The uphill lie and stance can be confusing for golfers. The awkward lie angle naturally changes the swing plane. Here’s a good method to hit a golf ball off an uphill lie with better precision.
When you face an uphill lie, the golf ball lies above your feet. The address position relating to the ball and clubhead positions should be the same as a level lie. Ball position should be in the center of your stance. Because of the hill, your body will be in a straighter or more erect position. Grip down on the club. By gripping down on the club you can be closer to the ball and the steepness of the hill grade is reduced.
When swinging from this lie, your swing will have a flatter plane. This results in a hook spin making the ball go to the left. Align to the right of the target to compensate for the hooking ball flight. Make sure you swing along your target line. The tendency for golfers is to align to the right and swing to the desired finish position...the pin. This results in a pull hook.
If you would like to reduce the hook spin on the ball, there are a few things that you can do. At setup, slightly open the clubhead to the target line. Keep in mind, an open clubface has higher loft, so the ball will fly at a higher trajectory and lost some distance. It is advised to use a lower lofted iron to compensate for the difference of the open club face.
Unusual golf shots can be mentally challenging for golfers. With most driving ranges offering only level lies, golfers rarely practice these shots. Tip: play a late twilight round on a hilly course. This provides an opportunity to hit a few extra shots that will make all the difference during your next round of golf.
