This is an excellent way of describing this problem. The hole-falling being un-generous has been a long-time complaint. This gives me a good model to approach the problem with! Thanks!!
I have played a bunch more now, starting to get used to it. I was thinking about it and I guess a good amount depends on how horizontal/vertical the background is supposed to be? I was coming at it from a vertical background approach, but maybe that doesn't make sense? Also realized I should have said perpendicular to the bar instead of straight down/straight up etc.