It is advisable to leave the ball below the hole when playing a shot to the green. Whether you are playing an approach from 100 yards or chipping from a few yards away from the green, you want to try and leave the ball below the cup.
However, being below the hole is not always ideal and sometimes you can be left with an uphill putt which can cause problems for some players.
If you are having issues with playing uphill putts, there could be a simple explanation, regardless of whether the putt is straight or has a break. You could be hitting the ball too hard.
When faced with an uphill there is a tendency for beginner golfers to believe they must hit the ball harder to get it up the hill and into or close to the hole. Gripping the putter more tightly and whacking the face of the putter into the ball is not going to help and will lead to an erratic shot.
The ball could stop very short of the hole this time and the second time it could race by the hole, either way you have not produced the desired result. What you need to get your ball up the hill and close to the target is more ball speed.
To achieve more ball speed in your putt you can begin by widening your stance a little and making a longer stroke. Remember, this is a longer stroke, not a harder stroke. If you simply lengthen your swing but keep the pace at which you swing the club the same, you will be surprised by how much further the ball will travel on the green.
The putting stroke should be smooth and if you take a little longer to hit the ball, it doesn’t matter, there is no rush. Take your time and lengthen the swing, you do not need to hit the ball quickly.
Knowing the extra distance you can produce when lengthening the swing can take a little time to get used to and it best to practice on the putting green. Try some uphill shots with a longer swing and see the difference.
Think about how much you are lengthening the swing to get the ball up the hill smoothly and perhaps most importantly, consistently. If you are hitting the ball uphill and getting it to stop but the hole consistently, this is a good sign your are lengthening your swing and not trying to hit the ball harder.
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