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About The Sidehill Lie

The Sidehill Lie, to me, represents some of what is best about golf. Hills, mounds, and undulations that the ball must navigate on its way to the hole make the sport so much more interesting and fun. The thrill of mentally and physically charting through the various landforms making up a golf course is probably what I like most about the game.
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The Sidehill Lie also illustrates where golf is today: it has a varied past and an uncertain future. On the site and in the podcast, we will look down the hill to golf's history and up the hill to where it is headed, all with an eye toward the larger forces shaping the sport.
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We will not be afraid to provide needed social commentary, nor will we shy away from critiques on where golf falls short. At the same time, we will celebrate many of golf's successes with features on people and facilities positively impacting the game.
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While I would consider myself a golf nut, my goal is to produce content that is accessible and engaging not only to fellow golf fanatics, but also to those with only a passing interest. This will not be a place for weekly PGA Tour news, but rather one that takes a broad view of the game and where it fits into society.
 
This journey is as much for me to learn more about the sport I love as it is to share that with you. I hope you enjoy what you see and hear. If you would like to connect, please contact me.
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About The Author

Grant Raffel has been playing golf for as long as he can remember. A native of Northern California, his love for golf blossomed in the summers at Eagle Bend Golf Club in Bigfork, Montana. He went on to play college golf at Williams College in Massachusetts, where he learned about New England weather.
 
Over the years, he has developed an appreciation for strategic golf course architecture complemented by firm and fast conditions. Nowhere is this combination better realized than in Scotland. Grant was lucky to spend a semester abroad at the University of St. Andrews, where he got his fix of the town's venerable links.
 
He has been fortunate to play golf throughout the U.S. and the world, meeting many people along the way. Grant is passionate about making golf more accessible and inclusive. He gets more excited about finding a hidden gem than checking a course off a list. And there is no place he'd rather chase the waning hours of sunlight than on a golf course. Beyond golf, he enjoys other outdoor activities like hiking and biking. Grant is currently a law school student in Washington, D.C.

About The Logo

The Sidehill Lie Logo, if it was not already apparent, depicts a golf ball on the side of a hill - a sidehill lie! As an added bonus, the green "grass" of the hillside is loosely in the shape of an "S" for "Sidehill." Stay tuned for potential merchandise featuring the logo so you can represent The Sidehill Lie!
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Photo courtesy of Jeff Patterson
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