How to Hit a Great Golf Shot from a Downhill Lie
- Step #1 – Make a Soft Swing. You don’t want to be swinging as hard as you can when trying to play from a downslope. ...
- Step #2 – Match Your Shoulders to the Slope. With the understanding that you aren’t going to swing too hard, the next step to get ready for this shot is ...
- Step #3 – Keep Your Head Down. ...
Full Answer
What is a downhill golf shot?
Fortunately, shots from downhill lies are often shots that play downhill overall, meaning the target is lower than where your ball is resting. So, if it’s a downhill shot, and you are swinging softer, you might end up being able to use roughly the same club you would from flat ground on a flat shot.
How do you play a downhill lie in golf?
Learn how to conquer any downhill lie. It’s critical to make ball-first contact from this lie, so play the ball in the middle of your stance (or at least slightly farther back than normal) and shift about 75 percent of your weight to your front, or downhill, foot.
Do you need more clubs to hit a downhill shot?
Of course, if you swing softer, you’ll need to use a little more club than normal to accommodate for that softer swing. Fortunately, shots from downhill lies are often shots that play downhill overall, meaning the target is lower than where your ball is resting.
How do you hit a shot from a downhill lie?
Keeping your head down through the shot is particularly critical when hitting from a downhill lie. If your head comes up as the club nears impact, even just a little bit, you’ll hit the shot thin. To help keep your head down, pick out a specific spot on the ball and watch that spot with your eyes.
How to do a golf swing without tweaking?
Why do you have to take precautions when hitting the ball?
Can you swing without seeing your club hitting the ground?
How do you hit a downhill shot in golf?
0:312:45How to hit IRONS from a DOWNHILL LIE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUm you move it forward in the stance or back in the stance. I'd probably tilt my body is kind of myMoreUm you move it forward in the stance or back in the stance. I'd probably tilt my body is kind of my sounds good go ahead and make a divot that's aligned with the back of the golf. Ball.
How do you hit uphill and downhill golf shots?
4:5913:16Top Tips to Hit Uphill and Downhill Lies on the Golf Course - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBecause you're gonna pull it left more often because of the fact you're on this uphill slope. So IMoreBecause you're gonna pull it left more often because of the fact you're on this uphill slope. So I just aimed square open the face and those two cancel each other out should go right at the hole.
How do you play downhill shots?
The next thing you want to do with a downhill lie is to shift your weight so it's slightly more on your front leg. This will help squeeze the shot and really hit down and through it. This goes with the general rule, The ball should be closer to your higher foot and weight should favor your lower foot.
How do you play a golf shot on a slope?
2:3013:02SLOPING LIES: The ultimate guide on how to play them correctly! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPosition stand taller so it's not a chance now to sit really low in your legs it's a chance to standMorePosition stand taller so it's not a chance now to sit really low in your legs it's a chance to stand much taller. And also to grip down slightly on the golf club to adapt to that slope.
How much yardage do you take off for a downhill golf shot?
According to "Golf Digest," the ball can fly up to 40 percent farther in the thin air of these environments. Every course is different, so experiment to find the ideal yardages. Subtract one club for every 10 feet of downhill elevation change in these thin air climates.
How do you hit a golf ball on a steep hill?
4:287:37The CORRECT Way to Play an Uphill Golf Shot | Shawn Clement TipsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe center of gravity has to be behind the back of the arches here more toward the heels. So I'mMoreThe center of gravity has to be behind the back of the arches here more toward the heels. So I'm using the front of the feet to prevent me from toppling over.
How do you hit the ball on a downhill lie?
It's critical to make ball-first contact from this lie, so play the ball in the middle of your stance (or at least slightly farther back than normal) and shift about 75 percent of your weight to your front, or downhill, foot. This will encourage your body to move in the direction of the slope, rather than hang back.
How do you hit a fairway shot on a downhill lie?
0:091:22Downhill Lies: Golf Fairway Woods - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd if i wasn't careful. I could swing. And fall over so i want to balance myself by placing myMoreAnd if i wasn't careful. I could swing. And fall over so i want to balance myself by placing my weight on my back foot. And this is a tough shot downhill eyes are my least favorite shot.
How do you hit a wedge from a downhill lie?
2:152:45Titleist Tips: Downhill Wedge Off a Tight Lie - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRemember stance pressure left and it stays left through the swing. All slightly modified back inMoreRemember stance pressure left and it stays left through the swing. All slightly modified back in your stance.
How do you hit uphill shots?
0:354:21How to Hit an Uphill Lie Golf Shot - Golf Course Management - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLine ball above your feet ball below your feet downhill uphill you name it doesn't matter if it'sMoreLine ball above your feet ball below your feet downhill uphill you name it doesn't matter if it's not a level lie. Always grab a little bit more club in general. And slow your swing.
How do you hit a wedge from a downhill lie?
2:152:45Titleist Tips: Downhill Wedge Off a Tight Lie - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRemember stance pressure left and it stays left through the swing. All slightly modified back inMoreRemember stance pressure left and it stays left through the swing. All slightly modified back in your stance.
Where should I aim my golf ball above my feet?
2:386:09Golf Tip | How to Hit a Ball Above your Feet - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then finally here I'm going to make sure because that ball is going to be moving kind of fromMoreAnd then finally here I'm going to make sure because that ball is going to be moving kind of from right to left I'm going to aim toward the right edge of the fairway.
How do you hit a fairway wood on a downhill lie?
0:091:22Downhill Lies: Golf Fairway Woods - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI could swing. And fall over so i want to balance myself by placing my weight on my back foot. AndMoreI could swing. And fall over so i want to balance myself by placing my weight on my back foot. And this is a tough shot downhill eyes are my least favorite shot.
How to do a golf swing without tweaking?
For best results, tilt your body forward until the line formed between your shoulders is parallel to the ground.
Why do you have to take precautions when hitting the ball?
From thin shots that barely get up in the air to whiffs that miss the ball entirely, you will have to take precautions in order to help your chances of producing a good contact with the ball. Placing the ball too far forward will increase the risk that your club won’t stay down long enough to make good contact with the ball, ...
Can you swing without seeing your club hitting the ground?
If you were to set up normally and position your spine perfectly vertical you may find it very difficult to complete your swing without seeing your club striking the ground before making contact with the ball.
Proper Setup for the Downhill Lie
The first step towards negating the slope of a downhill lie is to create a shape in your setup that mimics the slope. Here’s how that works:
Proper Motion for the Downhill Lie
The motion of your swing with a downhill lie should follow two basic steps.
The Downhill Lie Cheat Sheet
This is a lot of information that looks, feels, and is very different from the advice you get on most other golf shots. Here’s a quick list for easy reference the next time you’re out on the course, facing the dreaded downhill lie.
Was This Helpful?
Do you have any questions? Any other tricky lies you’d like help with? Have you tried this advice? Did it help?
SET SHOULDERS PARALLEL
Your normal iron setup won’t work for this lie—the clubhead will bottom out too soon and you’ll make contact with the ground behind the ball. Instead, hold your club across your shoulders and tilt your spine toward the target until the shaft matches the slope of the hill. Once your shoulders are parallel to the slope, move on to step 2.
MOVE YOUR WEIGHT TO YOUR DOWNHILL FOOT
It’s critical to make ball-first contact from this lie, so play the ball in the middle of your stance (or at least slightly farther back than normal) and shift about 75 percent of your weight to your front, or downhill, foot. This will encourage your body to move in the direction of the slope, rather than hang back.
TRACE THE SLOPE
Last, extend your arms through impact so that the clubhead travels as low to the slope as possible. By swinging on the same plane as the hill, you’ll ensure ball-first contact and a smooth, full finish— and maybe even a birdie opportunity.
How to hit a golf shot from a downhill lie?
How to Hit a Great Golf Shot from a Downhill Lie. The slope of the ground under your feet is a big part of the challenge you face on any given golf shot. When the ground is level, you should have a much easier time staying balanced and striking the ball cleanly . With that said, most golf courses aren’t flat!
How to play golf from a downslope?
Step #1 – Make a Soft Swing. You don’t want to be swinging as hard as you can when trying to play from a downslope. This is related to the topic of balance as mentioned above. When you swing particularly hard, it’s difficult to keep your balance.
How to keep your head down when hitting a golf ball?
If your head comes up as the club nears impact, even just a little bit, you’ll hit the shot thin. To help keep your head down, pick out a specific spot on the ball and watch that spot with your eyes. Depending on how the ball happened to stop in ...
How to control body weight when playing golf?
By turning down the effort on your swing, you should have an easier time controlling your body weight from start to finish. Of course, if you swing softer, you’ll need to use a little more club than normal to accommodate for that softer swing. Fortunately, shots from downhill lies are often shots that play downhill overall, ...
Is it hard to stay balanced on flat ground?
The other issue you are facing here is the difficulty of keeping your balance. It’s hard enough to stay balanced during a normal golf swing on flat ground. When you try to execute a swing on a downslope, it becomes that much tougher to stay centered while making an aggressive swing. Between the difficulty of getting down to the ball at impact, ...
Can you lift up in the backswing?
Specifically, you might fall into the trap of lifting up out of your stance shortly after you start the backswing. In other words, you may have set your shoulders to match the slope, but you can undo that setup if you lift up in the backswing and give away the angle.
Can you use the same club on a flat shot?
So, if it’s a downhill shot, and you are swinging softer, you might end up being able to use roughly the same club you would from flat ground on a flat shot . With experience, you’ll learn how to gauge your distances in this situation so you can select the right club more often than not.
How to do a golf swing without tweaking?
For best results, tilt your body forward until the line formed between your shoulders is parallel to the ground.
Why do you have to take precautions when hitting the ball?
From thin shots that barely get up in the air to whiffs that miss the ball entirely, you will have to take precautions in order to help your chances of producing a good contact with the ball. Placing the ball too far forward will increase the risk that your club won’t stay down long enough to make good contact with the ball, ...
Can you swing without seeing your club hitting the ground?
If you were to set up normally and position your spine perfectly vertical you may find it very difficult to complete your swing without seeing your club striking the ground before making contact with the ball.
