BY JUDD SPICER
First appeared in Summer 2022 Golf Magazine
When seeking tutelage for how to hit uneven lies, the best direction comes from a real straight-shooter. Proprietor of his eponymous Golf Academy at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club in San Jose, Don Leone (donleonegolf.com) was named Northern California PGA Teacher of the Year in 2012, followed by a nomination for National PGA Teacher of the Year the season ensuing. Plying his trade across Cinnabar’s rolling, undulated terrain, Leone’s syllabus is well-balanced in the art of addressing all manner of uneven lies. “Maintaining balance and not getting overly aggressive are big keys,” Leone says. “I see people try to hit these shots like they would a flat lie – and they fall backwards, forwards, all over the place.” For players struggling with shots which belie the flat variety, Leone lends his expertise for four lies that trouble most players.
UPHILL LIES
For properly hitting an uphill lie – as with all shots referenced herein – pre-shot preparation is key. “The biggest mistake with uphill lies is often improper club selection,” Leone says. “Players may think that, say, from 150 yards, it’s the stock 7-iron or 8-iron. But with that uphill lie, the loft is increased; so, instead of the 7-iron, you need to take a 6-iron.” Finding a stance which ensures balance is crucial. “A common mistake is that people don’t address the ball properly,” Leone continues. “The first thing I look for is that the shoulder and hips are parallel to slope. The ball position should be a bit forward in the stance and the weight should be on the trail foot.” Awareness of club face is also paramount to success. “The tendency on this lie is for the ball to go left, because the lower body isn’t moving as much and the hands want to take over and the club will shut down,” Leone details. “So, it’s not a bad idea to open the face just a little bit to compensate for the club turning over.”
DOWNHILL LIES
“The first key on downhill lies is to get those shoulders and hips parallel to the slope; but, opposite to the uphill lie, you’ll want the ball back in your stance and put that weight forward,” explains Leone. “At address, the lead shoulder should be lower than the back shoulder.” Inverse to uphill lies, this tricky shot asks for less club. “As opposed to taking more club as you should with an uphill lie, this shot calls for less stick because the ball is going to come out at a much lower trajectory,” says Leone, suggesting using an 8-iron, for instance, instead of the typical 6-iron you’d take from a flat fairway lie from the same distance. With downhill lies, a chunky result is a common problem for most. “The tendency is to scoop the ball, with too much hanging on the back foot resulting in hitting behind the ball,” Leone adds. “The key is to swing down the slope, maintaining your balance. And because the ball will have a tendency to go right, aim a little left and close the face a bit.”
BALL ABOVE FEET
For this testy ball position, address begins with proper spine angle. “I like to see a taller stance, and definitely some grip-down on the club – which should be a little more club – because with that chokingdown you’re taking more shaft out of it,” Leone advises. “And when making a practice swing, be sure to feel that club properly bottoming-out where you want it to.” Club face awareness in those practice swings should provide further feedback. “This is also a time to open up the face a little bit,” adds the instructor, “because the club face wants to shut as the heel of the club tends to grab the slope a bit and turns the face over.”
BALL BENEATH FEET
This lie tends to be the toughest for golfers of all levels. “It’s the lie most golfers mishit. The tendency for most players is to sit back on their heels, because they don’t want to lose balance,” says Leone. “As soon as the club starts back, it wants to start on a really steep plane; the player tends to shift the weight toward the toes, which exposes the hosel.” In practice swings, Leone suggests assessing weight shift of the body and focusing on finding balance. “The key here is to bend and tilt more from the hips, and get the body in a position where you’re not rocking your weight from heel-to-toe. The body needs to be stabilized,” he says. “And though the legs will get into this swing a little bit, this is really an arm swing. Balance needs to be maintained as much as possible with this shot.” Employing a quiet lower body will result in a loss of swing speed, which Leone counters with: “Take one more club, hold the handle a little higher, toward the end of the grip,” he concludes. “And the ball will want to go right, so I suggest aiming a bit left of the intended target for the right-handed player.”