This story is for you if...
• Long irons give you more trouble from uneven lies than short irons do
• You can't stay balanced when the ball is above your feet
The Situation
You have a sidehill lie with the ball above your feet about 170 yards from the pin. You know the ball is going to curve to the left, so you aim 10 yards right of your target. Unfortunately, the ball curves only five yards to the left.
What Went Wrong
You had the right idea — a sidehil lie with the ball above your feet will cause your ball to curve to the left. But the amount of curve depends on the club in your hands. Because they have more loft and a more upright lie, short irons are more affected by slope than long irons. You can clearly see the difference in the photos at right. Because of this difference, you don't need to aim so far to the right when you're swinging your mid to long irons from this lie.
The Adjustment You Need
Aim the center of your clubface at your target. If you're hitting a short iron, aim your shoulders, hips and feet 10 yards right of where your clubface is pointing. If you're hitting a mid or long iron, cut the amount you aim your body to the right in half (about 5 yards). The clubface should look like it's facing just a little left of your body line. Once you're set, keep your weight on your heels throughout your swing. If you set up with your weight on your toes, you'll fall back onto your heels during your backswing and your contact will suffer.
