Play The Ball Above Your Feet With Graeme McDowell

Play The Ball Above Your Feet With Graeme McDowell

By Graeme McDowell

Iron Play

20 June 2010 15:00

New US Open champion Graeme McDowell has just become the first European player to win the event in 40 years and he did so at the ultra-difficult Pebble Beach Golf Links where difficult lies are commonplace. Here he tells you how to play a shot with the ball above your feet:

This is a really tough shot. The slope is trying to push your weight back on to your heels so it’s really important to make a conscious effort to keep your weight on your toes, and to maintain this through impact. Remember, the ball is going to come out with some right-to-left movement on it, so make allowances for that.

Also, think about maintaining your height through impact, making sure that your head and your chest stay nice and tall; otherwise you’ll contact the ground too early.


I tend to keep my legs as quiet as I can on this shot, because I am conscious that balance is such an important issue.


I tend to grip the club an inch or two further down the shaft than I normally would. That way, with the ball above my feet, I feel half the job has already been done for me.