Uneven Lies
As we play a round of golf we rarely find level lies except on the tee. We are always making some type of compensation, rather small or large, to execute our next shot. Here are “rules of thumb” and the four categories of uneven lies:
First are my three “rules of thumb” for these shots:
- As you stand up to hit the shot, if you then rolled a ball toward the target with your right hand… what would the ball do… curve left or right or travel up or down. The ball will do the same thing.
- Determine which direction your weight is tending to lean and move it in the opposite direction. If it feels on your heel, move it toward your toes, etc. This will assist you to return to a normal posture.
- Swing with a slow, smooth tempo to maintain your balance.
Hitting from a Downhill Lie: Here is probably the most difficult of the four kinds of uneven lies. Place the ball slightly farther back than normal in your stance. Expect a low trajectory to the shot and due to that you should get some extra roll. Take one less club. Balance your weight by setting it slightly on the right side.
Hitting from a Uphill Lie: This is probably the easiest of the four kinds of uneven lies. Place the ball slightly more forward than normal in your stance. Expect a high trajectory to the shot and due to that the ball should stop faster. Take one extra club. Balance your weight by setting it slightly on the left side.
Hitting from a Side Hill Lie with the Ball above your Feet: Choke down on the grip an amount based on how severe the uphill lie is. Choking down on the club may cost you some distance. Expect the shot to be hooked or pulled, therefore aim to the right of the flagstick. Balance your weight by setting it slightly toward your toes.
Hitting from a Side Hill Lie with the Ball below your Feet: The ball must be played slightly closer to you than normal to compensate for the lie. Expect the shot to be sliced or pushed, therefore aim to the left of the flagstick. Balance your weight by setting it slightly on your heels.
