Uneven Lies in Golf: Tiger Woods’ Keys
The ball is on a slope, and you’re not sure what to adjust? In Golf Digest’s “My Game” series, Tiger Woods addresses skilled players: on uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies, he breaks down his balance, aim, club selection, and the hand feels that shape the ball’s flight.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
In ascent, Tiger Woods hits an 8-iron to make sure he clears the lip in front of him. Ball toward his left foot, weight on his right leg, he tilts his shoulders to follow the slope and swing up along it. Since the ball tends to start left, he aims a little farther right and keeps the clubface open. On a descent, at about 177 yards, he opens the face of an 8-iron slightly to keep loft, puts a lot of weight on his left foot, moves that foot forward a little, and pulls his right foot back slightly to pull with his left hand while remaining balanced.
With the ball well above the feet, he shows two options: a big, high hook aimed well right, with the right hand releasing over the right foot; or a cut with a 3-iron, open clubface, ball back, with the feeling of the hands tracing an “X.” In a tournament, he would play a more moderate curve and aim to stay short of the hole to avoid a double bogey. For him, the slope doesn’t dictate the shape of the shot: it all starts with clean contact. Finally, he gauges distances by feel, without adjusted numbers, adding or taking off a club.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- First, assess whether the lie allows clean contact.
- Choose the club based on the required height and the slope.
- Tilt your shoulders so they are parallel to the slope.
- Spread your weight to stay balanced: load the downhill leg.
- Adjust the aim according to the expected curve.
- Shape the shot with your hands: release the right hand or pull with the left.
- In a tournament, reduce the curve and choose a safe miss.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Fighting the slope instead of swinging along it.
- Losing your balance by trying to go too fast.
- Believing that the slope always requires a draw or a fade.
- Using a club that's too long on an uphill shot, which brings the slope into play.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- Two or three balls from sloping lies every other hole in a practice round
- Same sidehill lie: a hook, then a cut
- Shoulders aligned with the slope before each shot
Your Questions
How does Tiger Woods hit an uphill shot?
Ball toward the left foot, weight on the right leg, shoulders tilted like the slope. He aims a little to the right and keeps his clubface open to prevent the ball from hooking to the left.
What about going downhill?
He opens the clubface slightly to keep loft, puts a lot of weight on his left foot, moves that foot forward, and pulls his right foot back a little so he can pull with his left hand while staying balanced.
Does a ball that's above your feet require you to play a draw shot?
No: with a clean lie, he can also hit a cut—it’s just harder. He demonstrates a hook and a cut with a 3-iron from the same sidehill lie.
Does he adjust his yardages with numbers on slopes?
No: He plays by feel, adding or subtracting a club depending on the slope, the wind, and the flag, without calculating a corrected distance.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Tiger Woods). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.