Master the downhill lie

Bryson DeChambeau dealing with the ball below his feet at the PGA Championship last week. — AFP

GOLF course designers like to set greens into slopes and they punish hot approach shots that get tangled on a bank – leaving a downhill chip.

In this case the downslope effectively delofts the clubface and promotes heavy contact. The pros say the key to thwarting both is the angle of attack. Hit down crisply on the ball with your most lofted wedge and you can get it to pop up softly.