Patrick Reed captured his first PGA Tour victory Sunday in the Wyndham Championship by defeating Jordan Spieth in a two-hole playoff.
What will be remembered by most from Reed’s win will be the potential shot of the year he hit during the playoff.
Narrowly avoiding out of bounds with his tee shot on the second playoff hole, Reed was left with his ball under trees and well above his feet.
Reed, however, was able to pull off a miracle shot, getting the ball to within 7 feet of the hole.
Uneven lies are extremely common throughout a round of golf, and I often hear players asking what to do when they have a particular lie on the course.
Here are few things you need to know the next time you are forced to hit a shot from anything but a flat lie:
• Ball above your feet: Remember that when the ball is above your feet, you will have the tendency to pull the shot. So a right-handed golfer should aim a little to the right to compensate for a slight pull.
• Ball below your feet: The exact opposite is true when the ball is below your feet. Right-handed players will tend to push the ball to the right of their target. Whether the ball is above or below your feet, make sure you take an extra practice swing to find the bottom of your swing. In other words, rehearse hitting the ground with the club the way you would want to hit the ball.
• Uphill lie: When you are faced with an uphill lie, remember that loft is effectively being added to the club. Depending on the severity of the lie, you may need to use one or two extra clubs. Remember to fight gravity and get your weight to the front foot when you finish your swing.
• Downhill lie: Again, the opposite is true when faced with a downhill lie. Loft is effectively reduced so you may need less club depending on the lie’s severity. The most important key to remember on uphill or downhill lies is to try and match your shoulders to the slope of the ground, which allows the club to make good contact with the ground.
