Not every approach shot we play goes to plan and even if your ball finds the green, it can still roll off and leave you with a difficult following shot.
It doesn’t matter if you are playing on a par-3 and your ball finishes off the green or you have played you second shot on a par-4 or third shot on a par-5 and your ball finishes off the green. From this point onwards you are battling to save your par.
A common problem is when your ball finishes just short of the green and there is a downhill slope, away from the green which is more than happy to pull your ball away from the target.
When this happens, you are left with a short but very tough uphill shot to the green. Not only that but you have just one shot to get the ball into a position which will give you a good chance of making a par putt.
The first thing which should come into your mind at this point, is how you are going to get the ball close enough to the hole to ensure you make your putt. Getting the ball in the hole from here is an afterthought and you will be better off playing the percentage shot and getting it close to the hole without taking any unnecessary risks.
The question is, what club do you use from this position?
You have three main choices and they are the wedge, the putter and one many people do not consider, which is the hybrid club.
To use a wedge on a shot upslope shot to the green would be considered a risky play. You may get two out of ten attempts close to the hole but you will also find many attempts miss the green. If you are to try this shot, you should adopt a wide stance and stay low, with your hands back to prevent the club digging into the slope.
The putter is a safer option than using a wedge as you will have more control over the ball. The main danger with using the putter when attempting to save par on an upslope is leaving it short. This happens when you hit the putt into the ground (against the slope) and this kills any pace on the ball.
To stop this from happening, lean back a little and move the ball forward in your stance.
The final option is the hybrid club and this is the safest bet out of the three if played correctly. Due to the long shaft of the club, you should grip down and stand close to the ball.
Move your hands and weight forward slightly and focus on swinging with the shoulders. You will probably find making a nice, solid contact with the ball easier than using the wedge or putter and leave yourself with a better chance of making par.
Try practicing saving par on an upslope using the putter, wedge and hybrid and see what works best for you.
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