is not legal so you really need to adjust for the height difference from your feet to your ball

Fairways are rarely level. Using your foot wedge is not legal so you really need to adjust for the height difference from the level of your feet to your ball.

You may think that you can just drop your shoulders or stand taller or lean over to compensate for the ground height difference. Unfortunately it does not work that way. All of your practice is completed with swings on level ground so your swing is perfected for level ground hitting.  When your ball is below the level of your feet the ball will naturally slice to the right. When your ball is above your feet, you will naturally pull it to the left. (and in the opposite directions for left handed players) If you compensate by leaning forward or backward, you will most likely change your spine angle as you swing with a poor result.

Our brains are setup to balance our bodies in the upright position with equal pressure on the ball and heel of our feet. Some professionals recommend chipping and pitching with more pressure on the balls of your feet but most shots require a balance of pressure across the foot when you setup.

If your ball is above your feet, grip lower on your club to compensate for the loss in distance to the ground. Use a lower lofted club to compensate for distance you will lose as you shorten the grip on your club. A side hill lie above your feet will also force your ball to pull left (for right handed golfers), so you need to compensate by aiming to the right depending on the steepness of the hill.

If your ball is below your feet, you can bend your knees more or spread out your stance and again you should use a lower lofted club to compensate for the loss in distance as you will be losing power in your swing. [NEVER swing harder on a side hill lie as your brain will not cope well with your strange stance.]

Your Practice Swing Will Confirm Your Adjustment
To ensure that you have changed your grip or leg position sufficiently, you must take a practice swing at the tempo that you plan to use when hitting the ball. Your body is still upright but if your club is not short or long enough to connect properly with the ball, you will top the ball or hit it fat. FOR EXAMPLE: If you dig into the ground with your practice swing, just shorten your grip further down the shaft and try the practice swing again to test your clearance from the ground. [NEVER RUSH your swing on a side hill lie.]

Who said that golf was easy?  The hilly terrain was added to make this a challenging sport.  Practice with GOLFSTR+  for every swing in your game. Buy one today on our website: www.golfstr.com

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