4 Keys to Successful Pitching from a Downslope

Today, golf courses are being made to be more challenging. The use of slopes is much more popular providing golfers with a challenge they need to overcome. Pitching on level ground tends to be challenging to a large number of golfers, however pitching down slope is even harder given the lie of the ball. When pitching downslope, golfers need to be careful not to over hit the ball, strike the ground on the backswing or any other distinct challenges.

Below we will look at some of the tips golfers can use to have a better time pitching downslope for improved gameplay.

Set-up

The slope makes your set up change slightly as it as the ground is not level. To assume the appropriate stance, make sure that your shoulders are parallel to the ground. This also means that the backbone is perpendicular to the ground as well. This will produce a similar swing as if you were positioned on level ground.

Your weight should be on your left foot (the front foot for right handed players).by doing this you will notice that your shoulders will automatically align parallel to the ground making the stance more natural.

The Backswing

When pitching downslope, your backswing tends to be quite important. For uneven slopes, make sure that you hinge your wrists more to avoid any contact with the ground on the backswing. By avoiding the contact on the backswing you will avoid it on the down swing as well.

While you do this, remember not to shift your body’s initial alignment in any way.

The Downswing

When making the downswing, try as much as you can to let your hands trace the slope. This will help you hit the ball squarely and maintain the initial alignment. Failure to do this would cause you to assume an upright stance and hitting the ball wrongly.

Chasing the Ball

Remember that the downslope works to de-loft the club; this means that you will have to take steps to adjust for this. It is recommended that you focus on making contact with the ball at the bottom and then following it through in a chasing motion with the club for the best contact. This will work to reduce the neutralizing effect of the slope on the loft of the clubs.

It is important to note that once you learn the basic of downslope pitching, you can use the same knowledge on the green as well as in the sand around bunkers.