Lie with Ball Below Feet

Golf course designers artfully take advantage of the natural terrain to create challenges for golfers of all skill levels. If you play on a course with rolling fairways you can cope with shots off of sloping lies through simple adjustments to your stance and swing. When the golf ball is below — lower than — your feet, it’s referred to as a sidehill lie. Maintaining your balance while swinging at a ball that lies on a downslope is difficult — and balance is critical to making solid contact with the ball.
Step 1
Hold the club in a normal position — near the top of the grip.
Step 2
Aim left of your target (for a right-handed golfer). Depending on how much slope you’re dealing with, the ball will tend to move from left to right — a fade — in flight.
Step 3
Shift your weight more to your heels to help you keep your balance and avoid falling forward during the swing.
Step 4
Bend your knees to a greater degree than usual and push your backside out so it’s easier to keep your weight back toward your heels when you begin to swing.
Step 5
Take a shorter swing than normal so you can stay balanced and make solid contact with the ball. Slow down your tempo to ensure you don’t lose your balance. Choose a longer club for the distance to compensate for the shorter swing. For example, if you would normally hit a 7-iron from that distance, choose a 6-iron.

Tips

Take a conservative approach to shot strategy from this lie. Both distance and accuracy can be affected by having to hit from a severe slope because it’s difficult to feel completely comfortable over the ball. Focus on positioning the ball for an easy follow-up shot rather than aiming for a tight pin placement or hitting a low percentage shot over a hazard.
It takes practice hitting shots from this lie to determine how much the ball is likely to move from left to right. If you naturally fade the ball the effect of the slope may be more pronounced.
Jack Nicklaus, in his book “Golf My Way,” suggests that when the ball is below your feet you have a better chance of making solid contact if you keep your knees in the flexed position as you follow through. He also advises keeping your head very steady throughout the swing to prevent a shanked shot.