To make sure the ball is not too low, favour a forward ball position rather than a ball back or a ball center position. Take a Wider Stance Because you are standing on uneven ground balance will immediately be an issue while setting up.
Full Answer
Do you stand up when you hit the golf ball?
The tendency for a large majority of golfers is to stand up or raise out of their posture. This is common from an even stance, much less one where the ball lies below your feet. In this situation if you stand up even a smidge, you will top the ball or miss it completely.
How to set up a golf ball on uneven ground?
To make sure the ball is not too low, favour a forward ball position rather than a ball back or a ball center position. Because you are standing on uneven ground balance will immediately be an issue while setting up. Indeed, the hill will tend to move your weight back and may even throw you off balance over the course of your golf swing.
How do you swing on an uneven lie in golf?
(2) Lean into the slope; gravity will pull you downhill during the swing. (3) Don't swing hard: Go at 70 or 80 percent to keep your balance. Now here are specific adjustments for the four most common uneven lies. 1. UPHILL
Which direction should you aim the golf ball?
Additionally, the ball will have a tendency to travel left to right, so the same rules apply. Make sure you aim a little bit to the left to allow for this, but don’t go overboard or else you’ll be in danger of putting too much of a slice spin on the ball.
Which way to hit the ball with the club above your feet?
From this upright posture, the swing will be flatter or more around the body, like a baseball swing. That creates more hand and arm rotation through the shot, with the clubface closing at a faster rate on the downswing. So the tendency with the ball above your feet is to hit it to the left. Aim right to allow for that.
How to lower center of gravity in golf swing?
You really have to squat down and lean your rear end into the slope to lower your center of gravity; your weight should be on your heels ( see photos below ). Because of this awkward squat position, body turn during the swing is restricted, so it's more of a hands-and-arms motion.
How to play golf on a slope?
__Play the ball slightly more forward than normal, and try to get your shoulders parallel to the hill.__If your shoulders are too level, you'll stick the clubhead steeply into the ground at impact. As I like to say to our golf-school students, set up with the slope, and then swing up the slope.
Why do downhill shots go to the right?
Shots from downhill lies tend to go to the right because you're extending your arms down the slope. In effect, you're holding off clubface rotation, which can leave the face open at impact.
How to make contact with uneven ground?
To make solid contact from uneven ground, the big thing is taking what the slope gives you. In other words, don't fight the slope; adjust your setup and swing to accommodate it. Here are three changes you should make for every uneven lie you face:
When playing from a downslope, what do you do?
When playing from a downslope, take less club because the hill delofts the clubface. Position the ball back a little and, as with the uphill lie, feel as if you set your shoulders parallel to the slope. (You might not actually be able to do this on a downslope, but that's the feel you want.)
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Why do golfers make uneven lies?
The most common mistake that golfers make on uneven lies is that they do not maintain their balance during the swing, and it prevents them from making good contact with the ball. When you are playing an uneven lie, gravity will want to push your body in the direction that the ground is angling towards. You have to do your best to establish ...
What happens if the ball is above your feet?
If the ball is above your feet, two things typically happen: 1 The ball will travel more right to left (draw spin) 2 Players have a tendency to hit the shot heavy
How Can You Practice Uneven Lies?
Just to recap, the most important factor on being successful on these shots is maintaining your balance during your swing (not to mention on normal lies as well!).
Why do you need to add loft to a downhill lie?
Most players will tend to hit this shot heavy because they will strike the turf behind the ball. Additionally, this lie will tend to “de-loft” the club, so you need to add loft to prevent the shot from going too far.
Why do players hit thin shots?
Players will typically hit this shot thin because they might lose their balance prematurely.
Why do golfers fail?
Maintaining your balance, and getting good contact are the two most important things for these shots, and most golfers fail because they don’t make the crucial adjustments.
Why do right handed players hit their shots to the left?
Additionally, right-handed players might have a tendency to hit this shot to the left because their upper body is moving faster than their lower body.
What happens if you stand up in golf?
In this situation if you stand up even a smidge, you will top the ball or miss it completely.
Where do you find the ball when playing a flat golf course?
Even if the course you play is relatively flat, you will encounter the ball below your feet occasionally. Flat courses will have some mounds at the very least around bunkers and greens.
How to feel your chest on a golf swing?
Make sure to let out on the grip and don't choke up so you can use all of the length you have on the club. Bend over quite a bit more than you are used to feeling like your chest is facing the ground. It is important to feel like your rear end is sticking out and your chest is down throughout the entire swing.
What is the toughest shot in golf?
Some will say that a ball below your feet is by far the toughest shot in golf. Add to that when the ball is in a bunker and your feet are outside and I would have to agree whole-heartedly. Playing it from below your feet is a challenge in coordination and flexibility. The tendency for a large majority of golfers is to stand up or raise out ...
What direction should the butt of the grip be on a golf shot?
You want the butt of the grip pointing between your zipper and left hip, as it does on a normal shot, with the ball forward. ← SWING: Shots from uphill lies tend to fly higher (and shorter) and go left, so take more club and aim right. Swing up the slope.
How to shorten a golf club?
Raise the grip so the toe is on the ground. SET YOUR BODY: The ground sloping away from you effectively shortens the club. Bend more from your hips and tilt your upper body forward to reach the ball.
How to play downhill golf?
Point the butt of the grip between your zipper and left hip, and play the ball farther back than normal. ← SWING: Shots from downhill lies tend to fly lower and go right, so take less club and aim left. Swing down the slope, and don't try to help the ball in the air. BALL ABOVE FEET.
What happens if you put the ball too far back in your stance?
If you don’t think about the ball positioning at all while setting up and if you position the ball too far back in your stance you could run the risk of seeing the ball sitting too low in contrast to your feet. This can result in a whiff where you would swing above the ball and miss it entirely, costing you a stroke.
How to make sure the ball is not too low?
To make sure the ball is not too low, favour a forward ball position rather than a ball back or a ball center position.
What happens if you lie on an uphill golf course?
The main risk associated with an uphill lie is seeing your clubhead penetrate the ground deeply, oftentimes producing a fat shot or worse seeing the club failing to reach the ball at all .
Why do you have to take a wider stance when setting up?
Take a Wider Stance. Because you are standing on uneven ground balance will immediately be an issue while setting up . Indeed, the hill will tend to move your weight back and may even throw you off balance over the course of your golf swing.
Why is it important to widen your stance?
A wider stance will help you in executing a confident swing without fear of falling out of position.
How to protect against a shot from a flat surface?
To help protect against this risk position your spine so that it is perpendicular to the ground, as it is when hitting a shot from a flat surface .
How many clubs difference for sidehill?
Note that depending on how severe the sidehill, that club adjustment may call for a two club difference, or maybe none at all…
How to determine ball position in stance?
Determine the ball position in your stance based on where the clubhead bottomed out in the swing on your practice strokes. This will be key for solid contact as you’ll need to be precise to hit the ball properly.
How to compensate for a drifting ball?
As noted above, the ball will drift right with this lie. To compensate, flex your knees a bit more and aim to the left.
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Why is it so hard to shoot an uneven lie?
Worse yet, it can be a tough shot to practice because your local driving range is unlikely to have uneven lies.
Can you practice hitting the ball below your feet?
But even though you can’t practice with the ball below your feet on just any range doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to hit the shot. On today’s episode of How to Hit Every Shot, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Lou Guzzi gives us five tips for solid contact when the ball is below your feet.
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Do you have to have a lie on every shot?
While it would be nice to have a level lie for every shot on the course, that is rarely the case. Even when you hit the ball in the fairway you will sometimes have an uneven lie that forces you to adjust your approach to hit a proper shot.
