Ball Above or Below Your Feet (Sidehill Lie)
Also known as: ball above your feet, ball below your feet, ball above feet, ball below feet, sidehill lie, side hill lie, hitting from a sidehill lie
With the ball above your feet, grip down the club, stand a little taller and aim right, since the ball tends to curve left. With the ball below your feet, flex your knees more, keep your weight toward your heels and aim left, since it tends to curve right. These directions are for right-handers, and left-handers reverse them.
On a sidehill lie the slope changes how the club sits on the ground. When the ball is above your feet, the toe of the club points up. The face then points left of where the leading edge is aimed, and the swing also gets flatter and more rounded. Both push the ball left for a right-handed golfer. The more loft the club has, the bigger the effect. A wedge turns more than a hybrid.
With the ball above your feet, grip down the club by about as much as the ball is higher. Stand a little taller with your weight toward the balls of your feet so you do not fall back. Aim right of the target and make a controlled, three-quarter swing. A fat shot is the common miss if you do not grip down. The ball often draws and runs, so less club may be enough.
When the ball is below your feet, the toe points down and the ball tends to start or curve right. Widen your stance, flex your knees more and keep your weight toward your heels. Aim left, take an extra club and swing at a pace that keeps you balanced. The key is to stay down through the shot. Standing up out of your knees is what causes the thin or topped miss. A practice swing on the same slope shows where the club brushes the ground.
Tips by skill level
Remember it this way: the ball tends to go the way the slope runs down. Aim up the slope from where you want it to finish.
Expect a bigger curve with higher-lofted clubs. A sidehill wedge needs more aim adjustment than a sidehill hybrid from the same slope.
Example
His ball is well above his feet on a bank beside the fairway. He grips down two inches, aims at the right edge of the green and makes a smooth three-quarter swing. The ball draws back toward the middle of the green.
Why it matters
Few lies on a real course are flat. Knowing how a sidehill slope bends the ball lets you aim for it instead of being surprised by it.
Common mistakes
- Aiming straight at the flag and ignoring the curve the slope adds
- Not gripping down with the ball above your feet, which leads to fat shots
- Standing up out of the knee flex with the ball below your feet and topping it
- Swinging at full speed and losing balance on the slope
Frequently asked questions
How do I hit the ball when it is above my feet?
Grip down the club, stand a little taller with your weight toward your toes and aim right of the target (for a right-hander). Make a controlled swing. The ball tends to curve left, and more so with lofted clubs.
How do I hit a shot with the ball below my feet?
Widen your stance, flex your knees more and keep your weight toward your heels. Aim left (for a right-hander), take an extra club and stay down through the shot.
Why does the ball go left when it is above my feet?
The slope lifts the toe of the club. The loft of the face then points left, and the swing gets flatter. Both send the ball left for a right-handed golfer.
Related terms
- Uphill and Downhill LiesOn an uphill lie, tilt your shoulders with the slope, play the ball a bit forward and take more club for a higher, shorter flight. On a downhill lie, tilt your shoulders down the slope, play the ball back and use less club. Swing along the slope and expect a lower shot that runs.
- AlignmentAlignment is the direction the body and clubface are aimed at address. Poor alignment is one of the most common causes of off-target shots even with a good swing.
- Lie AngleLie angle is the angle between the shaft and the ground when the club is soled correctly. A lie angle that is too upright pulls shots left; too flat and they drift right (for a right-hander).
- Loss of PostureLoss of posture is any change in spine angle, knee flex, or forward bend from the address position during the swing. It shifts the swing's plane and low point away from where they were originally set.
- Recovery ShotA recovery shot is played from trouble like deep rough, trees, a bad lie, or an awkward stance. Its goal is getting back into play, not maximum distance.
- Ball Flight LawsThe ball flight laws are the impact variables that decide how a shot flies. They are face angle, swing path, attack angle, strike location, dynamic loft, and clubhead speed.
Related guides & benchmarks
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