Good Lie First Cut Rough vs. Good Lie Fairway

[V14_Heels]

Ok so I have a question. Lets assume your on a flat fairway good lie, vs. the flat rough (more of a first cut situation not some big thick heavy stuff) good lie on a par 4.

Is there really that much difference in what happens here with ball flight and such. If you're 130 from the pin, are you adjusting your club up or down at all in that situation?

I get that people want to be in the fairway because fairway usually means better lie, and means you have a good shot at the pin, but I truthfully think I hit my irons better out of the rough that's barely off the fairway then the fairway itself, but maybe I'm not adjusting my club accordingly like you good golfers are?

 

[Gyro25]

I think pickers (not taking divots) will like the first cut better so they can get under the ball a bit better

But In that situation I don't think I'd be changing my club. Ball flight will be similar with maybe higher launch out of the cut

 

[DataDude]

No, that's why distance is king off the tee. You don't need to be in the fairway you just need to have a clear view of the green.

 

[JB]

Ok so I have a question. Lets assume your on a flat fairway good lie, vs. the flat rough (more of a first cut situation not some big thick heavy stuff) good lie on a par 4.

Is there really that much difference in what happens here with ball flight and such. If you're 130 from the pin, are you adjusting your club up or down at all in that situation?

I get that people want to be in the fairway because fairway usually means better lie, and means you have a good shot at the pin, but I truthfully think I hit my irons better out of the rough that's barely off the fairway then the fairway itself, but maybe I'm not adjusting my club accordingly like you good golfers are?

Depends on if there will be grass between the face and the ball at impact. The first cut shouldn't impact too much twisting of the club head in my opinion, but grass between ball and face, can definitely impact.

 

[J4U]

Your not alone as I felt better at address in that situation when starting out. I think it has to do with less pressure mentally. Your not expected to pull off the best shot from there.

Although the results don't have the same reaction you expect all the time. Spin, distance, flight can all change as compression and contact could vary.

 

[Buster1]

The more grass between the clubface and ball, the less spin and control you have. I’d choose the same club in either situation you described above, but understand that the ball may not ‘check’ as hard after landing if hit from the first cut.

 

[V14_Heels]

Ok. I'm not crazy then. You guys bring up some great point, but at a 30 handicap so much of that just doesn't come into play for me. I'm just not playing any control shots at all. I'm praying to get 1 GIR a round lol.

This question is actually stemming from a golf mat. I have an indoor setup, and I need to replace my mat. I'm looking at a divot action and I can buy it with a combo insert that gives me a fairway feel and first cut feel for like an extra $20, but then when I was thinking about it I'm like...is that going to make any difference whatsoever to practice on one or the other. Itll be a perfect lie everytime so...

 

[captaincaution]

Depends on the lie. I might club down if in the first cut, since you won't get as much spin. Less spin will make the ball go further, and more loft should get it higher and have it come down and stop faster.

 

[HarlettoScara]

No, that's why distance is king off the tee. You don't need to be in the fairway you just need to have a clear view of the green.

So captain, does that mean I have your permission to miss fairways accordingly...?

 

[DataDude]

So captain, does that mean I have your permission to miss fairways accordingly...?

As long as you're not in the desert or a bunker bombs away IMO.

 

[Chef23]

To the OP as a 28-30 handicap I am not surprised that you hit the ball better out of the first cut. The ball sits up a bit and you don’t have to be as precise. I am sure you are also inconsistent with your distances. As your ball striking improves you will prefer to have the ball on a tighter lie in the fairway.

At your level hitting off of mats at time can mask when you hit it fat. I can tell when I hit it fat off a mat even if the results are decent. That isn’t true for everyone or every type of swing.

In answer to your question sometimes if it is a bit wet and I think there might be some grass between the club and the ball I might take less club from the rough if there is no trouble short. For you I would say hit what you planned to hit.

 

[V14_Heels]

As long as you're not in the desert or a bunker bombs away IMO.

I could create a whole thread on this as well. I think this totally stands true if you have spectators like the pros to watch for your ball. I legitimately wonder sometimes how many strokes the pros gain over us guys. I lose balls alot that in my mind should not be lost. They're right there and if it were a snake it'd bite me.

 

[V14_Heels]

To the OP as a 28-30 handicap I am not surprised that you hit the ball better out of the first cut. The ball sits up a bit and you don’t have to be as precise. I am sure you are also inconsistent with your distances. As your ball striking improves you will prefer to have the ball on a tighter lie in the fairway.

At your level hitting off of mats at time can mask when you hit it fat. I can tell when I hit it fat off a mat even if the results are decent. That isn’t true for everyone or every type of swing.

In answer to your question sometimes if it is a bit wet and I think there might be some grass between the club and the ball I might take less club from the rough if there is no trouble short. For you I would say hit what you planned to hit.

Less club. See I have this all wrong. I always thought you were supposed to take more club if in a heavier lets call it 2nd cut rough.

 

[HarlettoScara]

As long as you're not in the desert or a bunker bombs away IMO.

I'd best get the fitting nailed on, looks like the XD for me in that case haha

 

[Tywithay]

I usually see similar carry, but less spin out of the rough. Could be the difference between sticking a green, or rolling off the back.

 

[V14_Heels]

I usually see similar carry, but less spin out of the rough. Could be the difference between sticking a green, or rolling off the back.

It's so hilarious how high handicappers think so different. I'M THRILLED if I'm just slightly rolling off the back of the green lol.

 

[BuffaloPlunger]

I absolutely love being in the first cut

 

[PatsFan]

Doesn't matter to me. I don't change anything usually.

 

[Drumdog]

Depends on if there will be grass between the face and the ball at impact. The first cut shouldn't impact too much twisting of the club head in my opinion, but grass between ball and face, can definitely impact.

 

[V14_Heels]

Your not alone as I felt better at address in that situation when starting out. I think it has to do with less pressure mentally. Your not expected to pull off the best shot from there.

Although the results don't have the same reaction you expect all the time. Spin, distance, flight can all change as compression and contact could vary.

I think this is a 100% hit. I'm so excited to hit a fairway and now have this expectation on myself that I should obviously hit it better and screw everything up lol.

 

[GenErr]

At the course I play, "good lie in the fairway" is almost impossible, so I'd go with good lie in the first cut.

 

[BigMac]

Less club. See I have this all wrong. I always thought you were supposed to take more club if in a heavier lets call it 2nd cut rough.

In the rough, there's more chance of a "flyer" - a ball that comes out hot with less spin (because of the grass/moisture between the clubface and ball), which will make it fly farther and not stop as well when it lands. If you club up and get a flyer, there's a chance that you'll be WAY long instead of just long.

At the course I play, "good lie in the fairway" is almost impossible, so I'd go with good lie in the first cut.

A couple of our fairways are so bad right now that you're better off missing them and landing in the rough! Hitting certain spots in those fairways is more penal than being in the first cut.

 

[OldandStiff]

The idea of a 30 cap needing to club down over worry about a flyer is kinda crazy to me. You're much more likely to chunk or miss the center than bomb one. Take plenty of club and have at that sucker. First cut you might get the ball up in the air more/more often than usual but the chances of you noticing a dramatic spin difference from there, vs a thick shot from anywhere else, or a buttoned one from anywhere else are likely small enough to not be worthy of this discussion. If one of my bogey+1/2 buddies took less club there and said that was why, I'd snack him upside the head and tell him that when he gets sick of chipping from off the back of the green on something other than a blade shot, start thinking about.


Does anyone remember that thread I made on if flyers actually exist? The answers were very telling.

 

[Raiderboost]

Most of the courses around me the first cut is pretty low and can sometimes be just as good or better (especially on short shots or winter time) than a tight lie in the fairway. I usually play them about the same unless there is a little bit thin grass behind the ball. I may play it a few yards short thinking it might spin less but not a whole club.

 

[billyh]

The idea of a 30 cap needing to club down over worry about a flyer is kinda crazy to me. You're much more likely to chunk or miss the center than bomb one. Take plenty of club and have at that sucker. First cut you might get the ball up in the air more/more often than usual but the chances of you noticing a dramatic spin difference from there, vs a thick shot from anywhere else, or a buttoned one from anywhere else are likely small enough to not be worthy of this discussion. If one of my bogey+1/2 buddies took less club there and said that was why, I'd snack him upside the head and tell him that when he gets sick of chipping from off the back of the green on something other than a blade shot, start thinking about.


Does anyone remember that thread I made on if flyers actually exist? The answers were very telling.

I remember that thread and it made total sense to me as one of those high cappers (now that I’m keeping a handicap it’s not as high as I thought it would be). But going back to what you said in the first paragraph, I’m with you. Play the same shot from the first cut as you would from the fairway. I had that exact situation today, actually clubbed up for the wind, and stuck a GIR with a 4 iron (a blade none the less) to within 12 foot.
OP, really just keep moving the ball forward. Work on making clean contact with the ball and the rest will eventually come together.