Today I am going to cover the basics of how to hit a side-hill lie in response to a question from Tony Clark, of Reno, Nevada.
"Surge:
Would you please explain the stance and grip for hitting side-hill lies, where the ball is above your feet and where it is below your feet? The PPG swing is very good for me on the level ground, but I struggle with set up etc. on side-hill lies. I have no clue on stance, grip, ball placement, etc."
First off, as you can see, the Back Yard Driving Range is flat as a pancake so trying to comprehend how to hit one of these shots is going to require some imagination from all of us! First off, let me say that if you really want to be able to successfully tackle just about any shot that the course can throw at you you should get a copy of the video I shot last year called Situational Shots: On The Course. I cover 14 very common situations amateurs encounter and give you multiple variations for each basic type. It's quite possibly the best $19.95 you can spend to help knock 3, 4 maybe even 5 shots a round of your scoring average.
Here are some basic points about hitting a side-hill lie:
- Never, never, ever, change your grip! It's the one constant that can ensure your ability to return the club head to square at impact. Start messing with it and all sorts of bad stuff will happen.
- For shots with the ball above your feet: Stand behind your ball and look toward the hole. Your shot will follow the downward curve of the slope and for a rightie that means a right-to-left trajectory. The higher the ball is above your feet, the more it will hook so adjust your aiming point accordingly. Your posture will be more upright and your swing path will be flatter.
- For shots with the ball below your feet: Again, your shot will follow the slope of the hill, i.e. a slice for a right-handed player. You will need to make a subtle adjustment in your stance. Use the Accordion Effect to adjust your stance so that you can maintain your balance all the way through impact and into the Forward Catcher's Mitt. As long as you sink down with your shoulders and knees moving together, your hips will move backwards, providing a counter balance.
Watch the video tip for more details...
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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