Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023
Golf Slang: "Play it as it lies"
Also known as "playing the ball down", this means the golfer must hit the ball where it comes to rest, no matter how bad the lie is.
Written By: Zach Gollwitzer
Posted in: Golf Slang
Term Overview
A brief overview of the term including definition, usage, origins, helpful visuals.
definition
In a round of golf, you can get free relief and change your "lie" in some scenarios. For example, if your ball is plugged in the fairway, sitting on a cart path, or resting against a man-made structure like a water fountain. In other cases, you must "play it as it lies", which means you cannot touch the ball or change how it sits. In the majority of golf shots, you will "play it as it lies".
how it's used in a sentence
Be an honest golfer and play it as it lies!