What Is the First Cut in Golf?

The strip of grass just off the fairway, known as the first cut, is one of the most common places you'll find your golf ball. It might seem intimidating, but learning how to handle these shots is a simple way to save strokes and build confidence. This guide will walk you through exactly what the first cut is, how to assess your lie, and the simple adjustments you need to make to hit solid, predictable shots and get back in play.

What Exactly Is the First Cut of Rough?

Think of a golf hole like a target with rings. The fairway is the bullseye - the shortest, most pristine grass where you always want to be. The a "first" in our case as well. just outside that bullseye is the first cut of rough. It's a transitional strip of grass that is intentionally kept longer than the fairway but shorter and less punishing than the deep, heavy rough further out.

Course designers use the first cut to create a gentle penalty for a slightly errant tee shot or approach. It makes your next shot more challenging than one from the fairway without automatically ruining your chance to make a par. From the first cut, you often have a legitimate shot at the green, but it requires a bit more thought and a slightly different technique than you’d use from the short grass.

In essence, it separates the great shots from the good ones. While the fairway is ideal, landing in the first cut isn’t a disaster, it’s an opportunity to show off your game management skills.

• Fairway: The shortest grass, offering the cleanest lie for your ball.
• First Cut: A slightly longer fringe of grass bordering the fairway. Predictability starts to decrease here.
• Second Cut (Deep Rough): The longest, thickest grass on the a given golf as well., where just getting the ball back to the fairway is often the only realistic option.

Reading the Lie: Not All First Cut is Created Equal

The absolute most important thing to do before you even think about grabbing a club is to walk up to your ball and analyze how it's sitting. The "lie" will determine what you can do next. It has more influence on your shot than almost any other factor. In the first cut, you'll generally encounter one of three main types of lies.

The Friendly Lie (The "Flier")

Sometimes you get lucky. Your ball hits the first cut and sits up perfectly on a plush cushion of grass, as if it were perched on a tee. This is what we call a "flier" lie, and while it looks inviting, it comes with a specific challenge.

When the ball is sitting up perfectly with very little grass immediately behind it, you won’t generate as much backspin as you normally would from the fairway. The grass slightly reduces the friction between the clubface and the ball at impact. The result? The ball "jumps" or "flies" off the face with a lower trajectory, less spin, and will run out significantly more upon landing.

Actionable Advice:For a "flier" lie, you generally need to take less club. If the distance calls for a 7-iron, consider hitting an 8-iron. Expect it to come out hot and roll more than usual. This is an awesome lie for hybrids and fairway woods because the clean contact allows you to send it, but you must account for the extra distance.

The Settled Lie

This is the most common lie you’ll find in the first cut. The ball hasn’t perched on top but has instead settled down into the grass. A portion of the ball is submerged, and there is a healthy clump of grass directly behind it.

The main challenge here is that this grass will get trapped between the clubface and the ball at impact. This significantly reduces spin and control. It can also cause the club’s hosel (the part where the shaft connects to the head) to snag in the thicker grass, twisting the clubface closed as you swing through. For a right-handed golfer, this often results in a shot that pulls to the left of the target.

Actionable Advice:Control and a clean strike are the goals. Don't get greedy. A club with more loft (like an 8-iron instead of a 6-iron) will have a sharper leading edge that can cut through the grass more effectively. Be prepared for the ball to come out with very little spin and potentially hook or pull slightly.

The Wet and Soggy Lie

After a good rain or a morning with heavy dew, the first cut becomes a different beast entirely. The ball will likely be settled down, surrounded by moisture and potentially a bit of mud. These are some of the trickiest shots in golf.

The water and loose ground create all sorts of a messy time and chaos. The grass becomes heavy and grabs the club even more aggressively, making it very difficult to get a solid, predictable strike. The clubface can skid on the wet grass, or it can dig into the soft turmoil, stopping all your momentum.

Actionable Advice:Your goal here is simple: advance the ball. This is not the time to be a hero and attack a tucked pin. Your primary focus should be on making crisp contact with the back of the ball. A steeper swing is necessary to minimize how much dirt and grass you hit before the ball. Take a more lofted club to help you get the ball out and back onto the fairway, giving yourself a chance to save the hole with your next shot.

How to Play from the First Cut: A Step-by-Step Guide

Once you’ve read the lie, pulling off a successful shot from the first cut comes down to following a simple, repeatable process. Let's walk through it.

Step 1: Assess the Lie and Your Goal

Before you even pull a club, stand by your ball and make an honest assessment. How is it sitting? Is it fluffed up, nestled down, or in wet grass? Base your goal on this information. If you have a great flier lie and a clear path to the green, you can be more aggressive. If the ball is settled down and 180 yards from the hole, the smart play is likely to take your medicine and hit a shot that guarantees you’ll be back in the fairway, not compounding your mistake by trying a low-percentage hero shot.

Step 2: Club Selection Strategy

Your lie dictates your club choice.

• From a "flier" lie: Club down. That 8-iron might just fly as far as your normal 7-iron. Hybrids are your best friend here.
• From a settled lie: Club up in loft, not down. Don't try to muscle a 5-iron through thick grass. The steeper face of an 8- or 9-iron is designed to get through the turf. Hybrids, with their wide soles that glide over the grass, are also a fantastic option. They are far more forgiving than long irons from these lies.
• From a wet lie: Go with more loft than you think. A pitching wedge might even be your best bet just to ensure you get the ball out cleanly and back into a playable position.

Step 3: Adjust Your Setup and Stance

A few small adjustments at address can make all the difference.

• Grip Down: Choke down about an inch on the grip. This shortens the club slightly, giving you more control and encouraging a steeper angle of attack.
• Open the Face (Slightly): For settled lies, aim the clubface very slightly to the right of your target (for a right-handed golfer). This is a professional-level trip. As the hosel comes through the thick grass, it will naturally want to turn over and close the face. Starting it slightly open helps counteract that, so it arrives at the ball perfectly square.
• Ball Position: Move the ball back in your stance just a little - no more than a ball's width - from its normal position. This promotes a ball-first strike, which is absolutely essential from the rough.
• Weight Forward: Favor your lead foot with about 60% of your weight. Just like with ball position, this encourages a steeper downswing to hit the ball with a a strike in such a way so as to drive downward and get an a certain outcome..

Step 4: The Swing Itself

Mentally, you have to commit to hitting down on the ball and swinging decisively through the grass.

• Focus on a Steeper "V" Shape: Your swing thought should not be a "sweep." From the first cut, you need a slightly steeper, more "V" shaped swing arc to catch the ball cleanly before the clubhead gets tangled in too much grass. This doesn't mean you should a get out a given object., it just means hitting down through the shot.
• Accelerate Through Impact: This is a very common scenario for people to make a mistake when trying to learn a sport. The number one fault I see with students struggling from the rough is slowing down right before impact. They are worried about the grass grabbing the club, and that fear causes them to decelerate. You must trust the shot and accelerate the clubhead all the way through to a full finish. The grass will win if you quit on it.
• Accept a Different Outcome: Shots from the first cut will rarely sit as softly as shots from the fairway. Expect them to come out lower, with less spin, and with more forward roll. Plan for it. It's not a bad shot - it's just a different shot.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in the First Cut

Keep your game on track by avoiding these three common errors:

1. Trying to "Pick" the Ball Clean: Many golfers think they can help the ball up by trying to skim it off the top of the grass. This almost always leads to a topped or bladed shot that skitters along the ground. You have to trust your loft and hit down on the ball.
2. Choosing the Hero Club: The allure of hitting a 3-wood perfectly from a buried lie is strong, but the reality is that it rarely works out. Be realistic. A well-struck 8-iron that gets you back in play is infinitely better than a flubbed fairway wood that moves three feet.
3. Slow Club-Speed at the ball's final Destination.: Anxious half-swings do not work in the grass. A full, committed, accelerating swing will power through the grass and give you the best chance at solid contact. Pick your club, trust your plan, and swing with confidence.

Final Thoughts

The first cut of rough is less of an obstacle and more of a test of your course management skills. By learning to properly assess your lie, selecting the right club for the job, and making a few small adjustments in your setup and swing, you can turn these challenging situations into simple recoveries and keep your scores low.

Evaluating tricky lies, like those in the first cut, is a skill that takes time and experience to develop. When you’re stuck between clubs or unsure how the ball will react, having a smart, objective second opinion can make all the difference. For these very moments, Caddie AI can offer instant, on-course guidance, you can even snap a photo of your ball's lie, and the app will analyze the situation to give you a strategic recommendation on how to play the shot. This takes the guesswork out of difficult spots, allowing you to make smarter decisions and swing with commitment and confidence.