If we could only hit every shot in golf from a perfectly even lie in the fairway!
This would be a dream round of golf, but as we all know, there are times when the slope of the land can cause a downhill or uphill lie.
The best golfers know what happens on these lies typically and can make the necessary adjustment to hit a quality shot.
Earlier today, I played a very hilly course that poised different difficult lies and I had to make adjustments to ensure quality contract, to ensure distance control and to keep the ball on the right target line.
Let’s dive into our top tips to help you with downhill lies in golf.
How to hit from downhill lies in golf?
There are several adjustments the golfer should make:
- Move the ball back in the stance
- Aim slightly to the left
- Take more club and shorten your swing
Tip #1: Move the ball back in the stance
It can be difficult to hit a golf ball solid that is too far forward with a downhill lie. Oftentimes, if the golfer fails to move the ball back they might hit closer to the equator of the golf ball, causing a line drive shot and typically a shot that will not fly far enough.
Our recommendation is to move the ball 1-2 inches back from the normal location with the club you are using. The goal here is to simplify and to ensure quality contact is made. Ball positioning is always important for every shot, but even more important on these difficult downhill lies.
Tip #2: Aim slightly to the left
With a downhill lie most golfers will tend to push the shot slightly to the right. This can be a result from working to ensure they stay through the shot and stay down to ensure decent contact. This can often result in a shot that starts to the right and hangs out there.
Use the entire green or fairway and eliminate the left side by aiming left and staying through the shot to intentionally hit a slight push shot that ends up at your target.
Tip #3: Take more club and shorten your swing
Anytime you have a difficult lie, taking more club and shortening your swing is a great way to play the shot. Over the course of an 18 hole round of golf, there are some shots that we simply need to keep in play and avoid the devastating result. If you draw a tough lie, play a bit more conservative, take the extra club and shorten the swing to ensure quality contact.
Important Key: Use a Rangefinder
Many times when you have a downhill lie, the shot might also be downhill, resulting in needing potentially less club. My recommendation is to invest in a rangefinder that has the slope feature. While some tournaments won’t allow you to use a rangefinder, for causal player and practice rounds it is a great tool to have. Should I use a rangefinder: complete post!
Check current prices on golf rangefinders, here!
Bonus Tip: Manage Expectations
Managing your expectations is a key for the entire round, but even more important on difficult downhill lies. There are going to be good breaks and bad breaks over the four hours it takes to typically play 18 holes. Stay patient and when you end up in a bad spot, be conservative, ensure quality contact and keep the ball in play.
Downhill Lies: Bottom Line
With the downhill lie, we want to ensure 3 things:
- Clean contact (Playing the ball back).
- Proper aim (Keeping the ball in play)
- Maintain balance (Play more club and shorten the swing)
This will result in crisp contact, control of our start line and quality distance control.
Golf is supposed to be fun, embrace the challenge and keep your mind right if you catch a tough lie or a bad break at some point. It happens to all golfers and often how we respond to the difficulty will impact the outcome of the next shot.
Next Steps: Take Action
One thing I would highly recommend is ensuring you truly know how far you hit each shot in golf. Too frequently, golfers overestimate how far they hit their irons. This leaves difficult situations when there is a front bunker or water hazard.
The fault we see most is when a golfer hits a 7 iron 155 yards one time and they think this is their average distance, when in reality they only hit it 145 yards. I would highly recommend using a launch monitor to map your bag.
When you get to the downhill lies, you can adjust accordingly with a bigger club and shorter swing.
How can I improve my distance control?
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About five years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.
This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.
It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.
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