Uphill Lies

Video Transcript

Every once in a while we find ourselves in a position where we have a really awkward lie and in this case the ball is severely uphill, and you need to anticipate what is going to happen with the shot. Here are four things to consider that will help you plan for this uphill shot. Number one, we need to have our shoulders match the slope of the ground. When we are standing on level ground our shoulders are perpendicular to the ground, so now we need to take that same thought process to this shot. The slope is now uphill, so our spine will have to tile back to maintain the same perpendicular relationship with the ground. When that happens I now have a new low point to my golf swing so I need to make sure that when I make a swing here I must see where the club is going to bottom out. That is where I need to play the golf ball in my stance because that is going to help insure good club-ball contact so that I can hit my call to the target. I am going to play the ball a little more back in my stance. Now what is going to happen is that as I make my swing gravity is going to want to throw me make, so I need to make sure that I keep my weight braced into the hill a little bit. Because I am hanging back the club is going to want to turn over a little more. The tendency is that you are going to hit a big draw or hook to your golf ball because gravity is pushing you back, so you may want to aim a little more to the right. Because of the slope the ball is going to get launched up severely higher, so you may want to add a different golf club. If you have a 150-yard shot you may want to plan for a 165- or 170-yard shot because the ball is going to spend so much time going up. Change your golf club selection to fit this shot. Let’s take a look at it. I have my new low point. I have my new slope matching tilt. Think about these principals when you have a awkward lie and I know you will be more successful on the golf course with them.

Laird Small
Pebble Beach Golf Academy
1700 17-Mile Drive
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
Tel: 831-622-8650

Laird Small is Director of The Pebble Beach Golf Academy and is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #23 instructor in the world.

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