Why you should emulate the small correction Lexi Thompson made on this sideways lie
The little modification The deceptive statement made by Lexi Thompson and the reasons it should be emulated
In the opening round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Lexi Thompson was on fire. At Sahalee Country Club, she fired a four-under 68 to grab the lead. Whoever is ahead in a major has made a number of fantastic shots. However, there is one approach shot that Thompson handled quite well—one that we have all seen—where the ball is above your feet when you are in the fairway. Thompson tweaked her setup just enough to make this challenging shot much simpler, and it resulted in a birdie.
Golf Digest Best Teacher in New Jersey Gia Liwiski believes that when striking off a sidehill lay with your feet behind the ball, this little adjustment may make a big impact.
According to Liwiski, “when the ball is above our feet, it is closer to us and we will hit the ball sooner in the swing arc.
Liwiski advises playing the ball a little bit farther back in your stance and grabbing down a little like Thompson in order to be able to hit the ball at the bottom of the swing arc as you would off a flat lie.
When striking from a lie like this, you should also be aware that the shot will shift in form, increasing the likelihood that you will hit a draw (for righties). The hill’s angle forces your clubface to close somewhat. Lewiski claims that this can be easily fixed. Just move your target over to the right.
Like Thompson, you may position yourself to score birdie from this challenging lay by making these small adjustments.
