There are many shots available to golfers around the green. This is perhaps the one area of the course which allows for the most creativity. If you fail to find the green on your approach shot, you may be left with a short chip to the putting surface.
The ball could be in many positions off the green but if you find yourself on a mound, perhaps at the back of the green, you will be left with a downhill chip shot.
The downhill chip shot can look daunting due to the fact everything is sloping away from you and it seems the best bet would be to try and eliminate the slope completely. The temptation will be to try and help the ball into the air but you must try and resist.
The key to play a good downhill chip shot is to work with the slope, not against it.
When setting up to play the shot, try and get your shoulders and hips into a position so they match the slope towards the green. They need to be as parallel to the ground as possible but if you find yourself on a very steep slope, this is not always going to be easy and you should only go as far as you can without losing your balance.
Set the face of the club so it is square to the target at address and if you want to send the ball on a low trajectory, lean the shaft forwards but if you want to send the ball higher, lean the shaft back a little.
How you set up the club will depend on what you have in-front of you and where you would like the ball to bounce.
On the backswing, hinge the wrists so the clubhead remains in line with your leading forearm and do not move your legs or hips. In addition, keep the head still and try not to move it back during the swing.
During the downswing, think about keeping the swing along the line of your stance and with the slope. As the sternum begins to turn, allow it to lead the shot and let the hands and club follow through.
When on a slope, it is easy to allow the lower body to begin leading the shot but this is what you want to try and avoid. Keep the lower body out of the shot and only allow the sternum to turn and finish to the left (for right handed players) or to the right (for left handed players) of the target.
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