#1 set up rule-Relationship with the ball as Tom literates this over and over again. Also, if able to, practice straight arm drills on these lies. It even helps with getting the correct ball position. Practice on several different inclines/declines if possible. A berm or a mound. Sides of tee boxes with chip shots while waiting for the fairway to clear will keep you warmed up until you're ready to tee off. I even use the tee blocks as points for chipping while waiting. It helps keeping pace when game is slowed down. Above feet: Ball will fly left and is more severe with shorter clubs. Below feet: Ball flies right. Uphill: Ball usually will fly left and Downhill: Ball flies right. Course management and alignment is crucial to keep it play or getting it on the green.
One thing I do with uphill, down hill lies...Shoulders matches the slope. Every time I miss hit on a up or downward hill, it's because I didn't PLAY the slope. To me, I find below the feet lies are the most intimidating. A miss hit turns into a spinner cut! The ball just spins out at a low cut slice. It's even more distinct with a deeper below the feet lie, steeper side hill. Above the feet lie, is good chunker on a miss hit. (Good is not the word I was looking for).
@johnpfistnerjr - Those are indeed the common misses from these types of lies, and it all once again goes back to maintaining our relationship with the ball by matching the shoulders to the slope!
Uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies are on my to-do list for online school lesson content. Having said that, the keys to playing a shot when the ball is below your feet are in 1) adjusting your setup to properly orient yourself to the ball (since it will be closer to you, your upper body will be angled more towards the ground than on a standard shot), 2) balancing yourself as you may need to feel your weight more towards the heels of your feet depending on the severity of the slope, 3) taking an extra club or two than you normally would from the given distance, and 4) aligning yourself with the expectation that the ball will fade. Once you are oriented, balanced, and properly aligned, you are ready to execute the swing as taught. Bump your hips forward an inch as you typically would so your weight favors the front side 55-60%, and when you take it back make sure that your weight stays forward and your shoulders do not flatten out as they turn, as they will have a tendency to do so due to their preset steeper orientation. In fact, a good thought for this shot is to keep the chest pointing down as you turn, since mishits from this type of lie are oftentimes a result of the golfer coming out of his or her tilt in the backswing.
Conversely, a ball above your feet will necessitate having your upper body oriented for a less steep shoulder turn that allows the club to work more around the body, weight perhaps favoring the balls of the feet depending on slope severity, and allowing for a drawing ball flight. You'll likely need to choke down on the club a bit, and for this reason plus the curvature you may also want to club up for this shot, bearing in mind that the ball may tend to roll out more upon landing due to the draw spin. Once again, after making these adjustments you'll want to execute the swing motions as taught - weight forward, tilt/turn/extend, hands in, keeping your swing center intact.
I hope that helps you some until I am able to post some specific lesson content!
#1 set up rule-Relationship with the ball as Tom literates this over and over again. Also, if able to, practice straight arm drills on these lies. It even helps with getting the correct ball position. Practice on several different inclines/declines if possible. A berm or a mound. Sides of tee boxes with chip shots while waiting for the fairway to clear will keep you warmed up until you're ready to tee off. I even use the tee blocks as points for chipping while waiting. It helps keeping pace when game is slowed down. Above feet: Ball will fly left and is more severe with shorter clubs. Below feet: Ball flies right. Uphill: Ball usually will fly left and Downhill: Ball flies right. Course management and alignment is crucial to keep it play or getting it on the green.
One thing I do with uphill, down hill lies...Shoulders matches the slope. Every time I miss hit on a up or downward hill, it's because I didn't PLAY the slope. To me, I find below the feet lies are the most intimidating. A miss hit turns into a spinner cut! The ball just spins out at a low cut slice. It's even more distinct with a deeper below the feet lie, steeper side hill. Above the feet lie, is good chunker on a miss hit. (Good is not the word I was looking for).
Hi Justin,
Uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies are on my to-do list for online school lesson content. Having said that, the keys to playing a shot when the ball is below your feet are in 1) adjusting your setup to properly orient yourself to the ball (since it will be closer to you, your upper body will be angled more towards the ground than on a standard shot), 2) balancing yourself as you may need to feel your weight more towards the heels of your feet depending on the severity of the slope, 3) taking an extra club or two than you normally would from the given distance, and 4) aligning yourself with the expectation that the ball will fade. Once you are oriented, balanced, and properly aligned, you are ready to execute the swing as taught. Bump your hips forward an inch as you typically would so your weight favors the front side 55-60%, and when you take it back make sure that your weight stays forward and your shoulders do not flatten out as they turn, as they will have a tendency to do so due to their preset steeper orientation. In fact, a good thought for this shot is to keep the chest pointing down as you turn, since mishits from this type of lie are oftentimes a result of the golfer coming out of his or her tilt in the backswing.
Conversely, a ball above your feet will necessitate having your upper body oriented for a less steep shoulder turn that allows the club to work more around the body, weight perhaps favoring the balls of the feet depending on slope severity, and allowing for a drawing ball flight. You'll likely need to choke down on the club a bit, and for this reason plus the curvature you may also want to club up for this shot, bearing in mind that the ball may tend to roll out more upon landing due to the draw spin. Once again, after making these adjustments you'll want to execute the swing motions as taught - weight forward, tilt/turn/extend, hands in, keeping your swing center intact.
I hope that helps you some until I am able to post some specific lesson content!
Tom