TIP FROM THE PRO

Hole 15

380 yards straight downhill shouldn't cause too many problems - but it does, doesn't it?! In the case of the 15th the main problem is not course management or miss-clubbing, it is simply the knowledge of how to play the dreaded downhill lie. I have seen more heavy and thin shots on this hole than on any other on our course in all the matches I have played.
So a quick run through of the downhill lie - firstly you need to move the ball back in your stance. Not all the way back to your back foot but certainly a few inches back from where you normally would have it. This is because the natural reaction to a downhill lie is to not move your weight forward during the shot because of the hill and we tend therefore to ground the club further back than we think. We also need to lean down the slope to try and make ourselves perpendicular to it. That way we make sure the bottom of our swing is where the ball is. If we lean back slightly to counteract the slope we effectively make the bottom of our swing a long way behind the ball and again we will hit it fat. Just make sure that you keep your weight forward during the swing and effectively hit the ball 'down' the slope.
So move the ball back and lean onto your front foot - easy. Well, no - it's still not an easy shot and there are other things to remember: you will hit the ball lower and further than you think so watch your clubbing and you will tend to cut the ball as well but remember that's not a definite (I sometimes turn this shot over as my hands try to compensate). Lastly, we all know the 15th green is an easy one to have your ball run off on the left. DON'T make the mistake of aiming too far right to guard against this. Because the green runs from right to left it is much better to miss left than right. Go for the flag and take your chances!