Originally Posted by Bagger Lance
Was setting up for a shot the other day with the ball well above my feet and got to thinking about plane angles. Should I go at it steeper or shallower, ball back or forward, open or closed plane line?
How would you play plane angles and ball position for the following shots?
Ground sloped toward you, ball 2-3" above feet.
Ground sloped away from you, ball 2-3" below feet.
Ground sloped down 2-3" from rear foot.
Ground sloped up 2-3" from rear foot.
The Plane Angle should be set -- all four corners -- according to the slope. The Head should thus be
Centered between the Feet, i.e., according to the slope (and
not the horizontal plane). The ball should be located according to this adjusted Plane Angle and the chosen club's Straight-Away Flight Line.
Depending on the lie, there are other considerations. For example, especially on ball above-or-below feet lies:
stance (standing further from or closer to the ball);
weight distribution (towards the heels or towards the toes); and
where to grip the club (toward the steel or at its end).
Additionally, for
uphill lies, take
less loft. Also, allow for the probability that the weight will be held a bit back through impact and the ball will be pulled left.
For
downhill lies, take
more loft. Consider a Cut Shot to add additional loft on stronger clubs. Allow for the probability of a push right.
For
sidehill lies with the ball
above the feet, the necessarily
flatter swing, and the
leftward-looking loft (and the higher the loft, the more left it looks), expect the ball to move left. To compensate, the simplistic adjustment is to aim right. Where more control of the Flight Path (and subsequent bounce and roll) is desired, take
less loft and
open the clubface. Errors will be toward the heel of the club.
For
sidehill lies with the ball
below the feet, the consequently more
upright swing, and the
rightward-looking loft, the ball will tend to move right (and, in extreme cases, even shank). Therefore, aim left. For more control of the Flight Path and ball direction upon landing, take
more loft and
close the clubface. Errors will be toward the toe of the club.
No matter what the lie, remember that "all quick and jerky motions are improper execution". Resolve to be "deliberate and positive" with all Strokes, especially in the Scoring Zone. The tendency with the odd lies is to
flinch -- to lift the head and pull in the arms -- and you must be steeled to avoid it.
