In
golf parlance, a
flier is a
lie condition where the ball is
sitting down mildly in the
rough. This is a condition that causes a well-struck
golf ball to go further than normal, if hit with a
short iron or
wedge. If the ball is sitting with its top about even with the top of the rough, and the rough isn't too thick, blades of grass will get stuck between the ball and the
clubface as the ball is struck, but won't appreciably slow down the clubface. These blades of grass will prevent
backspin from being imparted onto the ball, and the ball will take off like a
rocket.
The spinning of the golf ball causes short iron shots to go shorter than they would with no spin. The flier lie takes the backspin out of the shot, and the ball not only flies further in the air, it also doesn't grab the green. In a word, expect a flier to go long. Typically, a flier will fly about 15% further than usual.