This article was machine-translated from the Korean original. Read the Korean original
I placed the ball nicely on the fairway, but it's on a slope. I hit it like usual and dipped the ball.
Or, conversely, just hit the ball and it rolls away.
It’s not because of a bad swing. The cause is that I hit the ball as if it were flat ground when the ground beneath my feet was tilted.
There are only four types of slopes, and each has a specific task assigned to it.
01There are only four slopes.
| slope | What kind of situation | The direction the ball goes |
|---|---|---|
| ascent | The goal is above the feet | Flying high and shortening |
| Downhill | The goal is below the feet | Low-lying and elongated |
| The ball is higher than the foot | Left foot is low | Turn left |
| The ball is lower than the foot | The left foot is high | Turn to the right |
Memorizing just this chart will solve half the problem. If you know where the ball is going, you just need to aim while avoiding that direction.
02Hold the club longer on uphill slopes.
On uphill slopes, the ball flies higher and shorter. This is because the slope increases the loft.
It's a 7-iron, but it flies like an 8-iron.
- One club longIf it's 7 times in 150 meters, it's 6 times on the uphill.
- Adjust your weight to the inclineShift slightly more weight to your right foot (back) and align your shoulders with the slope.
- Look to the right of the goalIt usually turns to the left on uphill slopes.
The most common mistake is standing as if on flat ground. If you stand vertically on a slope...
The club digs into the hill first. If you align your shoulder line with the slope, it naturally sweeps over.
03The downhill part is the hardest.
To be honest, the downhill is the hardest of the four. Don't try to hit it well here.
On a downhill, the ball stays low and travels far. And it usually drifts to the right.
- One club shorterSince it goes further, use a shorter club
- Toward the right footthe ball is also positioned back
- Follow it all the way down.Whenever I stand up, I hit a top ball without fail.
When hitting a downhill, if you lift your body out of fear of hitting behind the ball, you hit the top of the ball (top ball).
Instead, send the club down the slope with the thought of hitting a little behind.
If that doesn't work well, gripping the club one club shorter and letting it roll is also an option.
Even if you don't get the ball on the green, the next shot becomes easier.
04If the ball is higher than your feet, go to the left.
If the ball is higher than your feet, the swing naturally becomes flatter, causing the ball to hook to the left.
- Grip the club shorter. As you get closer to the ball, shorten the club as well.
- Aim to the right of the target. Because you know it's going to the left.
- Don't hit it hard. Balance comes first.
05If the ball is lower than your feet, go to the right.
It's the opposite. If the ball is lower than your feet, you have to bend your body more, and the ball will be pushed to the right.
- Bend your knees a little more. If you only bend at the waist, your body will straighten up during the swing.
- Aim to the left of the target.
- Even in this case, it is safer to hold the club one club longer.
06One thing that applies to all four
There is one thing that everyone observes on the slope.
- Reduce the swingOnly 80% of your normal backswing. Balance comes first on a slope.
- Spread your feet wide.If you stand slightly wider than shoulder width, it shakes less.
- Stand still and feel the ground beneath your feet.Check which foot is bearing the weight before hitting.
A full swing on a slope almost always results in failure. It is much better to hit at 80% while maintaining your balance.
07If it is still difficult
If the slope is steep, not aiming for the green is also an option.
If you lay up on a flat spot and hit the next shot comfortably, you will end up with a lower score.
If you force your way to the green and end up in a bunker or rough, you end up spending two extra strokes.
That is why the story about the bunker, which will be covered in [[LINK:L05]], comes up.
In the next part, I will cover where to aim on a windy day.
