Golf is a tricky game that gets the best of our emotions from time to time.
Sometimes we can hit a great tee ball down the middle of the fairway, only to end up in a bad lie in a sandy divot. Or, sometimes we can hit an awful drive only to find it in a perfect lie even if it’s off the beaten path.
But that’s just how golf works, and you have to roll with the punches. As Bobby Jones said, “You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball as it lies.”
One thing that a lot of golfers struggle with is understanding the different types of lies and how to play them correctly. The better you can get at understanding the lie and how to play it, the better scores you will post.
In this article, we’ll break down how to read a lie and what kind of adjustments you need to make for any scenario.
Evaluating a Lie in Golf
So, first off, what is the lie of a golf ball?
The lie is simply how the ball the resting in the grass, sand, or other places the ball might end up. This is one of the first things that a golfer should check when they find their ball from the tee or fairway.
Let’s break down a lot of the lies that you will encounter on a given round of golf.
Lie in the Fairway
First up is the short grass aka the fairway.
Did you know that PGA Tour players only hit about half of all fairways?
In 2021, the PGA Tour driving accuracy average was 60.69%. Hard to believe, right?
So if you find your ball in the fairway, great job because the best guys in the world only hit a little more than half. You only usually get 14 chances to find the fairway each round and anytime your ball ends up in the short grass, things are much easier.
When your ball is in the fairway, you don’t have to worry about the ball jumping, having to battle thick rough, or anything else. Instead, you just need to assess the slope as part of your pre-shot routine.
But it’s not always easy, sometimes there is a slope as well. Here are the most common lies that you will find in the fairway.
Uphill
If you walk up to your ball and find it on the up slope, do not play it like a flat lie. The slope will make the ball launch higher, which should make it travel less (especially if you’re hitting into the wind).
You want to usually club up at least one to account for the higher trajectory. With this lie, move the ball slightly up in your stance and adjust your shoulders with the slope to make solid contact.
Downhill
The opposite is true with a downhill lie in the fairway. From this lie, the ball will have a lower trajectory and not have as much backspin, so play more roll out.
You also want to club down as the slope will deloft the club at impact. With this lie, move the ball slightly back in your stance and adjust your shoulders with the slope.
Click here to learn more about uphill and downhill lies here.
Side Hill Fairway Lie
Assessing a side hill lie is always tricky too, as the golf ball can be above or below your feet.
If the ball is below your feet, it will usually result in a cut shot, so aim left of your intended target. Also, keep your knees bent as well to accommodate the slope and stay balanced.
If the ball is above your feet, it will usually result in a draw shot, so aim right of your target. You also want to choke up on the club, as the lie will make you have more of an around, baseball swing.
The more the slope in either direction, the more it will curve so aim accordingly!
Ball in a Divot
Sometimes a great drive ends up in a divot in the middle of the fairway. While it’s only natural to get a little frustrated, you need to shake it off and play it accordingly.
If your ball ends up in a divot in the fairway, keep it simple and play it like a fairway bunker shot.
Mud Balls
Another lie that no golfer loves to see is when the ball has mud on it. This usually happens during the winter months, when the ground is wet and muddy.
If you find yourself with a mud ball lie, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Mud does affect the ball direction. If you have mud on the right side of the ball, it will actually cause it to go left (and vice versa on the left side).
- The longer the shot, the more the mud will affect it. For example, if you hit a hybrid, the ball will tend to get offline much more than if you hit a pitching wedge. If you have a lot of mud on your ball, sometimes it’s best to hit a punch shot to get the mud off and not try to hit too much club or you might have a big miss.
Go here to to learn more about how to play a mud ball.
Different Lies in Rough
Now that you know how to evaluate and play a lie from the short stuff, let’s talk about some common situations in the rough. The better you can evaluate your lie in the rough, the better recovery shots you can hit when you miss the fairway.
Flyer Lie
The first lie that you might encounter in the rough is a flyer lie. This is when the ball is sitting up perfectly, almost like it’s on a pillow.
While this is usually better than ending up in the deep rough, you need to evaluate and play the lie accordingly. First, ensure that it’s sitting up by placing the club around the ball. Usually, you can tell if there is grass underneath the golf ball.
If you do have a flyer lie, club down!
Balls that are sitting up in the rough tend to take off or “jump” and travel much longer than normal. If there is any tailwind, you might want to club down a full two clubs, but usually at least one with a flyer lie. It also won’t spin nearly as much as normal.
Buried Lie in the Rough
Another situation that is pretty common in the rough is when the ball buries in the thick stuff. It depends on the type of grass, but some grass is known for the ball settling deep.
If this happens, it’s important to assess the lie and then take the right club. Too many golfers try to hit longer irons, hybrids, or woods when the lie won’t allow it.
If you assess the lie and see it’s clearly sitting down, the number one priority is to get it out and back in play. Use a club with more loft, play the ball in the middle-back of your stance, and chop it back to safety.
Unplayable Lie
If the ball is so bad and you can’t play it (but have found it), you always have the option to take an unplayable lie. Under Rule 19, a player may take an unplayable ball relief anywhere on the course except in a penalty area. If you’re in a penalty area, you must take penalty relief under rule 17.
However, if your ball is not in a penalty area, you have the option to take an unplayable lie. If you choose this option, you must take a one shot penalty and drop in one of several ways.
According to the USGA, you have a few different options:
- “The player may play the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).
- The player may drop the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) in a relief area that is based on a reference line going straight back from the hole through the spot of the original ball. You can go as far back as you want on the line with the flag.
- The player may drop the original ball or another ball in this lateral relief area (see Rule 14.3).”
It’s important to note that you must find your golf ball to take an unplayable lie. Otherwise, you have to replay your last shot by going back to the previous hitting location.
Plugged Lie (Embedded Ball)
Another situation you might encounter on the golf course is when your ball plugs. This is when your ball finds wet ground and actually goes partly into the earth, known as an embedded ball. This usually happens during winter, wet conditions and can happen in the fairway, rough, or other areas of the golf course.
As you’ll read in a second, if this happens in the sand, you have to do your best to play the shot. But if the ball plugs anywhere but the sand, then you do get free relief.
According to the USGA, “Rule 16.3 allows relief for a ball embedded anywhere in the “general area” (that is, the area previously known as “through the green”), except when embedded in sand. In taking relief, the player drops the original ball or a substituted ball within one club-length of (but not nearer the hole than) the spot right behind where the ball was embedded.”
While the embedded ball rule has always existed, it’s been updated to read “through the green.” Meaning, you can get relief from an embedded ball in more places than just the fairway or rough (anywhere except sand).
If you think your ball is embedded, you always have the option to insert a tee where the ball ended up and check. If it is plugged into the ground, then you can take relief. And if not and it’s just a wet lie, you have to play it as normal.
Ball in the Water?
Yes, it’s possible to play a ball that is partially submerged in water. If you have this situation, read our full article on playing a ball out of water.
Lie in the Sand
Now that we’ve covered the types of common lies in the grass, let’s not forget about the sand either. There are five common lies that you will encounter in the bunkers.
Ball Sitting Up in Sand
The first lie is when the ball is sitting up well. This happens when the ball hits and then rolls around in the bunker, leaving you with a good lie. When you find your ball in this situation, you can play a normal greenside bunker shot.
The only thing that you need to assess in the lie is the slope.
If your ball is sitting on the up slope, you need to adjust your shoulder angle, so the club doesn’t dig. By aligning your shoulders with the slope, you can swing with the slope and the ball should come out higher and land very soft.
If the ball is on a downhill slope, this is a slightly more difficult shot than an uphill lie. With this lie, you need to play it slightly more in the middle and adjust your shoulders as well. The ball will come out lower, so make sure that you use your wedge with the most loft, too.
Wet Sand
If you walk into a bunker and realize the sand is wet, it’s a pretty simple shot. Since it’s wet and heavier than normal, make sure you adjust by not opening the club so much. Then, swing it with a little more effort to lift the ball and sand out of the bunker.
Hard Sand
If you walk into a bunker and feel the sand being firm, then you have firm sand. Obviously, you can’t test the sand with your club until you hit the shot, so you’ll need to go from feel with your feet.
If you do have firm sand, don’t take a big backswing and instead, play it more like a pitch shot.
Fried Egg in the Sand
Another lie that isn’t as common but does happen occasionally is known as the “fried egg.” The reason it’s called that is because the ball is partially buried due to wet or soft sand. This lie will rarely happen with firm, hard sand, as it will hit and roll out.
The fried egg is a difficult shot to hit compared to a normal shot because you can’t get much spin on it. Plus, a lot of golfers use normal form instead of making the necessary adjustments, which makes things much harder.
If you do notice that your ball has a fried egg lie, here is what you need to do.
- Setup as normal with a wide stance, a good bend in your knees, and set up square to the target. You can use your normal club (whether it’s a sand or lob wedge).
- Next, square the club face instead of opening it. This will make it easier to hit down on the shot instead of trying to have a normal, high follow through.
- Instead, you want to hit down on the shot but leave the club in the sand.
This should result in a ball that pops right out of the bunker. Similar to a buried lie, anticipate the ball to come out with forward spin, so play accordingly. If you don’t have much room from you to the pin, try to land it in the rough to kill some of its speed and spin.
We’ve got a full article on the fried egg bunker shot you should read.
Buried Lie (Plugged Lie)
If you go in to evaluate your lie and see it’s buried, then you have to make some adjustments from a normal bunker shot. Play it like a fried egg and chop down on it to get it out of the bunker. Do not try to make a big high follow through, as the lie won’t allow it.
Final Thoughts
As you can tell, there are a ton of places where your ball can end up on the golf course. But that’s half the fun of playing this crazy game and why golf is so exciting.
Once you become a master at assessing your lie and evaluating how the ball will change, everything gets easier. But before you go pulling a club and try to hit it like a normal shot, always check your lie.
It’s a good idea to get into the shot like you’re about to play it to see the slope, grass, and everything else. Then, think about how the ball’s trajectory will change, grab your club, and make any necessary adjustments at setup.
Finally, don’t forget to trust your lie evaluation and intended shot!