So the golf gods have frowned on you, placing your ball in the middle of a steep uphill slope. All you can do is hit and hope for the best, right?
Nah. Uphill lies aren’t so tough once you know how to compensate for their effects.
First, take an extra club or two to make up for the slope adding loft to the face. The steeper the slope, the more club you’ll need to keep the ball down and deliver the proper distance. When hitting into a headwind, add even more club.
Next, play the ball a little father back (right) in your stance, delofting the club and boosting your chances of making good contact.
Because uphill shots are often pulled and/or hooked, aim a tad right of target.
Recall from our tip explaining What the Swing Does that when hitting up a slope, your body weight will naturally lean to the right (back) side. The common mistake is to lean into the hill, which only creates a different set of problems. Instead, stand with your shoulders, hips and knees level or parallel with the slope.
Even if you set up correctly, gravity will still have its say. The difficulty lies in preventing your weight from going too far right, with the right knee buckling outward as you complete the backswing. At address, kick your right knee slightly inward; when turning back, rotate around the knee without letting your weight tilt to the outside of your right foot.
The big key is to drive off your right side into and through the ball. Try to finish the swing with your right heel off the ground, balanced on your toe.
That’s all there is to it. Remember these basic compensations and it’s all downhill.
Next, play the ball a little father back (right) in your stance, delofting the club and boosting your chances of making good contact.
