Two researchers analyzed why golf balls lip out. Their study shows: physics, not bad luck, is often to blame.
It’s no secret that golf is heavily influenced by physics. Many phenomena on the course are accepted as bad luck, even though they often have scientific explanations. As English mathematician John Edensor Littlewood noted in a 1986 study: “Golfers aren’t as unlucky as they think.”
When Putting Meets Physics
Stephen John Hogan from the University of Bristol and Máté Antali from Széchenyi István University in Hungary recently published a study on the infamous “lip out” — when a ball hits the edge of the hole and fails to drop. Every golfer knows the frustration: the ball rolls toward the hole, hits the rim at the wrong angle, and either circles the cup or bounces away, requiring another stroke.
In their study titled “Mechanics of the golf lip out,” published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the researchers explore the physics behind this phenomenon. They note that putting accounts for 40–45% of all golf shots, quoting writer Peter Dobereiner: “Golf is half fun, the other half is putting.” South African pro Bobby Locke once said, “Drive for show, putt for dough.”
Tag a friend who has experienced the worst lip out. 🥲 pic.twitter.com/69gzisNDc6
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) November 2, 2025
The study confirms that lip-outs are a global source of putting frustration. Hogan and Antali previously examined a similar issue in basketball in 2021. While there are parallels, golf introduces unique dynamics. In their golf study, the researchers identify two main mechanical causes of lip-outs.
The Two Types of Lip-Outs
The first is the “rim-lip-out,” where the ball rolls along the edge but doesn’t fall in. Its center of mass remains above the green level. Even if the ball tilts slightly due to its speed, it’s not enough to overcome the rolling momentum. The ball may enter a stable state, rotating along the rim — humorously dubbed the “death balls” by the researchers. A small disturbance can send the ball either into the hole or back onto the green. Without spin, the ball either lips out or drops in cleanly.
The second type is the “hole-lip-out.” This occurs when the ball has spin and drops into the hole but rolls along the inner wall without touching the bottom. Its rotational energy oscillates until it escapes back to the rim and eventually out of the