How Do I Determine How Good My Lie Is?

When I miss a green, how do I determine how good my lie is and what type of golf shot to play?

Good question that not many people pay attention to. The rule of thumb is to get the ball rolling on the green as soon as possible. With this being said the more grass that is behind your ball, the more you should try to chip it, if distance allows that. If not then you must pitch the golf ball. Even when pitching the golf ball, you must determine how much grass is behind your golf ball. the more that is there, then you need to play it towards the middle of your stance and not to the front of your stance. The ball will come out lower and with less spin. You will need to factor this into your shot to get it close to the hole.