Breaking 90: Golf: Every hour is happy hour Created on 2/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Downhill/sidehill lie? Have a seat at the bar
If you're scoring in the 90s, chances are you can hit the ball pretty well when it's resting on a flat spot in the fairway. But when it's on a slope, you're lucky to make decent contact.
To hit the hardest of the uneven-lie shots--the downhill/sidehill lie--pretend you're sitting on a bar stool and maintain that posture through impact. Widen your stance to improve your balance and then flex your knees a little more than normal to get down to the ball. Take more club and swing easy so you don't fall off the stool.
Play pool to correct pulls (and pushes, too)
When you play pool and want a ball to carom to the right, hit the left side of it with the cue ball. The same holds true in golf. If you're continually hitting shots left of your target, focus on a dimple on the ball that's inside the target line as you address it (inset, red dot). If you hit that red dot, the ball will start right of your target line. This drill also narrows your focus and improves your chance of hitting a crisp shot. If you push your shots to the right, try to hit the dimple (blue dot) that's outside the target line and it will start left.
Golf Digest February 2005