Hitting irons off of Hills - Raised and Lowered Lies

[MrWellingtonINC]

Looking for some advice or tips regarding hitting your irons off of hills and raised or lowered lies.

 

I recently got a practice membership to a Links style course called Prairie Landing in West Chicago, IL and it has more undulation than any course I have ever played before. Many of the fairways are slanted with safety high on one side, and water low on the other, paired with frequent strong wind and the tall prairie grass, hitting fairways has a huge premium.  I swear the picture doesnt do it justice.

 

 

The issue is... I keep finding that even when I am on the fairway, I have a flat lie MAYBE 1 in 3 times, and if I'm close but in the rough, the ball is 4+ inches above or below my feet guaranteed. This leads to a Lot of fat shots, thin shots, hooks and slices. I frequently have to choke up,  but this makes it difficult to get my distances right. This type of shot comes up at least 6 times a round, and I RARELY stick a green when it does.

 

I apologize, because that sounds like a lot of complaining, but let me be clear I love a challenge, and this course despite the fact that It beats me up time and time again.

 

I was looking for advice, tips, or even just knowledge on what you do when trying to get on the green when the ball is significantly above or below your feet. how do you judge distance, correct line, and how do you set up?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

 

[silver & black]

I'll be waiting on some tips from this myself. I suck at hitting the ball below my feet! Above isn't a whole lot better...lol.

[Golfspy_CG2]

Very generic, but a starting point.

 

Ball above your feet lie:   Aim right as it will tend to draw, choke down on club a bit as it, stand tall, and take perhaps 1 club less as the draw flight will give you a bit more distance. 

 

Ball below your feet lie:  Aim left as it will tend to fade, hold club at very butt end as you really have to stay down on the shot, in your setup you have to have an exaggerated almost squat type set up to get down to the ball, take 1 club more as it will fade and tend to lose distance, stay down on the shot and make solid contact, resist the urge to stand up on it.  

 

These are how I play them, as one of my home courses is just like yours, rarely a flat lie even in the fairway.  

[josmi15]

I was going to say same thing, I've listened when Michael Breed goes on about this. I'm no expert, but Lord knows if there's an uneven surface, my ball WILL find it!

 

 

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[MDGolfHacker]

Very generic, but a starting point.

 

Ball above your feet lie: Aim right as it will tend to draw, choke down on club a bit as it, stand tall, and take perhaps 1 club less as the draw flight will give you a bit more distance.

 

Ball below your feet lie: Aim left as it will tend to fade, hold club at very butt end as you really have to stay down on the shot, in your setup you have to have an exaggerated almost squat type set up to get down to the ball, take 1 club more as it will fade and tend to lose distance, stay down on the shot and make solid contact, resist the urge to stand up on it.

 

These are how I play them, as one of my home courses is just like yours, rarely a flat lie even in the fairway.

Reverse the aim direction for lefties.

 

MDGolfHacker

[Eseay32]

Very generic, but a starting point.

 

Ball above your feet lie: Aim right as it will tend to draw, choke down on club a bit as it, stand tall, and take perhaps 1 club less as the draw flight will give you a bit more distance.

 

Ball below your feet lie: Aim left as it will tend to fade, hold club at very butt end as you really have to stay down on the shot, in your setup you have to have an exaggerated almost squat type set up to get down to the ball, take 1 club more as it will fade and tend to lose distance, stay down on the shot and make solid contact, resist the urge to stand up on it.

 

These are how I play them, as one of my home courses is just like yours, rarely a flat lie even in the fairway.

Pretty much agree with all of this. Would add that I play each of these balls off of the toe slightly. Helps get to stay through the ball with the stance and angle of the hill

 

 

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[Drewkub83]

Could always be like me and move to South Florida. Throws all hills out the window.

 

 

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[revkev]

Could always be like me and move to South Florida. Throws all hills out the window.

 

 

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You would think but architects love to use bulldozers. My course has very little elevation change but plenty of uneven lies. Moguls on 2, ridge on 4, uphill on 6, moguls on 7, ridge on 8, gentle but noticeable down hill slope on 9, 10, moguls on 11,12, subtle downhill slope on 13, real hill on 14, up hill all the way on 17, ridge on 18.

 

All require knowing how to hit down hill, up hill and side hill lies. The key is always to align your shoulders with the slope and don't flyer to over swing.

 

 

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[Golfspy_CG2]

Pretty much agree with all of this. Would add that I play each of these balls off of the toe slightly. Helps get to stay through the ball with the stance and angle of the hill

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Good thought there.

[golfinnut]

Very generic, but a starting point.

 

Ball above your feet lie: Aim right as it will tend to draw, choke down on club a bit as it, stand tall, and take perhaps 1 club less as the draw flight will give you a bit more distance.

 

Ball below your feet lie: Aim left as it will tend to fade, hold club at very butt end as you really have to stay down on the shot, in your setup you have to have an exaggerated almost squat type set up to get down to the ball, take 1 club more as it will fade and tend to lose distance, stay down on the shot and make solid contact, resist the urge to stand up on it.

 

These are how I play them, as one of my home courses is just like yours, rarely a flat lie even in the fairway.

What he ^^^^^^ said!

 

Plus I would add to keep your shoulders the same level as the slope. Ball above your feet = ball further back in your stance as the nature of the swing arc will make you hit a draw easier

Ball below your feet = just the opposite. Further off your front foot ... for the same reasons to hit a fade.

Rule of thumb .... the ball will turn towards the direction of the slope.

 

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[MrWellingtonINC]

You would think but architects love to use bulldozers. My course has very little elevation change but plenty of uneven lies. Moguls on 2, ridge on 4, uphill on 6, moguls on 7, ridge on 8, gentle but noticeable down hill slope on 9, 10, moguls on 11,12, subtle downhill slope on 13, real hill on 14, up hill all the way on 17, ridge on 18.

 

All require knowing how to hit down hill, up hill and side hill lies. The key is always to align your shoulders with the slope and don't flyer to over swing.

 

 

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what do you mean when you say,align your shoulders with the slope? what if the slope isnt really pointing at the green at all?

 

 

Very generic, but a starting point.

 

Ball above your feet lie:   Aim right as it will tend to draw, choke down on club a bit as it, stand tall, and take perhaps 1 club less as the draw flight will give you a bit more distance. 

 

Ball below your feet lie:  Aim left as it will tend to fade, hold club at very butt end as you really have to stay down on the shot, in your setup you have to have an exaggerated almost squat type set up to get down to the ball, take 1 club more as it will fade and tend to lose distance, stay down on the shot and make solid contact, resist the urge to stand up on it.  

 

These are how I play them, as one of my home courses is just like yours, rarely a flat lie even in the fairway.  

 

Yeah, this is simple, but none the less, its great info. Looks like I am going to have to go practice this, mess around, tinker and probably incidentally do some  landscaping on some of the practice hole hills, because I duffed a couple and lost one yesterday.

 

One more thing, should I be trying to pick them clean and avoid a divot in certain situations, or just come down on it hard and do some excavating?

 

Thanks for all of the advice.

[golfinnut]

Aligning your shoulders with the slope ... your shoulders need to be aligned with the way the slope is facing. Depends on the severity of the slope but don't have ur weight forward if the slope is going backwards. (Hard to explain on a thread)

 

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