I never see odd lies mentioned here. I went on utube and had different versions of how to hit an uphill lie(which drives me crazy). Some say weight back some forward ball back or middle or front. I also notice some teachers never mention were ball should be with different swings So what is the right way to hit an uphill lie say abot 160 yrds and a short uphill chip 10 yrds. If anyone could explain all other lies.....thanks joe
odd lies
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That'd be a pretty long list.
I'm hesitant to give any advice about uneven lies because I'm not sure how that advice might now be different in light of the things we're finding out via Trackman. For example, the ball tends to go high and left from an uphill lie, but I don't know why that is. The ball tends to go low and right from a downhill lie, but I don't know why that is either. I could speculate, but that's not as good as informed instruction.
I'm also interested to hear how the ball should be struck from uneven lies, but I'd like to the reasoning as well.
softconsult
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There is no single right way to play an uphill lie. There are different opinions on the best way for virtually every aspect of golf. Therein lies the beauty of this silly game. One person says X. Another person says Y. You think about it, try it, and decide on the best approach for your swing.
Odd lies? Here in the mountains of N. E. Tennessee tilted lies are the norm.
Odd lies? Here in the mountains of N. E. Tennessee tilted lies are the norm.
I agree that people have different takes, but I think the goal here is to move beyond opinion in an attempt to promote fact-based instruction.
I think one of the games biggest problems is that many people have an opinion on the best way perfrom a certain skill, but very few have substantial reasoning for why that way is optimal. The reasoning usually boils down to some variation of "Just because" and few people bother to inquire any further.
I can tell Joep to aim right when the ball is above his feet, but I can't really tell him why he should do this. That's important. If the whole of golf instruction is to move forth from snake-oil and wives-tales, we have to refuse to take things at face value and continually ask the question of "Why?"
softconsult
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"I can tell Joep to aim right when the ball is above his feet, but I can't really tell him why he should do this."
I disagree. All you have to do is explain that the face is going to tend to aim left (assume right handed golfer). Ball below the feet is just the opposite. This is going to vary depending on the loft of the club. Anyone who cares to take a look at where the face tends to aim in this situation will see this fact. The more you raise the heel of the club, the less left it aims. So maybe you tell them to setup toe down with the face more open. Should he aim more to the right? Maybe. How much to the right? Depends on how long the shot is and how much the ball is above the feet. And then there is the reminder to choke up to adjust to the fact that the ball is closer to you. Pretty obvious, but many golfers do not even know they should do this.
So many variables. It also depends on the golfers skill set.
I disagree. All you have to do is explain that the face is going to tend to aim left (assume right handed golfer). Ball below the feet is just the opposite. This is going to vary depending on the loft of the club. Anyone who cares to take a look at where the face tends to aim in this situation will see this fact. The more you raise the heel of the club, the less left it aims. So maybe you tell them to setup toe down with the face more open. Should he aim more to the right? Maybe. How much to the right? Depends on how long the shot is and how much the ball is above the feet. And then there is the reminder to choke up to adjust to the fact that the ball is closer to you. Pretty obvious, but many golfers do not even know they should do this.
So many variables. It also depends on the golfers skill set.
I understand why the ball goes in the direction it does. basically its the uphill lie I have a problem with. Some teachers say weight back on back foot shoulders slant with hill ball will go left. some say lean into hill level shoulders , never mention position of ball so why is there not a standard way of hitting on a uphill lie? Also ball positions and wieght are never mention on other lies just distance from ball. Once mentioned from a pro that on a ball below your feet the the weight shoild be on the left foot.....joe
softconsult
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Ball position. How is anyone going to tell you the proper ball position for something as variable as an uphill lie? Perhaps, generalized advice is more appropriate. Something like this.
Take a less lofted club than you would normally choose for that distance. Practice on various uphill slopes to determine what works best. What do you have to do to contact ball first and not bury the head in the ground. However, in my experience it is really difficult to find a place to practice this shot.
Work on how to avoid falling backwards down the slope during the swing. In my experience, that is what causes an uphill shot to go left, but, of course, it could also go right. When you are moving around anything can happen.
Take a less lofted club than you would normally choose for that distance. Practice on various uphill slopes to determine what works best. What do you have to do to contact ball first and not bury the head in the ground. However, in my experience it is really difficult to find a place to practice this shot.
Work on how to avoid falling backwards down the slope during the swing. In my experience, that is what causes an uphill shot to go left, but, of course, it could also go right. When you are moving around anything can happen.
Richie3Jack
New
Here's how I hit these shots and I have to hit a lot of them living in North Georgia. Note that I always try to 'swing along the lines of my body.'
Ball Above Feet = Clubface Right of the Target, Body Left of the Target
Ball Below Feet = Clubface left of Target, Body Right of Target.
Downhill lie = Shoulders parallel to ground, Ball position more towards back foot, 'swing right.'
Uphill Lie = Don't bother with shoulders (they are usually tilted upward anyway), Ball position towards front foot, 'swing left.'
Downhill shots tend to fade, uphill shots tend to draw. But if I want to hit them straight, this is what I do and it took a lot of experimenting to figure this out. Yesterday I had 200 yards into a green with the ball above my feet, almost at knee level and I hit a 3-hybrid to 10 feet.
With ball position, I've always lived by the general rule that you play the ball more towards the 'higher foot.' So with uphill lies the 'higher foot' is the front foot and with downhill lies it's the back foot.
3JACK
Ball Above Feet = Clubface Right of the Target, Body Left of the Target
Ball Below Feet = Clubface left of Target, Body Right of Target.
Downhill lie = Shoulders parallel to ground, Ball position more towards back foot, 'swing right.'
Uphill Lie = Don't bother with shoulders (they are usually tilted upward anyway), Ball position towards front foot, 'swing left.'
Downhill shots tend to fade, uphill shots tend to draw. But if I want to hit them straight, this is what I do and it took a lot of experimenting to figure this out. Yesterday I had 200 yards into a green with the ball above my feet, almost at knee level and I hit a 3-hybrid to 10 feet.
With ball position, I've always lived by the general rule that you play the ball more towards the 'higher foot.' So with uphill lies the 'higher foot' is the front foot and with downhill lies it's the back foot.
3JACK
softconsult
New
Nice description. Sounds correct to me.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
When the ball is above your feet, keep the right heel off the ground the entire swing. When its below your feet keep as much weight on your toes as you can without falling over and swing "under" your spine.
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