Delo’s Divots: If we can just play golf on the driving range, we
could do a lot better … right? On the range, the lie is always
flat and I get to repeat the same club over and over again.
Unfortunately, the golf course is full of undulations, so you must
know how to adapt to that and still hit a crisp shot.
If we can just play golf on the driving range, we could do a lot better … right?
On the range, the lie is always flat and I get to repeat the same club over and over again. Unfortunately, the golf course is full of undulations, so you must know how to adapt to that and still hit a crisp shot.
Today, we will deal with the four basic lie variations: uphill and downhill, ball above your feet and ball below your feet.
Uphill lie
When you are going uphill, position the ball a couple of inches forward toward the uphill foot. This will align your shoulders so they are more parallel with the hill. Also, choose a lower lofted club because the ball will be hit in a higher trajectory, given that you are shooting it uphill already. This angle causes much of the energy of the golf ball to go up and not out.
Downhill lie
Just the opposite case. Play the ball further back in your stance by a couple of inches — this is still toward the uphill foot because you are pointing downhill. Take a more lofted club because the downhill lie will cause you to hit it lower than normal. An 8-iron may go the same trajectory and distance as a 5-iron would off a flat lie.
Ball above your feet
You don’t need to adjust your ball position in this case, but you do need to adjust your posture and alignment. The ball is actually closer to you when it is above your feet, so you may feel a little crowded with your normal stance. Step back a bit or stand a little taller so you feel the same comfortable position. When the ball is above your feet, the club will close easier and, therefore, you will tend to pull the ball to the left of your target, so aim a little farther right than normal.
Ball below your feet
Once again, just the opposite. You must sit down a little and grab the club at the very end because it is a little further away from you. This time, the ball will tend to go to the right upon impact, so aim a little more to the left at set-up.
With these minor adjustments, you should be able to hit every shot just as if it were off a flat lie.
