Sidehill lies
It seems like every time I hit the fairway these days I end up on a sidehill lie. Usually, the slope is from right to left, and the ball ends up above my feet.
I’ve missed A LOT of greens left from these lies. I know the ball is supposed to start left and draw further left, but I have no real concept of how drastic this effect is going to be. For me, the ball usually starts way left and stays on that line.
Seeking help on the internet, I found the secret is choking up on the club from these lies. Essentially, the body should be straight, with the ball slightly closer than on a level plane. I had not been choking up, which I believe was causing my body to be tilted to the left and causing my poor shots.
The rudimentary diagram above illustrates my rudimentary grasp of the physics involved. The left image shows the ball flight while choking up on the club. The right image illustrates what I had been doing by not choking up.
Of course, there is no “correct” way to hit a golf ball. If it’s more comfortable to set up and hit the shot on the right, there’s no reason why you can’t (provided you understand the flight and aim accordingly). Next time out, though, I’m going to try choking up. That’s what the pros do.
1 year ago