These 2 decisions are the key to success, says the pastor

Hitting a shot from a standard lie can seem difficult enough most days. But add in the inconsistency of the false falsehood, and things get even more complicated.

Fortunately, coach Tim Gillis, who teaches at the John's Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla., says that overcoming the sidehill lie depends on two main decisions that players must make in order to be successful.

“The first step is to check the lie that the ball is sitting on, whether it is on a hard lie or on long grass,” he said.

Club selection is key here, and the length of grass you're facing will dictate which club you should use. That is important decision No. 1.

“Before you hit the ball, make sure you have a good quality club that will go very well on the downswing,” said Gillis. “You want to make sure you stay balanced during the shot.”

Once you've researched your lie and selected your club, the next step is to adjust your grip to a downhill-sidehill or downhill-sidehill setup — decision No. 2.

“If you're going to hit an uphill lie, you're going to want to move that ball up your pitch,” Gillis said. “It's a good idea to think about your belt according to the height you're standing on. You don't want your club to fight the slope, you want to swing with the slope of good communication.”

The same idea applies to downhill-sidehill lies, too.

“When you lie downhill-sidehill, you want to get the ball back in your position,” Gillis said. “This will help you keep your weight forward, so that the club will roll down the hill and not fight the hill.”

Give Gillis' advice try to prevent side lies from going astray on your next round.

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Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia's first varsity golf class, Jessica knows how to outrun everyone on the golf course. He can pass them through the office, too, where he is primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF's first Style Issue, which began in February 2018. His first interview series, “A Round With,” released in November 2015, and appeared in both magazine and video form on GOLF.com.