How to Fix Your Stance to Hit the Ball Below Your Feet

Updated January 20, 2022
Golfer hitting a ball on a hill with the ball below his feet
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    Golfer hitting a ball on a hill with the ball below his feet
  • SOURCE
    ImagineGolf
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    Getty Image license

The uneven lies that you face on the golf course are one of the things that makes golf a really difficult game. This lie where the balls below your feet is one of the more difficult of the uneven lies.

#1 Mistake When Hitting a Downhill Lie

The reason being is that most people will bend with their knees more to get down to the ball and then when they come through they straighten up just enough to top the shot. That’s the most common mistake that I see with golfers that are trying to play this lie where the balls below your feet. The adjustment you want to make is a little bit with your knees but primarily with the bend forward from your hips.

The Proper Way to Hit the Ball Downhill

The emphasis on this shot needs to be with your hands and arms swinging the golf club more straight and up and down and less around. The more you turn, the more that takes you off the golf ball. So I’m going to limit my turn on this shot. I’m going to swing the golf club more up and down. Allowing for the golf ball to curve a little bit to the right, because a swing that goes straight up and down will always have a tendency to open the clubface.

So I aim a little left, bend forward from the hips, up and down with the hands and arms. Allowing the golf ball to curve just little bit back into the target. Remember keep your bend forward from the hips, up and down with your hands and arms, and this difficult lie is going to be a lot easier for you to play.