The Truth About Lies

The right adjustments at the right time.

The bigger the swing, the bigger the miss. Take less loft and a smaller swing when possible. The Putt-Chip is my first go-to!

The better the lie, the more options you have. Some options are easier, and some are harder.

The better your decision-making, the higher your chances of execution are!

Fringe grass: Good lie

Pay attention to:

1. Height of fringe: Can you putt? Is the fringe shaggy? Is there a significant contrast between the speed of the firing and the speed of the green that could make judging a putt difficult?

2. Ground Firmness/Softness: Is the ground soft, where the leading edge of a wedge will dig into the ground?

3. Grain: Is there grain present? If so, is it down grain or into the grain?

Many golfers are more comfortable with a good lie in the rough than a tighter fairway lie. The extra cushion provides more margin for error. Advanced players prefer the fairway lie to control spin.

Rough: Good lie

Pay attention to:

1. How much air is under the ball? Meaning is there a risk of hitting under the ball too much, resulting in contact high on the club face and the ball falling short.

The ball will tend to spin less from this kind of lie due to grass getting in between the club face and ball, resulting in less friction!

Rough: Ball sitting down

Pay attention to:

1. Hinging your wrists during the backswing. This helps steepen the attack angle.

Lie Review

  • Fringe: Good Lie

    The better the lie, the more options you have. The option that has the most loft requires the biggest swing. The bigger the swing, the bigger the miss.

    Recommendation: Less loft where possible.

  • Rough: Good Lie

    When you have a good lie in the rough, you still have options. Just be careful because the ball is “teed up.”

    Recommendation: When you make your practice swings, try and get a sense of how thick the grass is and if s there is a chance you hit too far underneath the ball.

  • Ball Sitting Down

    When the ball is sitting down, the clubs need a steeper route to the ball to reduce how much grass gets in between the face and ball at impact. Hinging the wrists during the backswing can help promote a steeper attack angle.

    Recommendation: Make sure you use enough loft to account for the loss of spin.

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