Uphill, Downhill, Sidehill Lies Made Easy; #1 Most Popular Golf Teacher on You Tube Shawn Clement

[MrEmptyHand]

Great vid Shawn. I searched forever for good info on this subject, and yours was the perfect summary of what to do on these type of lies. Thank you again.

[clemshaw]

@MrEmptyHand Thank you; I re-did them all individually as well in "Uphill shot" "Downhill shot" "Ball above feet" and "Ball below feet"; and just add my name to the title and it will get you there; Shawn

[ccyr429]

Shawn,

Are you choking up on the club when the ball is above your feet? And likewise, choking down when the ball is below? You didn't mention it but I feel that I always end up choking up on the club to avoid hitting the dirt on uphill shots...

Thanks,

Clint

[12deathkillr]

This was Hella boring!!!!

[shinji0843]

I'm sure this concept still applies and is quite valid for all degree of angles, but how about on severe slopes (ball above and below feet)? I mean, there are times when you pull or slice the shot from the tee severely onto a hillside. You would obviously pick the safest route and maybe hit the ball as a downhill shot and just dribble it back onto the fairway, but... if you were to go ahead and try to hit it along the hillside towards the green, how would you take care of such severe cases?

[cmterpsnskins]

So, for the downhill shots, you don't align your shoulders with the slope of the hill? You are the first instructor I've seen advocate this. Oh, I will take your word for it than any of the others, but I was just wondering why. Thanks.

[clemshaw]

@cmterpsnskins I know how you feel because you hear this in all instruction magazines and books; do you have level shoulders on a flat lie?? No, of course not! And none of the magazines and books will tell you that they should be because the right hand is lower than the left...so now you should do this on a downhill shot where balance against the left is of paramount importance? You see how I get frustrated by the ignorance out there? Shawn

[blouhoender]

Shawn, I have to thank you so much. I watched your videos on the full swing yesterday where you suggested lifting the left foot a bit and then planting it. I then went to the driving range and shot 50- 17 yards further on every shot, just using your tips. I would recommend you to anyone. Thanks man, great job.

[afonso237]

Shawn,

Can you tell me if for shot down/up hill you use the adequate iron for the distance or rather you choose the next with more loft, p.e., instead a 9-I use PW.

thanks

[songomz]

nice ! very informative ! thanks to this vid !

[bluejfk]

It's me again.

I got to play with the club champion at Crystal Falls TX today. I had the ball below my feet and I was about 120 yards out with a pitching wedge. The pin placement was way in the back . I showed the guy how to do this shot flat footed. I hit the flag stick squarely and the ball went strait back about 12 feet. The ball was as strait as can be. He was stunned.

[bluejfk]

I worked on this this past week. OMG! I am simply stunned and how this works. This goes against every thing you learned about sloped lies. I played with a guy on tuesday and kept dropping balls on different sloped lies and his jaw dropped.

Yet again, I go to the course with this doubting thomas "ah this is BS" attitude only to have my jaw drop (and others) and again proclaim Shawn to be a genius. In fact this lead to a birdie today. I had a ball above up hill lie and hit a cut shot to 10ft!!

[clemshaw]

I love it! :) Thanks for the great comment!

Shawn

[justjames1111]

Shawn, I'm confused. I thought that if you hit up the slope you needed a club more, e.g a 7 to hit 8 iron distance because of the increased loft. You then hit a 5i 220yds instead of your usual 190. Can you explain please!

[clemshaw]

Hey Just james!

Have a look at the "Golf pro Lesson Leverage power" video; when you have this natural leverage, you have a veritable launchpad! My longest shots have come from this kind of uphill lie; but obviously, more inclination that what you see here would require an adjustment; Shawn

[MikePedersenGolfTips]

What a cool platform! Wish I had that.

[mdmuddasir1]

Wow! VERY valuable tips!

(Clem, can I be your cameraman?! I'm willing to work for free!! :D)

[GlodenAK]

i always had trouble with down hill b/c i would shift back, this really works :D!!!

[Creepytouch]

During the uphill shot is there a weight shift to the uphill foot during the swing at all? Or do you remain on the back foot during the entire swing?

Cheers

[clemshaw]

See the Golf Pro Lesson Leverage Power video for a more detailed explanation!

Thanks for the question! Shawn

[golfnutz99]

Shawn I watched your blog on golf mag and you hit on something that is killing me and that is rolling my left foot and spinning out. Which of your videos do you suggest to help me firm up my left side and get weight to the inside of my left foot on the forward swing.

[clemshaw]

This downhill one for starters; then the one leg drill and the "Fine tuning the best drill" which is the feet together drill; when swinging with the feet together, maintain the knees together and the suction through the arches at all times especially in the finish!

[Schnappss]

Thanks.

I was just out playing and I had almost that exact shot. It was a little closer to the pin, but I basically had no idea how to hit it correctly so I swung and I hit it sooooo thin it when flying down the slope and right across the green and out of bounds. Not too good.

This video really helped. Keep up the good work.

[telfordthethird]

Thankyou very much for this clip, This is one of the crucial parts of my game that needed fine tuning. i am however having severe trouble with my long distance bunker shots, and my short (70-100yds) chipping I will hopefully find further videos from yourself on these..Thanks again for helping me lose a couple of shots off my handicap

[clemshaw]

You are welcome!

You will be amazed at how much practicing on these slopes will improve your swing!

Shawn

[premierclip]

thnx

[clemshaw]

Your welcome;

You must play on many good slopes in Switzerland! The views must be spectacular!

All the best, Shawn

[mattferg24]

oh nvm thats canadian

[clemshaw]

That's right EH! :)

[mattferg24]

Nice video except for mispelling center.

[akiopaik]

Thanks for the Lesson! I have been golfing for a little over 8 months (On the course 5 times) now, and the only "lessons" I have had have been from Mr. Clements Vids. They have been instrumental in bringing my score down from my first 135 to a low of 104 (Shooting for the 90's soon!). I wish I had watched this vid before I went to Waikele where it's ALL HILLS AND DIPS! I will be sure to keep these tips in mind my next time out. Keep it up Shawn!

[AGameGolf]

Part 2 The amount the ball goes left or right is dependant upon the amount of loft that the club has that you are using. The higher the loft, the more the face plane angle changes in response to a change in lie angle.

You tube video from club designer Ralph Maltby video ID "7bzTrKsaMbQ" and PGA golf touring pro Roger Gunn video ID "3s4i997iy0U" clearly explain this relationship.

[clemshaw]

Thanks for your comment; Been there already...I have been fitting clubs for 18 years and have been to Maltby, Golfsmith, Titleist, Cobra, Henry Griffits, Zevo and more...when you are in balance and swing through the ball, the ball will go straight...provided the clubs were properly fitted in the first place! The issue is that golfers do not know how to balance themselves dynamically on or off the slopes.:) Thanks anyways though, Shawn

[AGameGolf]

I agree completely, up to a point; For example, if a ball is 18 inches above your feet and you're hitting a 100 yard sand wedge with a baseball bat swing plane because of the slope, no amount of good balance will compensate for the club face angle pointing 20 yards to the left of the target ;-) I've seen Pros miss the green entirely because they didn't account for that.

[clemshaw]

Aww Man! What is it going to take??...I guess I will have to make another video for my student's sake because they visit these videos regularly and the pros you saw just made a poor shot from poor focus and a lack of understanding and feel for the shots...I have a short course here where I routinely hit with exaggerated side hill lies and take dead aim;

Stay tuned! Shawn

[AGameGolf]

Cool. I'm all for simplicity and I really appreciate the effort you go through to simplify the game of golf. I'm looking forward to the video! Keep up the great work!

[AGameGolf]

Part 1 The reason the golf ball goes left or right after you hit it when the ball is above your below your feet is because of the change in the face plane angle when the lie angle is changed because you stand the club shaft up more vertically or lay it down more horizontally.

[re1ko]

it's all natural position gravity rules

[GolfLessonsTV]

Thanks for the lesson. It's been added to GOLF LESSONS (dot) TV.

[Golfnewbie]

Shawn, thanks for these great clips. I as a beginner already learned a lot from your comprehensive videos.

One question to this subject: I didn't quite understand the reason why you don't allow the right foot to be lifted in the finish position when the ball is below the feet. Thanks!!

[clemshaw]

Good question; it stays on the ground because a regular follow through would allow your centre of gravity to fall down the slope too much and cause you to push to the right; when you stay bolted through the heels there is no chance of this and the result is a much better clearing of the left side and a straight shot!

Shawn

[cambridgerocks]

Once again, Awesome... Thanks.

[pecky1234]

if by the shifting your spine so ur backside is infront of the ball, does this cause this you to close your shoulders to the target line? it looks like you do but it mite not be

[clemshaw]

Yes, you are already in your turn; it will feel like you are going to the right but like a stone on a string, it will get redirected down the line; as long as your stance is parallel to your target line...check out the "taut arms" video;

[arturo45]

Can you spray tan those gams? I had to adjust the brightness level on my Monitor, heh, heh. Great video as usual Shawn, you have a very good teaching manner.

[itubeutude]

That ball below the feet is a horror shot for me. If someone has an out-to-in swing is there any benefit to practicising the ball above the feet shot?.

Thanks again for the videos.

[clemshaw]

Very good shot to practice for you; as well as the downhill shot;

[pecky1234]

hi shawn thanks for the response. just to ask, im 17 and play off around 25, and started playin wen i was around 16. i have a friend who is 12 and plays off 8. he thinks i started too late to be a really good player or even a pro, as that is his aim. do you agree with this?

[clemshaw]

Larry Nelson Started at 21, it is not like you are trying to hit a curve ball in Baseball; the ball does not move in golf and I don't believe in age in this game...many burn out before the age of 17 too!

But you must play a lot! I played everyday 36 holes for 3 years between ages 15 and 18; this will get you good in a hurry!

[bobbogart]

Thanks Shawn - I could have used this on my recent golf day!! The weather looks a lot better than London.

[BentleyDoyle]

Shawn,

nice videos!!

at what age did you start playing golf.

[clemshaw]

at age 12; my buddy Marc invited me to his summer cottage in the Thousand Islands near Kingston Ontario and ambushed me into playing golf one day; I went out there thinking we would be fishing that day...I went out kicking and screaming...that day changed my life and I will thank him forever; so you can thank Marc for these videos:)

[Creepytouch]

Great lesson! Thanks for clearing that up Shawn.

[richl777]

with ball on uphill lie i have been told to pull back my left leg to level out the hips-is this nonsense ? thanks

[clemshaw]

If you try to stay level on the uphill shot, you will swing the club into the hill and chunk your shots and pull to the left; stay level to THE GROUND OR SLOPE to swing the club along the slope for best results;

Thanks for your comment; Shawn

[pecky1234]

do i also hav to choke up on the club on ball above feet and lengthen the club when its beneath my feet?

[clemshaw]

Shorten only in extreme cases; but to lengthen would alter the grip and would not be advised...otherwise keep everything the same; as long as you are in balance and swinging THROUGH the ball and along the slope, or target line, you are good!

Shawn