The Downhill Chip In Golf

When playing from any kind of sloping lie, either on the fairway or around the green, you should set up with your shoulders parallel to the ground.

That way you effectively recreate a flat lie, which will enable you to play the shot using only a slightly adapted version of the normal swing. Another secret is knowing how the slope will affect the flight of the ball. The downhill chip is very tricky as the ball shoots off the club face low and fast.

Technique for the downhill chip

1. When you set your shoulders parallel to the ground on a down slope, your weight will automatically fall on to the front foot. This is not a problem, but you should widen your stance a fraction to provide extra stability.

You will also need to play the ball a little further forward to compensate for the fact that your weight is on the left side. In addition, you may want to lower the grip by about one inch or so to get more control over the shot.

2. To avoid swinging straight back into the slope, you will probably have to break your wrists a little earlier than normal. Keeping your weight on the left side, swing the club away with your arms. This action will feel as though you are picking the club up steeply in the backswing with your wrists.

3. The club head should stay as low to the ground as possible in the down swing. You should feel as though you are reaching down for the ball with your arms extended. The club head should trace the contours of the slope and slide under the ball.

4. To guard against trying to scoop the ball into the air, keep the club head low to the ground well into the follow through. Try to have the arms extended for as long as possible to ensure that the club head slides underneath the ball and follows the contours of the ground.