A stroke played to position the ball in a certain spot that is short of the maximum distance the player could reach. The lay-up golf shot is a strategic play meant to avoid trouble (such as a water hazard) or to place the golfer where his next shot is played from a preferred distance or angle to the target.

Hybrids, fairway woods or irons are often used for lay-up shots from the tee of short par-4 holes, where hitting a longer club (such as the driver) brings a high degree of risk. Many golfers choose to lay-up on par-5 holes where trying to reach the green from a long distance brings peril into the picture.