What Does Lay Up Mean in Golf? (4 Examples)

It is a shot in golf where the golfer takes a conservative approach either by limiting distance or hitting away from a specific area on the course. Most frequently a lay up will occur on the 2nd shot on a par 4 or par 5 where the golfer is trying to avoid a hazard or a high risk situation.

Golf is a wonderful game, but it can be confusing if you are new to the game.

There are many different terms that the veteran or serious golfer will use that can leave the newbie confused.

Do not worry! We are here to help.

Recently, you may have heard the golf term “lay up” or “laying up”

What does lay up mean in golf?

Update: While the layup isn’t as popular as it once was, there is still a place for it in just about every round of golf. Don’t forget to practice some lower flighted lay up shots during your next practice session. One area we often struggle with is picking a specific target. When the target isn’t specific enough, we can sometimes hit lay up shots off line. Don’t loose your concentration and remain specific with your targets!

A lay up usually involves a risk-reward situation where the golfer has to decide whether the most risky or difficult shot is worth the reward to pulling off the shot.

Here are some examples to increase the understanding and most likely situations.

Water hazards can cause issues on every golf hole. Look and consider all of your options on these difficult shots.

Example 1: A Par 5 Layup

This will most often occur on a par 5 after a quality tee shot. For example, if there is a water hazard in front of the green and the golfer has to carry the shot 210 yards to clear the water and get on the green.

The golfer might have to hit a perfect fairway wood to carry the water and instead decides to lay up. The golfer might then hit only a 6 iron to keep their golf ball short of the water hazard and leave a short wedge shot into the green.

Many courses will have a high risk, high reward situation on many of the par 5s. This brings some thought and strategy into the game. There are golfers who tend to always take the risk and there are those that prefer to play a more safe approach.

How to score better on par 5s!

Example 2: A Par 4 Layup

Many courses will have a par 4 that is driveable for some golfers, but will have a water hazard or out of bounds area right next to the green. There is often great debate in the golf world about the best approach to play these holes.

The golfer who chooses to lay up might only hit an iron off the tee and leave a 80-100 yard wedge shot into the green. This golfer is often relying on their ability to hit a wedge shot close.

While others will choose to hit the driver as far as they can in hopes of landing on the green or leaving a simple up and down to be able to make a birdie.

Many golfers will consider how their round is going to that point, how they are hitting their driver and the overall comfortability level with the shot.

How to make more pars (5 tips)

Example 3: A shot from the trees

After an errant drive into the trees the golfer might have a shot that can get them on the green, but it entails hitting it over a green or through a small game. The golfer might decide to punch out or lay up and take their chance with a shot from the fairway.

Example 4: A shot from a fairway bunker

Another situation where a golfer might take a considervative approach by taking a shorter club is out of a fairway bunker. For many golfers, a fairway bunker shot is a really difficult shot. If the golfer has 185 yards left to the green and there is a bunker in front of the green, hitting a 150 yard shot and then a pitch shot on might be the best option.

One thing to check out in this situation is the lip on the bunker. If the area where your ball will be exiting the bunker has a high edge, you might want to consider the higher lofted club to ensure your shot leaves the bunker.

How to build a repeatable golf swing

Her e is shot where the pin is tucked left behind the water hazard. Lay up or go for it?

BONUS TIP: Create a distance chart

I would highly recommend each golfer create a distance chart like the sample below:

Club	Carry Distance (100%)	90%	80%
2 Utility Iron	210
4 iron	190
5 iron	181
6 iron	171
7 iron	163
8 iron	153
9 iron	143
P Club	130	123	115
Pitching Wedge	118	110	102
SW Club	105	97	91
LW Club	90	82	74

This might be the most important information you can use to help you play quality golf. I have heard so many stories and have seen it first hand where golfers completely over estimate how far they hit each iron. When you are hitting a lay up shot, knowing how far you hit each club is vital to your success.

How can you create your own chart?

Option 1: I would highly recommend a launch monitor!

These portable devices can be used at the driving range, golf course or set up in your home net or golf simulator. These devices are game changers not only on being able to map your bag and know your distances, but they also provide quality feedback after on every shot and provide the following information:

Carry Distance
Spin Rate
Launch Angle

Spin Axis
Total Distance
Ball Speed

This information will help you map your bag, decide on which clubs are best for your game, develop a stock shot and much more. I love using my SkyTrak 365 days a year in my golf simulator setup.

The process for mapping your bag can looking something like this:

Hit 5 shots with each club in your bag.

Log the carry distance and total distance for each shot.
Eliminate any outlier numbers (poor hits or low spin rates).
Take the average and create a map of your bag.

If you visit any PGA Tour event you will see plenty of golfers utilizing their launch monitors. While most can’t afford a Trackman, there are some very affordable options in the 500-2000 dollar range. I own the SkyTrak and think the world of it.

Here are the top 3 options to check out:

Mevo Launch Monitor

Option 2: Use a Driving Range or Open Field

If you can’t afford a launch monitor at this time, here is another option.

Find an open driving range or open field

Take 10 balls of the type of golf ball you play
Pick a target and either walk it off or use a rangefinder.
Hit 10 shots with each club in your bag and take an average.

Your rangefinder can help you get a specific distance.

Go ahead and create a chart of each club and their carry distance like the one above.

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

George Gankas

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

How to Break 70

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?