Golf Tips » August 1998: Uneven Lies, Part 4 – Sidehill Lies – Ball Below the Feet
I think the ball below your feet on a sidehill lie is the most difficult of all sloping lies. As you can see from picture #1 the ball is below my feet and I am in a position I see frequently on the course with my students. Too much bend in the knees in order to reach the ball.
Picture #1
This will tend to make you raise up as you swing through causing you to top the ball.
Now in Picture #2 I have kept my legs at their normal flex and bent over more from the waist.
Picture #2
Now as long as I keep my spine angle, I will not raise up.
- Here are a few suggestions for the sidehill lie:
- Keep your normal knee flex and bend a little more from the waist.
- Keep the backswing short – if you try to swing to your normal position there will be a tendency to raise up
- Take one more club (an 8 instead of a 9)
- Aim to the left as the ball will have a tendency to fade or go to the right (for right handed golfers)
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