Mastering Uneven Lies

By Todd Smith
GolfTEC Coach, PGA Member
GolfTEC Boston
Burlington, MA

The most beautiful golf courses in the world are commonly sculpted from sloped terrain. One of the challenges of playing golf on this terrain is playing a majority of your shots from uneven lies. The keys to being able to successfully execute solid shots from these lies are:

• Recognizing how the hills will affect the ball flight
• Customizing your setup for a given amount of slope
• Accentuating certain swing moves based on the slope

The fundamental adjustments will apply to all full swings, finesse swings, chipping and putting. The degree to which you adjust depends on the severity of the slope, the club loft and the swing speed through impact.

In evaluating how the slope will affect your ball flight, you can generalize that an uphill lie will yield a higher trajectory, a downhill lie will yield a lower trajectory, and a sidehill lie will change the plane of the clubface and send the ball off line. The more lofted club you are using the more the plane of the club face will send the ball farther down the slope.

Aside from having to adjust your setup to the specific slope, it is also beneficial to accentuate a particular swing move. Study the adjustments below and try to repeat each one mentally and physically with as many quality repetitions as possible. This will lead to quick and natural adjustments on the course. I recommend taking a few extra practice swings to familiarize yourself with a particular lie angle, followed by stepping up and trusting that you have prepared for the slope and you are ready to execute a great shot.

Practice These Adjustments To Master Uneven Lies

*All adjustments are from right handed perspective

Uphill Lie

1. Adjust club selection using less loft (relative to slope)
2. Turn target side foot 25 degrees to the target to increase left hip mobility
3. Tilt your body perpendicular with the slope
4. Standard spine angle / posture

Accentuate shifting your weight toward the target

Downhill Lie

1. Adjust club selection using more loft (relative to the slope)
2. Position the ball 1–2 inches back from normal position
3. Tilt your body perpendicular with the slope
4. Standard spine angle / posture

Accentuate swinging low through impact, along the slope

Ball Above Feet

1. Aim right of the target (relative to slope and club loft, ball will start left)
2. More upright spine angle, less bend at the hips
3. Choke down making the club shorter

Accentuate swinging down the target line

Ball Below Feet

1. Lower spine angle, more bend at the hips
2. Turn target side foot 25 degrees to the target to increase left hip mobility
3. Be careful the heal doesn’t catch the slope before contact and close the club face

Accentuate keeping your spine angle low through impact with full arm extension