Golf Terms: What is a "Lie"?

In golf, a "lie" describes how your golf ball sits on the grass. There are good and bad lies, plugged lies, and more.

Written by Zach

Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023

Definition

When someone says, "That's a terrible lie" or "he has a perfect lie in the middle of the fairway", they are referring to how your golf ball is sitting on the turf and how hard or easy it will be to hit well. If your golf ball is sitting low in a bunch of thick grass, that would be a "bad lie". If your golf ball is sitting up perfectly in the middle of the fairway, that's a "good lie".

Usage

What a terrible lie, you got unlucky!

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