Struggling With Sidehill Lies? 3 Mistakes You’re Probably Making

We’ve all had that perfect drive that rolled into a spot where your feet are above or below the ball. Sidehill lies are challenging and can even happen in the middle of the fairway. If you can’t get the hang of sidehill lies, here are three mistakes you are probably making.

Not adjusting your ball position and stance

Setting up to hit a shot from a sidehill lie without adjusting the ball position and your stance to match the slope will lead to inconsistent results.

If the ball is above your feet:

• Put the ball slightly back in your stance
• Choke down on the club
• Stand upright

If the ball is below your feet:

• Put the ball slightly forward in the stance
• Maintain posture in the backswing (don’t stand up)

I also find that playing around with my weight can be a good way to improve contact. If the ball is below my feet, I put extra weight on my toes to ensure I strike the ball first, then the turf. If the ball is above my feet, I keep the weight between the back of the foot and the center. It’s a simple trick and helps to get the feel necessary to make a cleaner strike.

Not changing your alignment

When the ball is above your feet, the natural swing plane is very shallow, likely creating more of a hook ball flight. If you don’t align slightly to the right at setup, it could cause the ball to go well to the left of your target.

The same applies when the ball is below your feet. You’ll feel a little further from it and sometimes hit off the toe or with a slightly open face. To prepare, aim just to the left side of the green.

However, the simple tip of adding just a little weight on the toes should also help you to hit it straighter. Remember not to change your alignment lines so much that a great shot puts you in trouble.

Not adjusting the swing plane to the slope

The third mistake you might make from these sloped lies is taking your typical swing plane instead of adjusting for the slope. It would help if you matched your swing plane to the angle of the hill.

If the ball is above your feet, you will need a shallow swing, not very upright. Depending on the severity of the slope, it can feel like you are swinging the club more around you.

When the ball is below your feet, take a more upright swing to ensure you attack it at a steep enough angle to lift it off the ground. For both downhill and uphill sloped lies, taking a 3/4-length backswing is a good idea. Keep it simple and advance the ball forward on a straight path.

Pulling it all together

Here is a table you can use to help you make quick and simple adjustments to hit your next sidehill lie shot cleanly. As with all golf tips and advice, make sure the adjustments you make are minimal. Anything major becomes unnecessary and can create just as much inconsistency in the shots you hit.

Lie Type	Ball Position	Stance Adjustment	Alignment	Swing Adjustment
Ball Above Feet	Slightly farther back	Stand upright; choke down on the grip	Aim slightly right of target	Flatter swing plane; expect a right-to-left ball flight
Ball Below Feet	Slightly farther forward	Bend knees more; maintain posture; put a little weight on the toes	Aim slightly left of target	More upright swing plane; expect a left-to-right ball flight