UNEVEN LIES
LETTER FROM THE TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
Happy November Eaglebrooke ! The past few months we studied the basic biomechanics from the grip , stance , posture , and how each can be different depending on the body type and of the player . This month we ’ re going to look at uneven lies , and how each type of slope type will affect ball flight .
The first type of lie and the most basic in terms of ball flight is an uphill lie . If we think about it simply , we are swinging a club up a ramp . If we swing a club up a ramp the ball will tend to have a higher trajectory than usual . The key to hitting a shot from an uphill lie is to match the shoulders to the slope , therefore we would want the left shoulder higher than the right , making the shoulders and the slope parallel to each other . The simple way to do that is to move the ball one ball position forward in the stance ( similar to the ball position of a fairway wood ) the farther up in the stance the ball moves , the higher the right shoulder will get .
The opposite would be a downhill lie . So now the club is swinging down a ramp . As the club swing down a ramp the club is now delofted and the trajectory will tend to be lower than usual . For example , a pitching wedge may have the ball flight of a 9 ion .
Also , the key hitting a shot of a downhill lie is to matchup the shoulders parallel to the slope , so now the left shoulder should be lower the right shoulder , therefore the ball position would move back one ball . The last key to drop the trail leg back slightly to allow space for the club to be taken away without coming close to the thigh . In short , uphill and downhill lies effect the trajectory of the shot .
The third type of lie is sidehill with the ball above the feet . Imagine being in the valley of a mountain , and swinging a club flat like a baseball bat , when the ball is hit it will travel left of the intended target . Also , the more loft the club has , the more left of target the ball will go . So , a sand wedge would go farther to the left than a 7 iron . So , when it comes time hit the shot , the body and club should be aimed right of the target to offset the slope .
The last type of lie that is often the most difficult is the side hill lie with the ball below the feet . This imagine being at the top of the mountain and the ball is in the middle of the mountain , the heel of the club is the first part that interacts with the ground and therefore will leave the face slightly open relative to the target producing a shot that will go to the right . The ball will not go further to the right with more lofted clubs but just a like lie with the ball above your feet we want to aim the body and club left of the target to offset the shot going to the right .
Once we understand how the lie will affect the ball flight , now we can focus on the biggest fundamental when hitting a shot from an uneven lie , which is balance . When terrain becomes uneven , the body ’ s ability to remain in balance is not as easy as a normal flat lie . So as a rule of thumb , I would suggest taking more club and making a smooth balanced pass at the ball staying steady and balanced throughout the shot . These scenarios with uneven lies apply to short shots around the green , as well as full swings . Obviously for a shorter shot the ball flight will be less effected than a full shot , but both ball flights would be the same
Ben Johnson
PGA , Teaching Professional
SEPTEMBER eaglebrooke newsletter 5