If your club is too upright at impact, then your shots will travel to the left of your target. Conversely, if your club is too flat, then your shots will be heading right. For every degree that your lie angle is either too upright or flat, the ball will initially travel 4 yards off your intended target line.
How do I know if my golf club is flat or upright?
Draw a straight line on the back of the golf ball, and have it facing the clubhead. After you make impact the line will appear on the face. If it’s pointing towards the toe, then your club is too upright. If it’s pointing towards the heel, then it’s too flat.
Do you need flatter lie angles on your golf clubs?
You might hear a golfer (or clubfitter) saying things such as, "You need flatter lie angles on your irons," or "I had my irons bent 1-degree upright." The lie angle of your clubs needs to fit your game, your swing, your body. And if the lie angle of your clubs is ill-suited to you?
What is an upright lie on a golf club?
An upright lie occurs when you sole the club and the toe of your iron is off the ground and up in air. A flat lie occurs when an iron tilts in the other direction so that the heel is off the turf.
Are modern golf clubs too upright?
Andrew Rice Golf bemoans the tendency of modern club makers to design clubs with lies that are more upright than in the past, noting that all-time great players, such as Ben Hogan, used irons with much flatter lies. Upright lies help players with flawed swings avoid fading or slicing the ball as much, the most common mishit of high-handicappers.
How do I know if I need upright golf clubs?
Having an incorrect lie angle on your golf club can have a huge impact on your ability to hit the ball straight. If your lie angle is too flat, you will tend to slice the ball. If your lie angle is too upright, then you will tend to hook the ball.
Do I need a flatter lie angle?
Even if you make a good swing, the result may not be what you want because of the lie angle. On the other hand, if that 64* angle is too flat, the heel will be off the ground at impact and the toe will dig in. This is going to typically lead to misses to the right of the target.
Should my golf club lay flat?
How should a golf club lie on the ground? The golf club should address the ball with the toe set a few millimetres in the air – the clubhead should never sit flat on the turf. You should be able to fit a small coin under the toe of the club at address, with the heel remaining in contact with the ground.
What club lie do I need?
Matching the lie angle of clubs to the specific golfer is one of the goals of a clubfitting session. Lie angles almost always range from the mid-50 degrees (in drivers) to the mid-60 degrees (in short irons). In irons, the range is typically from 59 or 60 degrees to around 64 degrees.
Does upright lie promote a draw?
The upright lie also promotes a left tilting spin axis, which leads to what's generally described as draw spin. An upright lie angle basically gives you a head start, but depending on the severity of the slice conditions the golfer generates, it certainly won't guarantee a draw.
How do you know what lie angle to use?
4:4511:13HOW TO CHECK LIE ANGLES ANYWHERE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd see where that line is pointing if it starts to lean a little bit like this what that basicallyMoreAnd see where that line is pointing if it starts to lean a little bit like this what that basically means is the club came into the ball to upright and we need to flatten it.
Do tall golfers need upright lie angle?
Tall players will benefit from a more upright lie angle. If your club is too flat, the ball will pull to the left (known as a hook). So you'll want to check that the angle between the shaft and the ground is larger than it should be, making the club shaft more upright compared to the ground.
What happens if a golf club is too upright?
But if your clubs are too upright, the toe would be off the ground, and you'd have a tendency to pull the ball (inset, top). Too flat, and the heel would be up, and you'd tend to hit pushes (inset, bottom). Starting with the face slightly off can produce exponential misses, so make sure your clubs fit.
Does 1 degree upright make a difference?
Yes it will make a difference, I play 2 degree upright and +1/2. If your hitting the ball left all the while (I am guessing your right handed) won't be to do with having the lye angle to flat.
Do tall golfers need upright clubs?
You Need Custom Clubs If you are tall and you try to play with “off of the shelf” clubs. Tall golfers need a more upright lie angle and a bit of extra length on the shafts. What is this? If you play with clubs that are too flat then you can expect to be hitting a lot of shots left during your round.
What lie do I need on my irons?
Lie angle has a Greater impact on short irons than long irons, making lie angle a Major factor of accuracy in short irons and a Minor factor of accuracy in your long irons, fairway woods & driver. Standard lie angles on most irons will be approximate....Determining and Selecting Your Lie Angle.IronsStandard Lie Angle257.0 deg358.0 deg459.0 deg560.0 deg7 more rows
How upright should my golf stance be?
3:525:40How Your Golf Posture Can Affect Swing Path - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHe's a hip hinge. So we're gonna hit hinge forward from the hips keeping the leg straight.MoreHe's a hip hinge. So we're gonna hit hinge forward from the hips keeping the leg straight.
Who used flatter lies in golf clubs?
Andrew Rice Golf bemoans the tendency of modern club makers to design clubs with lies that are more upright than in the past, noting that all-time great players, such as Ben Hogan, used irons with much flatter lies.
How to tell if irons are too upright?
The traditional test to determine if your irons are too upright or flat is to go to the range with a small piece of plastic or plywood, put a strip of masking tape on the sole of your irons and whack a few balls off the hard surface.
What is the most important clubhead specification affecting accuracy?
And that's not all. "One of the most important clubhead specifications affecting accuracy is the lie angle of irons at impact," explains Greenwich Golf. Fortunately, club fitters can ride to the rescue and tailor all of your equipment, including the lie of your irons, to your particular swing.
What is the lie of an iron?
As PGA professional Tim Graves on the Moe Norman Golf website states, the lie of your irons is defined as the angle made between the shaft and the ground. "The key is to have a club with a proper lie angle that ensures the sole of the club is parallel with the ground at impact ..." An upright lie occurs when you sole the club and the toe of your iron is off the ground and up in air. A flat lie occurs when an iron tilts in the other direction so that the heel is off the turf.
What is an upright lie?
An upright lie occurs when you sole the club and the toe of your iron is off the ground and up in air. A flat lie occurs when an iron tilts in the other direction so that the heel is off the turf.
What happens when you hit the ball with an upright lie?
A flat lie causes you to strike the ground with the toe , leading to pushes and slices.
How far can you pull a 5 iron from your target?
Moe Norman Golf says that a 5-iron with a lie angle that is 4 degrees too upright or flat can cause a pull or push of as much as 40 feet from your target, often the difference between hitting and missing the green.
What happens if the lie angle of your golf clubs is ill-suited to you?
When the lie angle of your clubs is wrong for your swing or body type, you can put a great swing on the ball and still have problems with accuracy. Poorly fitting lie angles create pushes and pulls and other mishits.
What is the lie angle of a golf club?
The "lie angle" of any golf club is the angle formed between the center of the shaft and the sole, or ground line, of the club when the club is soled in its proper ...
What does it mean when your divots are deeper on the toe side than the heel side?
If your divots are deeper on the toe side than the heel side (toe down, heel up at impact) or deeper on the heel side than the toe side (toe up, heel down at impact), that's a sign your lie angles might be too flat or too upright.
What is the lie angle on a 9 iron?
Upright lie angle: A lie angle that is higher than the standard lie angle (a 66-degree lie angle on a 9-iron is more upright than the standard 9-iron lie angle of around 64 degrees). You might hear a golfer (or clubfitter) saying things such as, "You need flatter lie angles on your irons," or "I had my irons bent 1-degree upright.".
Why is a proper lie angle important?
Proper Lie Angle Is More Important in Irons Than in Woods. Don't misunderstand: Lie angle is an important factor in all golf clubs, even the putter. But having improperly fit lie angles causes more problems in irons than in the woods.
What is lie angle?
Lie angle is a factor that affects the accuracy of golf shots. Golfers who use clubs whose lie angles don't fit their body types and/or golf swings are costing themselves strokes. Matching the lie angle of clubs to the specific golfer is one of the goals of a clubfitting session.
What is the range of lie angles?
Lie angles almost always range from the mid-50 degrees (in drivers) to the mid-60 degrees (in short irons). In irons, the range is typically from 59 or 60 degrees to around 64 degrees. (Lie angles on putters reach into the 70s.)
How to wear golf shoes?
While wearing your golf shoes or street shoes stand on the floor with your normal posture, looking straight ahead, and have your arms hanging in a relaxed position by your sides.
What is the angle of the club shaft when you hit the ball?
Lie angle is the angle the club shaft makes with the ground when you HIT the ball and your club head is parallel with the ground.
How to tell if your golf club is too flat?
You may also notice that the heel of your golf club will never touch the ground if the lie angle is too flat .
Why is it important to have clubs with the right lie angle?
However, if your equipment is always working against you, you will constantly be fighting your golf swing on the course. This is no fun and leads to lots of frustration during your rounds.
What happens if the ink is angled toward the heel of the clubface?
If the ink is angled toward the toe of your clubface, the club you are using has too much of an upright lie angle. Conversely, if the ink points toward the heel of the clubface, the lie angle is too flat for your swing.
What is an upright lie angle?
An upright lie angle is when the toe of the club is up off the ground. Though it depends more on the golfer’s individual swing, their overall height plays a role. As a general rule of thumb, taller golfers usually need a tad bit more of an upright lie in their irons.
Why does my club toe not touch the ground?
On the other hand, if you are playing with golf clubs with too much of an upright lie angle , the toe of your club will not even touch the ground at impact. The club toe will often be pointed slightly up at impact, and the heel may hit off the ground. This will lead to lots of mishits like hooks and pulls (and lots of time looking for your ball in the woods) because the clubface becomes too shut at impact.
How to tell what angle you need for a golf ball?
Another decent way to tell what type of lie angle you need is simply using a magic marker. Take the marker and draw a straight line on the back of the golf ball. Make sure that line faces the center of your club and hits the ball. Look down at your clubface and study where the ink is on it.
What happens if you have a wrong lie angle?
If you have the wrong lie angle on your golf clubs, you will struggle with making solid, consistent contact. In fact, an improper lie angle can force you into making negative compensations in your swing to make solid contact. This will eventually turn into bad habits. Golf is hard enough as it is, so you don’t want your equipment working ...
What does it mean when your golf club is too flat?
Too upright would mean that the lie angle is too steep for your personal needs, while too flat would mean the lie angle is too shallow.
What is the right lie angle?
The right lie angle for you is going to depend on a number of factors. First, it is often the case that tall players need more upright clubs, while shorter golfers need their clubs built a bit flatter. That’s not a hard and fast rule, but it’s a good place to start. Also, the dynamics of your swing will play a role here, ...
Why does lie angle matter?
Lie angle matters because it impacts the direction that the clubface is pointing at the moment of impact. If your lie angles are way off, it’s going to be hard to hit the ball accurately. And, if you do manage to hit the ball accurately, you’ll need to make some adjustments or compensations to make it happen.
What is the best angle for a pitching wedge?
Why is Lie Angle Actually Important? 1 A common lie angle for a pitching wedge is 64*. If that happens to be a good fit for your game and your swing, you’ll be in good shape. However, for many players, that is going to be either too upright or too flat. 2 It that’s too upright for you, the toe of the club is going to be up in the air at impact, while the heel digs into the turf. This is a problem because the clubface will be effectively shut at impact, and the ball will likely go left. Even if you make a good swing, the result may not be what you want because of the lie angle. 3 On the other hand, if that 64* angle is too flat, the heel will be off the ground at impact and the toe will dig in. This is going to typically lead to misses to the right of the target.
What does it mean when your golf club is lying?
Well, you need to know how lie angle can affect ball flight. If your lie angle is too upright, typically meaning that it's closer to 90 degrees than 0 degrees, then that means you will typically hit the ground with your club with the heel side of the sole.
What is the lie angle of a golf club?
It's always an acute angle, less than 90 degrees. The lie angle dictates, in part, where your hands will be positioned on the golf club, relative to the ground, at address.
What does it mean when your golf club is on the toe side of the sole?
If your lie angle is too flat, typically meaning it' s closer to 0 degrees than 90 degrees, then that means you will typically hit the ground with your club with the toe side of the sole. Hitting the ground with the toe of the sole means you're hitting with an open face, leading to a fade or a slice, meaning the ball will sail well right ...
How to know if you stand at address?
It's also important to know how you stand at address (more upright or flat), your height (taller players tend to stand more upright, but not universally) and the distance from your hands at address to the ground with your clubs.
What does it mean when you hit the ground with the heel of your sole?
Hitting the ground with the heel of the sole means you're hitting with a closed face, leading to a pull or a hook, meaning the ball will sail well left of the intended target. From a visual standpoint, the toe of the golf club will be too much in the air at impact.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
If you are a weekend warrior golfer, then I am sure you had these thoughts: "I don't play enough golf to get fitted." "At my skill level, fitting isn't going to fix anything." "It is too expensive to get fit and order custom clubs." While these thoughts have crossed the minds of many, they are untrue.
Club Fitting 101: Flat Lie vs Upright Lie
If you are a weekend warrior golfer, then I am sure you had these thoughts: "I don't play enough golf to get fitted." "At my skill level, fitting isn't going to fix anything." "It is too expensive to get fit and order custom clubs." While these thoughts have crossed the minds of many, they are untrue.
What is the lie angle of a golf club?
Lie angle is defined as the angle between the shaft and the ground line when the club is measured in normal playing position with the center of the sole touching the ground line. The most important thing about measuring lie angle for each particular golfer is how the club is interacting with the ground at impact.
What happens when the angle of the club is not adjusted properly?
There are only two scenarios that occur when your lie angle is not adjusted properly for your swing. The club is too upright, and the toe is not making contact with the ground at impact. The club is too flat, and the heel is not making contact with the ground at impact.
What is the lie angle on irons?
Lie angle is one of the most important, if not THE most important thing to get right when you buy a set of irons. Each manufacturer has a different spec for the lie angle on their clubs, and a majority of golfers never get them adjusted for their particular swing.
Why is the lie angle important?
Wrapping it up. To briefly summarize, the lie angle of your irons is extremely important because it will greatly affect the initial direction of your shots. Not all irons are created equal, and most players are using irons that likely do not have the right specifications for their swing.
How far off the target line does the ball travel?
For every degree that your lie angle is either too upright or flat, the ball will initially travel 4 yards off your intended target line. Some players have lie angles that are as much as 2-3 degrees off, which means they are making things very difficult for themselves on approach shots!
Do golfers get adjustments when buying irons?
When golfers buy a new set of irons they don’ t usually get any kind of adjustments made , most notably their lie angle. They incorrectly assume what they are buying is right for them. Today I want to talk about one of the most important things players are overlooking when they purchase an iron set. If this specification is not adjusted properly ...
Is there a standard for lie angle on 7 irons?
There is no standard. Showing up to the store and buying irons off the shelf without testing out the lie angle is a coin flip, because there is no standard for lie angle in the golf industry. I went to the websites of some of the most popular manufactures and got the standard lie angles for 7-irons; here are the results: