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what does playing the ball down in golf mean

by Rae Barrows Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Playing the ball down is the final addition to our terms of match play golf. The saying playing the ball down means you cannot do anything to change it’s lie in order to benefit you or your team. This means if it is in a divot you must shoot from that divot. The term play the ball down is the opposite of playing the ball up.

Playing it “Up” or “Down” – Playing the ball down means that you have to hit your shot no matter what the lie is. In certain situations golfers are allowed to play the ball “up” meaning they can improve the lie. Sometimes if there is inclement weather such as rain it makes sense to play it up.

Full Answer

What does it mean to play the golf ball “up” or “down”?

Playing it “Up” or “Down” – Playing the ball down means that you have to hit your shot no matter what the lie is. In certain situations golfers are allowed to play the ball “up” meaning they can improve the lie.

How do you get up and down in golf?

To get ‘up and down’ in golf requires a player to put the ball into the hole in 2 strokes or less from anywhere their ball is resting around the green. The first stroke, a ‘chip’ or ‘bunker’ shot, will get the ball ‘up’ onto the green and the following putt will put the ball ‘down’ into the hole.

Should you hit the ball up or down in golf?

In golf, as we want the ball to go up, our natural instinct is to hit it such that the club lifts the ball. Despite the apparent logic of this, it doesn’t work well as clubs are not designed for such an upward impact. This is a part of the initial confusion among new golf players when they think about hitting down on the ball.

How to hit a fade or draw in golf?

This is true for all kinds of golf shots including fades and draws. Whether you want the ball to go straight in the air or curve towards your target, the correct method to do this is hit down on the ball. The harder you hit, the higher and further will the ball fly.

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What does playing up and down mean in golf?

The term up and down in golf means to get up on the green and then getting the subsequent putt down into the hole from wherever the ball is currently lying on the course by taking only a single shot for each part of this equation.

What does put the ball down mean?

: to score by putting the ball on the ground behind an opponent's goal line.

What is the difference between scrambling and up and down?

This is different from scrambling, which has a clear definition: The percent of time a player misses the green in regulation, but still makes par or better. An up an down doesn't have the requirement that the player has to make par or better, making it a stat that captures more successful occurrences.

What does swing down on the ball mean?

4:386:40GOLF - HOW TO HIT DOWN ON THE BALL - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOpen those things allow me to deliver the handle forwards. Hit the ball. And then the ground. But.MoreOpen those things allow me to deliver the handle forwards. Hit the ball. And then the ground. But. We do it with a good neutral Club path. So let's go ahead and hit this one.

What are golf terms and their meanings?

Golf Terms and Definitions. Ace - A hole in one. Address - the final position taken by a golfer just before the swing. Adjusted Gross Score - Your score after you apply your handicap stroke allowance. Alternate Shot - Another twist of stoke play.

What does up and down?

The definition of up-and-down is a person or thing that goes upward and then downward. An example of up-and-down is the direction an elevator goes. An example of up-and-down is a person who changes quickly from happy to sad. An example of up-and-down is a person standing straight.

What percentage do pros get up and down?

PGA Tour “Up and Down” or “Scrambling” Percentage Here is the year 2019 for the PGA Tour, which shows that the average tour player got up and down 59% of the time.

Is a sand save an up and down?

Typically, an up-and-down from a bunker is considered a sand save -- also known as a "sandie" or "sandy" -- when those two strokes mean a player scores a par as a result. However, golfers often say they have made a sandy or sandie when they have scored better than par.

What does sand save mean in golf?

A sand save in golf is defined as: “The percent of time it takes a player to get the ball 'up and down' from a greenside bunker, regardless of score”.

How do you swing down on a golf ball?

5:208:40HOW TO HIT DOWN ON THE GOLF BALL - GOLF LESSON - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere's my point that I want to reference wait on the lead. So I grip is lower at this point fromMoreThere's my point that I want to reference wait on the lead. So I grip is lower at this point from there I can really start to focus on the ground after the ball as.

Should I be hitting down on the golf ball?

Now, while this may sound ok, we have found that this can actually be harmful to your golf swing. When golfers try to “hit down” on the golf ball it can cause even more ball striking problems and this really does go to show that how you visualize, think and the words that you use, have a huge impact on how you swing.

Should you choke down on golf clubs?

Choking down lightens the club's swing weight and effectively makes the shaft stiffer.” Sadly, Anthony Kim has seemingly left the game forever but Trevino is right about how gripping down affects the club. Choking up does change the weight and makes the club shorter and slightly stiffer.

What is the ball position in golf?

BALL POSITION IN RELATION TO YOUR STANCE. Ball position will also play a big roll in the ball’s launch angle. If you are a right handed golfer, the ball’s launch angle will be lower if you proceed to place the ball further back, which means to slide the ball position closer to your right foot. The opposite will be correct for a left handed golfer.

How to play golf in the wind?

Here are a few fundamentals for playing in the wind: 1 Ball position will also play a big roll in the ball’s launch angle. If you are a right handed golfer, the ball’s launch angle will be lower if you proceed to place the ball further back, which means to slide the ball position closer to your right foot. The opposite will be correct for a left handed golfer. 2 Understanding the three factors mentioned above will now lead you to set up and execute lower shots. PROCEDURE

What makes a ball go higher?

High Spin Rate or more swing speed makes the ball go high. Less spin or less swing speed makes the ball go lower. Shallow Plane of Attack (or Flatter swing) will normally make the ball go higher. Steeper Plane of Attack (or Steep Swing) will normally makes the ball go lower.

How to get lower ball flight?

When looking for a lower ball flight you must try to steep-n-out your golf swing. This means that you will swing more on a vertical path to the golf ball. One simple way to help you achieve steeping your swing is by placing your weight more on your lead leg (left leg for right handed golfer, right leg for left handed golfer).

What is follow thru in golf?

Also, something that is normally overlooked is making and abbreviated follow thru. This will help in not putting too much speed on the golf ball and will normally help you to keep your hands in from of the ball (deloft the club) when you strike the golf ball. The first swing recommendation, once you have the proper set up, ...

How to know how much to club up to hit it low?

The only way to learn how much to club up to hit it low is up to you, you must develop a feel of how much the wind will affect your golf ball, not only distance wise but side wise as well.

What does "up and down" mean in golf?

An ‘up and down’ measures a player’s ability to get the ball into the hole in 2 strokes from around the green. ‘Around the green’ is however not a defined term itself but practically means anywhere within 30 yards of the hole. So if your ball lands anywhere within 30 yards of the hole, but not on the green, and you subsequently get ...

How far does a golf ball go up and down?

So if your ball lands anywhere within 30 yards of the hole, but not on the green, and you subsequently get the ball into the hole in 2 strokes or less you will be said to have got ‘up and down’. This is slightly different to ‘scrambling’ which has a set definition.

What is an up and down PGA?

An ‘up and down’ itself does not have the requirement that the player has to make par or better which ‘scrambling’ does. ‘Sand saves’ are another specific type of ‘up and down’. This is defined as follows by the European and PGA Tours: “The percentage (%) of time a player was able to get ‘up and down’ once in a greenside bunker ...

Why is it important to hit a poor short game?

But the impact of a poor short game is more critical simply because there are less chances to make up it. After a poor chip you will probably only have one more chance with your next putt to make amends. Hit a poor putt and your chances of recovering are the lowest of all the shots you will play.

What is the best shot in golf?

The best shot in golf is unofficially named a ‘condor’. It might also be called a ‘triple eagle’. It is an extremely rare, almost impossible, score on an individual hole of 4 under par. As of 2012 only four accepted condors had been recorded all involving a hole in one on a par 5 hole.

What is the first stroke of a golf shot?

The first stroke, a ‘chip’ or ‘bunker’ shot, will get the ball ‘up’ onto the green and the following putt will put the ball ‘down’ into the hole. As with a lot of things in golf though, once you learn one term you will find there are another 2 or 3 similar ones which come up in conversation. And the term ‘up and down’ is no exception.

What happens when you hit a poor drive?

For example, if you hit a poor drive, you will have a number of opportunities afterwards to hit a shot which can recover the hole for you.

Lemay427

I have thought about this ever since I have been playing competitively. In high school you were allowed to lift and place the ball within one grip length, no closer to the hole. Same with the local junior PGA tournys. I think I only played one or two tournys with the "ball down" rule. Here is my question delema.

Lemay427

shindig. i am not talking about playing charity tournements so the gimmie deal doesnt concern me. i putt out every hole. its weird how in high school they allowed you to do this and even in the gateway junior PGA they did. a pga sponsored event lol. oh well, i just wanted to see a general consensus on this.

FIJIGolf23

I can't believe that you were allowed to "roll it" within a grip length in high school, let alone a junior tour. The only time we ever got to improve our lie was in there was standing water and/or the fairways were very wet. I always play the ball down. The guys I generally play with on the weekends roll it and take gimmies.

Lemay427

i hear ya BCA. at least im not the only one out there. I play by all the other rules, and i know that if i break one rule, i am a rule breaker lol. im getting back into tournement play so I know ill have to stop.

Lemay427

if the weather is decent this weekend ill play with the ball down and take some pics of the lies i get. sometimes they are amusing.

albatroz

Golf is a gentlemans game . What ever the lie is if it is not deem unplayable has to be played as is . Like life there are a lot of obstacles one has to face befor one can be wise . Playing according to the rule will help develope the honesty factor in you . Be it at school or at work there are rules that govern all of us .

cwo2lt

Just out of curiousity, those of you who say rules are rules, play it as it lies, ect; do you always abide by all rules or just on the golf course? Example, if you were late for a tee time would you break the rules and speed? Go 60 in a 55? Personally if I'm playing in a tournement or playing my buddy for money I'm following the rules but if there's nothing on the line I figure it's recreation and I'm not hitting 3, I'm taking a mulligan! lol.

What does up and down mean in golf

Up and downs are defined as the percentage of times a player misses the green and has to take one shot to get the ball onto the green and another stroke to make the putt.

What does getting up and down mean in golf

Getting up-and-down in golf is using two strokes, including a putt, to get the ball in the hole from off the green.

How golfers use the term up and down

When talking about up-and-downs, golfers use a variety of phrases. “I need to get this up and down to make my par,” a golfer, for example, would say. Or “I made my putt to get up and down,” for example.

Up and Down Stats

During rounds of golf, many golfers like to keep track of their up-and-down opportunities and success/failure rates. You can accomplish this with a lot of golf stat tracking systems or apps.

Recommendations to Improve Your Up-and-Down Success

Do you want to increase your success rate on up-and-down opportunities? Then practice chipping, pitching, bump-and-runs, putting from the fringe, bunker shots, and other short strokes around the green. It also helps if you can sink a couple of putts! But getting that first up-and-down shot closer to the hole is crucial.

What does it mean when a golf putt rolls around the cup?

Lip Out – When your putt rolls around the edge of the cup causing it to change directions. This is terribly frustrating because that means you almost made the putt! Slice – This is probably the most popular of golf terms as it relates to a player’s swing. A slice is occurs when a golfer puts excessive curve on the ball.

What does "pull" mean in golf?

Pull – When a golfer says they pull their shot, they have hit it directly to the left. Albatross – Another word for double eagle, or when scoring three under on a hole. This only occurs if you were to make a hole in one on a par 4, or hole out on your second shot in a par 5.

What does it mean when a golfer says "I chunked it"?

Chunk – When a golfer says “I chunked it” that usually means that they made contact behind the golf ball, and their club had dug into the ground too deeply. Also could be referred to as hitting it fat. Greenie – If you are playing a gambling format like Nassau usually groups will make side bets.

What is double cross in golf?

Double Cross – When a golfer intends to hit a fade, or a draw but does the complete opposite. For example, if a golfer wanted to hit a fade and then ends up hooking it. Instead of the ball flying from left to right, it goes from right to left. Gimme – When your putt is close enough to the hole that it is considered to be made.

What is a divot in golf?

Divot – The small piece (sometimes large) of turf that comes out when your club makes contact with the ground. Sometimes you don’t even need to take a divot. Flyer – When your ball is in the rough, but propped up a bit then you might have a “flyer” lie. This will cause the ball to travel farther than it normally does.

What is a slice in golf?

A slice is occurs when a golfer puts excessive curve on the ball. For a right-handed golfer, they have sliced it if the ball is moving excessively from left to right. Hook – For a right-handed golfer a hook occurs when the ball travels from right to left, but in a much more exaggerated path.

What is a snowman in golf?

A snowman is when you score an 8 on a hole. Worm Burner – When you strike a shot that barely gets off the ground and just rolls. Ace – Another word for a hole-in-one. Fore – The word you shout as loud as you can when you hit your ball in the direction of another golfer. You need to warn them!

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