Other Adjustments Required When Playing From A Ball Above The Feet Golf Lie (Video) - by Pete Styles
Other Adjustments Required When Playing From A Ball Above The Feet Golf Lie (Video) - by Pete Styles

If you’ve now understood the ideas behind improving or changing your technique when the ball is above your feet and you’ve understood the concept of trying to be smart with your course management decisions when the ball is above your feet, we’ve just got to have an extra little sort of 10, 20, maybe even 30 seconds in your pre-shot routine and your club selection in comparison to when the ball is on the flat. If the ball is on the flat, all things been even, 150 yards away, you know which club to hit, you will – you pick your target line, away you go. When the ball is like this we just need an extra few seconds to think it all through.

So what I encourage you to do is stand back behind the ball here and just go through a few things in your mind because this is not a standard easy shot. We need to look at the amount of slope, the severity of the slope, we need to look at your club selection and the idea that we know you are going to grip down, so we might need to add on extra club. If it’s an 8-iron distance gripping down is going to mean that the 8-iron is going to fall short, swinging smoothly within myself the 8-iron is going to fall short, so I might take a 7 might even take a 6. We’ve then also got to consider what the wind direction is doing, how that could affect the shot, what my normal shot pattern would be if I am a drawer of the ball and I’m on this slope, it’s going to draw quite a lot, I’ve got to look up that towards the green, workout where the danger is, workout where the safety is, workout really am I going to go for this or am I just going to lay up and knock it up short. Once I have considered all those things, I’ve made a good decision, smart decision, I’ve chosen the right club, the last thing I need to do now is commit to the shot but take an extra couple of practice rings before I set up. So I am going to set up to the side of the ball, gripping down, keeping my posture, the swing feels a bit different so I’m going to take an extra couple of practice scores just sweeping the grass at the right level so I’m confident that I’m going to hit the ball nicely. Then as a set up to the ball, my last swing thought is commit. If I’ve made all the smart decisions beforehand I shouldn’t have anything to worry about now as I set up to the ball. The last thing I want to do is get up to the ball and then chicken out of it, wind path of it and hit a pole one. I’ve got to get up to the ball with a good commitment, I’ve got the right club, I’ve got the right technique, I’m aiming at the right target, go ahead and commit and pull that trigger and hopefully you’ll have a beautiful high draw that lands nicely in the middle of the green safely away from danger and you’ve chosen the right club. And hopefully with all those points in mind, you’ll be fine next time you have a ball above your feet lie. 2016-10-05

If you’ve now understood the ideas behind improving or changing your technique when the ball is above your feet and you’ve understood the concept of trying to be smart with your course management decisions when the ball is above your feet, we’ve just got to have an extra little sort of 10, 20, maybe even 30 seconds in your pre-shot routine and your club selection in comparison to when the ball is on the flat. If the ball is on the flat, all things been even, 150 yards away, you know which club to hit, you will – you pick your target line, away you go. When the ball is like this we just need an extra few seconds to think it all through.

So what I encourage you to do is stand back behind the ball here and just go through a few things in your mind because this is not a standard easy shot. We need to look at the amount of slope, the severity of the slope, we need to look at your club selection and the idea that we know you are going to grip down, so we might need to add on extra club. If it’s an 8-iron distance gripping down is going to mean that the 8-iron is going to fall short, swinging smoothly within myself the 8-iron is going to fall short, so I might take a 7 might even take a 6.

We’ve then also got to consider what the wind direction is doing, how that could affect the shot, what my normal shot pattern would be if I am a drawer of the ball and I’m on this slope, it’s going to draw quite a lot, I’ve got to look up that towards the green, workout where the danger is, workout where the safety is, workout really am I going to go for this or am I just going to lay up and knock it up short. Once I have considered all those things, I’ve made a good decision, smart decision, I’ve chosen the right club, the last thing I need to do now is commit to the shot but take an extra couple of practice rings before I set up.

So I am going to set up to the side of the ball, gripping down, keeping my posture, the swing feels a bit different so I’m going to take an extra couple of practice scores just sweeping the grass at the right level so I’m confident that I’m going to hit the ball nicely. Then as a set up to the ball, my last swing thought is commit. If I’ve made all the smart decisions beforehand I shouldn’t have anything to worry about now as I set up to the ball. The last thing I want to do is get up to the ball and then chicken out of it, wind path of it and hit a pole one. I’ve got to get up to the ball with a good commitment, I’ve got the right club, I’ve got the right technique, I’m aiming at the right target, go ahead and commit and pull that trigger and hopefully you’ll have a beautiful high draw that lands nicely in the middle of the green safely away from danger and you’ve chosen the right club.

And hopefully with all those points in mind, you’ll be fine next time you have a ball above your feet lie.