When the ball is close to the green you can be left with a variety of lies and shots to play. If you are on the fairway, it is flat and you are approaching a green with very little undulation, you can play the shot with confidence.
However, we all know this is rarely the case and the circumstances for a chip shot are never that straightforward. Today we are going to look at playing uphill chip shots and what you can do to master this shot.
One of the most common mistakes beginner golfers make when faced with an uphill chip shot is to fight against the slope. This means leaning the body into the slope and placing the majority of your weight on your front foot.
The second temptation is to try and scoop the ball and this often leads to poorly timed shots. The hill itself will provide plenty of lift so you do not need to worry about trying to generate your own. Scooping the ball is the last thing you want to do when playing uphill chip shots.
So, what are the things you should do when playing an uphill chip shot?
Firstly, try taking one more club than you would from the position you are in if the ground was level. If you would use a lob wedge when playing from this position on a flat surface, take a sand wedge instead for example. As mentioned above, the slope will add loft so you do not need to take the loftiest club in the bag.
Do not be tempted to play the ball in the back of your stance. This will promote a scope shot. Play the ball between the centre of your stance and front heel to avoid the temptation of scooping the ball.
Finally, lean away from the hole so the bulk of your weight is on your back foot, not the front foot. At set-up, you hands should be just ahead of your belt buckle.
As you contact the ball, think about the position of your hands and the clubhead. You want to try and keep the shaft leaning forward and your hands and clubhead low. Doing this will prevent you from leaving the ball short, which is often the outcome when playing an uphill chip shot.
Having much of your weight on the back foot may seem a little strange at first when playing uphill chip shots but you will soon get used to it. Stick with it and when you see the results, you will be very happy.
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