Very seldom do we play a course that is perfectly flat. I know
the people that frequent either Gilroy Golf Course or Eagle Ridge
will attest to that.
Very seldom do we play a course that is perfectly flat. I know the people that frequent either Gilroy Golf Course or Eagle Ridge will attest to that.
So how do you adjust when the ball is above or below your feet or if you have an uphill or downhill lie?
When the ball is above your feet or below you feet very little ball position adjustment is necessary. However, it is important to realize that when the ball is above your feet, it is closer to you, and as a result you must choke down on the club to prevent from hitting behind the ball.
The opposite is true when the ball is below your feet. This makes the ball actually further from you so get to the end of the club and bend your knees a little more to make sure you stay closer to it. I’m sure you can remember several times hitting the ball thin when it is below your feet.
On an uphill lie, play the ball slightly forward in your stance to ensure that your shoulders are level with the hill. Make sure you are aware that on an uphill lie the ball will go higher, so, take a little more club. Drive your legs a little harder because of the uphill lie.
On a downhill lie, play the ball farther back in your stance because the hill is higher behind the ball and you will have a tendency to hit behind the ball. To remedy this, put the ball back there and you will strike the ball first and not the hill.
Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
