Lip-out
A lip-out means the putt touches the edge of the hole but does not drop in.
The lip-out is one of the most frustrating moments on the green. The ball runs at the middle of the hole, clips the edge and rolls past it or even jumps back out. Colloquially this is often called a "lip-out". The term comes from the lip, the upper edge of the hole. If the ball strikes this edge with too much pace or at an unfavourable angle, the edge deflects it instead of taking it in.
In practice, the lip-out depends strongly on the pace of the putt. A ball that would ideally roll only just past the hole has the best chance of dropping. If it arrives with clearly too much pace, even a central strike can be rejected by the lip. Example: your putt from four metres runs exactly at the middle but would have rolled half a metre past the hole. It touches the back edge and jumps out. The stroke was good, the pace too high.
The typical misunderstanding: lip-outs are not bad luck in the true sense but usually a pace problem. Anyone who consistently putts too fast effectively shrinks the hole, because only the front part of the edge can take the ball. On the other hand, putts that are too slow do not reward a clean line, because the ball takes every imperfection with it. The middle ground is the famous "dying ball", which topples over the lip with its last ounce of energy.
FAQ
Why do my putts lip out even though the line is right?
Almost always the cause is too much pace. A ball that hits the edge of the hole at full speed is deflected by the lip or jumps out, even on a central strike. Putt so that the ball would only just trickle past the hole — then it has the best chance of dropping.
Is a lip-out simply bad luck?
No, it is usually a pace problem and not coincidence. Anyone who consistently putts too fast effectively shrinks the hole, because only part of the edge can take the ball. The ideal is the "dying ball" that topples over the lip with its last ounce of energy.
How can I avoid lip-outs during practice?
On the green, deliberately practise distance control instead of only the line. Place a marker about 40 centimetres behind the hole and train putts that would stop exactly there. That gives you a feel for the right pace, and lip-outs become rarer.