Handle The Uneven Lies

Whether Mother Nature provides hillsides and sharp slopes or not, golf course architects usually design courses to include lots of uneven lies. To master rolling terrain, you must make adjustments to accommodate the uneven lies you are likely to encounter. The slope of the land will definitely affect your impact position. You prepare for this at address, not during the swing.

Let's look at the four types of uneven lies and how to handle them:

The Uphill Lie

The most important consideration when facing an uphill lie is to remember that the slope adds loft to your shot and results in a higher trajectory. Take at least one club more than you would normally hit, possibly two clubs more if the slope is severe. Set up with your spine perpendicular to the slope. This sets your shoulders parallel to the ground and allows you to swing down the slope going back and up the slope going through. Set your weight slightly to the right side at address, and play the ball toward the front of your stance. Flare your left foot out about a quarter turn to encourage weight transfer on the downswing.

The Downhill Lie

This shot is more troublesome for most golfers, but it's not really any more difficult. A downhill lie decreases the amount of loft on the club and causes the ball to fly with a lower trajectory. Take one less club than you would normally hit. Again, set up with your spine perpendicular to the slope and your shoulders parallel to the ground so that the club swings up the slope going back and down the slope coming through. Position your weight toward the left side, and position the ball slightly back in your stance. Turning against the slope is difficult, so you may want to close your stance a bit to encourage a better turn.

Sidehill – Ball Above Feet

To play this shot, stand taller at address with less knee flex than you would normally use. Choke down about an inch on the club since the distance between your hands and the ball is less than from a flat lie. The club will swing more around your body on a flatter plane when the ball is above your feet. This decreases the loft on the club and results in a low, right-to-left shot, so choose one club less than you would normally hit, and align your body and club face slightly to the right of the target. Keep your weight set toward the balls of your feet throughout the swing.

Sidehill – Ball Below Feet

Even the pros have trouble with this shot (left), but that doesn't mean you have to. To get down to the ball, flex your knees more at address, and bend more from the hips. Hold the club at the end of the grip. Widen your stance a bit to lower your center of gravity. This creates stability during the swing. The slope of the ground causes your swing plane to become more upright and vertical and also adds loft by opening the face of the club. These factors generally add up to a high, left-to-right shot. Use one more club than you normally do from the same distance, and align your body and club face to the left of the target line. A good swing key for this shot is to maintain your knee flex throughout the swing.

Remember, the flight of the ball tends to reflect the direction of the slope. Practice uneven lies whenever you can to get a feel for the shots you hit from the various situations. It's always an advantage to know what to expect. With all specialty shots, you should make a couple of extra practice swings before attempting to strike the ball. Program the shape and feel of the swing into your mind's eye, and visualize the flight of the ball. And relax! Shots from uneven lies are usually not as difficult as they seem. Don't let tension ruin your efforts.