A perfect lie makes club selection and technique relatively straightforward. An abnormal lie can change everything.

With an abnormal lie, sometimes the goal is still to hit the green. Sometimes it is to favor the safest side. And sometimes all you need to do is make contact and get the ball back into play.

Don’t overcomplicate that last goal. A simple recovery that leaves you a normal next shot is better than trying for a perfect result or a hero shot.

(Directional tendencies below are written for right-handed golfers. Left-handed golfers should reverse the left and right adjustments.)

How to play any golf lie

Five things to remember from any abnormal lie

Playing from a difficult lie becomes second nature the more golf you play. The longer I’ve played the game, the better I’ve gotten with these types of shots. At this point, I find them to be kind of a challenge, one that’s fun to pull off. Here are a few things I would remember regardless of what type of lie you are working with.

Contact comes before distance

The yardage becomes less important when the lie prevents you from striking the ball normally.

Start by deciding whether the club can reach the back of the ball. If grass, sand or the ground is likely to interfere, choose a club and target that allow for an imperfect strike.

Balance comes before speed

Slopes and unstable footing make full-speed swings difficult to control.

Widen your stance, grip down or shorten the swing until you feel balanced. A controlled swing with solid contact will usually produce a better result than an aggressive swing made from an unstable position.

Look directly behind the ball

What the club has to travel through before impact will tell you a lot about the shot.

A ball sitting cleanly on top of the rough may allow a mostly normal swing. A ball sitting down or buried will require the club to move through more grass and will make the result less predictable.

The same is true in a bunker.

Plan for the expected miss

Abnormal lies often create predictable tendencies. Learn what those are and plan for them.

Uphill lies generally add loft. Downhill lies lower the flight. A ball above your feet tends to move left for a right-handed golfer while a ball below your feet tends to move right.

Account for the expected result before choosing your target.

Choose the simplest useful shot

Not every abnormal lie should be played toward the flag.

Sometimes the smartest target is the center of the green. Sometimes it is the widest section of fairway. From a severely buried or awkward lie, the right play may simply be getting the ball back to a position where you can make a normal swing. Ask yourself how many times out of 10 you can pull off the shot you have planned.

Final thoughts

Download this golf lie chart to help you get comfortable with these lies and have more success on the course.