SIDE SLOPE TEST
When we first start to play golf, we quickly notice how rarely we get a flat stance; the ball is often above or below the level of our feet. Side slopes add a new complication to finding the centre of the face, something the level bays of the range hardly prepare us for. But here is an exercise that is fun to try while training your ability to find a solid strike at varying ball heights. Give it a go.
Low, mid, high
Use your 7-iron for this exercise. Find three balls and three tee pegs. Place the ball nearest you on a low tee, almost as if the ball is on the turf. Tee the third, highest ball up as you would for a driver, and tee the middle ball up to a height directly between the two.
Three strikes
Simplicity itself, this Challenge asks you to strike each ball in turn; you’re just trying to make solid contact each time. Start with the lowest, closest ball and move up the line. The changing ball heights effectively mimic different sideslopes, presenting you with a slightly altered challenge each time. What adjustments do you need to make to find the sweetspot at each height?
LIKE THE REAL THING
Hit several groups of three balls, monitoring your success. Is one height particularly strong or weak? As you repeat the Challenge, can you feel the strikes improving and your skill levels rising? Even a few goes at this Challenge will improve your ability to deal with those ball-abovefeet lies out on the course. If you start to get good at this, mix up the ball heights – perhaps high, low, mid – and try it again.