Private Lessons From Golf Magazine

POWER HITTER: Over-the-Hill Pitch
After narrowly missing the green in two, you find yourself with an awkward uphill pitch shot and no view of the flag. You don't want to leave this shot short, but without seeing the flagstick it's hard to gauge the distance accurately. Here's how to leave this short shot close enough to give yourself a reasonable chance at par or birdie.

TILT WITH THE SLOPE: First, walk up to the green to see how much distance and slope there is between you and the flagstick. Will you need to carry the ball to the hole, or will it release some? Next, set up to the ball with your sand wedge and tilt your spine until it's perpendicular to the slope. Then shift most of your weight to your downhill leg. This will encourage you to swing the clubhead up the slope, not down into it. Take a wider stance than normal to help with balance.

DOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS: Swing back twice as far as you would for the same shot from a flat lie—hence, if you have 15 yards to the flag, make your 30-yard swing. This is to account for the steep incline which, when combined with the 56 degrees of loft on your sand wedge, will shoot the ball almost straight up into the air. If the lie is really steep, consider using your pitching wedge.

REACH FOR THE SKY: Maintain your spine tilt as you calmly accelerate the clubhead through impact, swinging with the slope. Your follow-through should be a mirror length of your backswing, which prevents the face from closing and digging into the ground. Maximize loft by keeping the face pointing skyward well into the follow-through.