Ball above your feet

[TigerBear]

Most videos on YouTube give the same advice, weight on toes, flatten swing, aim right, etc.

Struggling to see any consistent tips on ball position.

Should it be more centre of your stance? One article saying even "back in your stance slightly"?

 

[ScienceBoy]

One thing that must be mentioned, temper expectations...

Off any significant slope the margin for error is reduced so ensure you select your shot appropriately.

 

[clubchamp98]

Depends on your stance!
A few practice swings on the hill will determine the low point of your swing .
That’s where the ball should be.
Aim right and just try get all the ball.
Then pray.

 

[SatchFan]

My course is very hilly so I am used to both ball above and below my feet. As a rule of thumb I just try to make a balanced swing and generally expect above the feet to go left and below to the right.

 

[SatchFan]

Do you make any adjustments?
Maybe without even thinking about it?

The best I can come up with (now that you're making me think about it!) is ball above the feet and I tend to have the weight a bit more on my heels and lean very slightly into the slope and vice versa for ball below. I'm no Cat 1 quality ball striker but hit it reasonably well and having played the course for nearly 50 years it's become second nature. These days I have more trouble walking up slopes than playing off them.

 

[Curls]

I don’t necessarily subscribe to the “aim right cos it'll hook” strategy though. Particularly if that’s the “can’t miss“ side.

Ball above your feet, you aim right, you’re now going uphill as well as across. The tendency is to open the club face to present the sole of the club parallel to the ground. You’ve probably not got anywhere near enough club now. Very easy to plough straight through it sending it straight right.

Yes in theory you will swing flat around yourself creating draw spin, but how many are strong and flexible enough to make that kind of turn without losing balance?

The best advice above is lower your expectations. To that I’d add don’t aim at trouble expecting to shape the ball away from it. If I practice this shot it’s trying to fly the ball as straight as possible, you’ll lose loads of distance but just take more club and punt it towards safety rather than trying to loop one at the pin. Even if you could, would it stop? You are not in birdie position, make the par probable and take the double bogey out of play.

 

[TigerBear]

I'll add a bit of theory.

The ball will be higher so grip down a bit to try and swing the same. If you don't, you'll be making a flatter swing and who can control that as a one off?

So then you're gripping down, maybe you'll need an extra club.

Even gripping down, the shaft angle will possibly be closer to the horizontal, therefore making the clubface aim left of the target, that's why they say aim right to allow for that. Alternatively, you might already know this from practice and maybe prefer to hold the clubface through impact to stop it going left.

Add in, as Clubchamp says, the low point might change, then you might need to put the ball position back a bit.

So, the theory is out there, but there's plenty of variables, hence the only real way of learning is by practicing and finding what works for you.

Nice one cheers

Low point makes sense, and no hard and fast rule with ball position.

A lot of consistency in advice with respect to aiming more right the higher loft you have in your hand.

Also good video by Mark Crossfield basically saying that your natural shot shape is a factor to consider.

 

[TigerBear]

The higher the loft, the more the face will aim left as the shaft gets closer to the horizontal.

Another reason to grip down and hit more club with less loft, it will often be easier to hit straighter. ?

Not easy if you can only hit off flat mats at a range, but hitting just a handful of practice shots off sidehill lies will immediately help to get a feel for it.

Definitely, that's the range done for me for now. Rarely do you get a lovely perfectly flat lie while out on the course.

Ball below/above feet, upslope and downslope lies, these are what I really need to start practicing!