For every degree your clubs are off in lie angle, it can cause your shots to travel four yards off your intended target line. If you are not making square contact with the ground, it can throw off your clubface in relation to the target, which causes hooks and slices.
How much does lie angle affect a golf shot?
With a lie angle 1 degree flatter than it should be, a shot pulled 10 feet left would end up 3.5 feet from the hole for a tap in. When you take this into consideration, it really depends on your swing faults as to how much an incorrect lie angle would help or hurt.
How much does lie angle affect accuracy?
A cursory look at the data shows that lie angle can have a huge effect on accuracy. Our testers shrunk their left-to-right dispersion by an average of 5.5 yards when comparing their best lie angle fit to their worst.
How does loft affect lie angle on golf clubs?
The more loft a club has, the more magnified an incorrect lie angle will be when it comes to the direction of your golf ball. A 3 iron will be much less offline than a PW with the same lie angle.
What happens if you have the wrong lie angle on your clubs?
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.
Does lie angle affect golf swing?
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. It can even cause you to develop swing compensations to correct for it, preventing you from ever developing a consistent, repeatable, and powerful swing.
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.
Does lie angle affect distance?
On average, our testers were 3 yards closer to their target with their best fit lie angle. That's the difference between a birdie putt inside 10 feet and one that's closer to 20. Bonus myth: do more upright clubs produce shots that go further left?
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.
What happens if my lie angle is too upright?
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.
Are lie boards accurate?
0:041:09Do Lie Boards Lie? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat will be a true test of exactly what lie angle you need. And you might notice how straight andMoreThat will be a true test of exactly what lie angle you need. And you might notice how straight and vertical my line is it matches that zero degrees. This club fits me just fine.
How much does 1 degree of loft affect distance?
How Much Does 1 Degree of Loft Affect Distance? Given that you're at your maximum clubhead speed, just 1-degree change in the loft angle of a golf driver can affect your driving distance by 2-4 yards.
What lie angle do pros use?
If you're looking at the lie angle on each club in a set, Sieckmann noted that an elite player might be 1-degree upright in his irons but get gradually flatter when transitioning to the wedges, going to potentially a standard lie angle in the sand wedge and maybe even 1-degree flat in the lob wedge.
Does lie angle affect loft?
The first thing to know is that lie angle being incorrect is the most important on clubs with more loft. The more loft a club has, the more magnified an incorrect lie angle will be when it comes to the direction of your golf ball. A 3 iron will be much less offline than a PW with the same lie angle.
What is a +1 lie golf?
Lie Angle Defined If the lie angles of your clubs are 1 degree greater than the manufacturer's standard, your clubs are 1 degree flat. If your lie angles are lower by 1 degree, the clubs are 1 degree upright.
How do you know if a lie angle is correct?
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. If the line is perpendicular to the grooves on the face, then your lie angle is correct.
Should irons sit flat at address?
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 is the lie angle of a golf club?
The lie angle of a golf club is the angle that is formed between the club shaft and the ground when the club is soled properly at address.
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 to do if your divots aren't nice and square?
If your divots aren’t nice and square in the back, there is a good chance you need a lie angle adjustment.
What happens if your 64 angle is too flat?
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.
Which golf clubs have flatter lie angles?
Long clubs have flatter lie angles than shorter clubs, so the angle formed with a driver is going to be lower than with a pitching wedge, for instance.
Can you change the angle of your irons?
If it turns out that your lie angles need to be changed, it may be possible to have your current irons bent into the right position. That doesn’t work with drivers, but many of the modern drivers on the market today can be adjusted by changing the position of the shaft in the hosel.
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 a clubfitter adjusts the lie angle?
If you're liking the club but not quite hitting it how you'd like with your lie angle, then the clubfitter can make an adjustment that could mean the difference between having the right club for you or not.
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 far can a golfer put a golf club on the ball with a flat lie angle?
In the most extreme case, a tester could barely put the club on the ball with the flat lie angle, leading to an average total distance that was 63 yards short of his best fit . On the other end of the spectrum, we had a player whose averages were 175.1, 175.2, and 176.4 across the three different lie angles.
How far does a lie angle measure?
Comparing their best fit to their worst fit, our testers gained an average of 17.6 yards of total distance (median 17.8).
How many yards does a tester shrink?
Our testers shrunk their left-to-right dispersion by an average of 5.5 yards when comparing their best lie angle fit to their worst. Some players were able to adapt to a range of lie angles (5 feet difference from best to worst dispersion) but others saw huge differences (one tester shrunk his grouping by 10 yards).
Why do you need a lie board for irons?
While it’s definitely the least exciting part of a club fitting, dialing in your lie angle is critical to maximizing your distance and accuracy with your irons. We also learned that, for many players, a lie board can be a useful tool for getting the lie angle correct. However, to make sure everything is optimized, you need to work with a skilled club fitter like Club Champion.
What is the most common way to fit a lie angle?
Using a lie board is the most common way to fit lie angle, but is it the best? Does it work at all? Our data indicates that, at a minimum, it’s a good start.
Do shot groupings shift left or right?
While the data isn’t as clear as you might expect, most of our testers did see their shot groupings shift left as the lie angle became more upright . It should be emphasized, though, that it’s not a one-to-one correlation . Some players had nearly identical groupings with two different lie angles, then the third one shifted right or left. Some testers completely defied the trend. Some showed no correlation. As we often show, there are general rules but everyone’s individual needs will vary.
Does lie angle have a correlation?
Some testers completely defied the trend. Some showed no correlation. As we often show, there are general rules but everyone’s individual needs will vary. Lie angle had a major impact on many of our tester’s ability to strike the ball solidly, which means it had a large impact on distance.
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 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.)
Which direction does the club face point?
If the toe of the club is up (relative to the heel) at impact, the clubface will point to the left (for a right-handed golfer);
How does lie angle work?
HOW IT WORKS. Simply put, having the correct lie angle can make you a more accurate golfer. For every degree your clubs are off in lie angle, it can cause your shots to travel four yards off your intended target line. If you are not making square contact with the ground, it can throw off your clubface in relation to the target, ...
What does it mean when your golf line is straight up and down?
If the line is straight up and down in the middle of the club face, then your lie angle and swing are right on target. If the line is near the middle of the face but the line is slanted toward the heel, then your lie angle is too flat and the toe is down at impact.
What is the key to improving golf?
Every golfer knows the key to improvement on the course is consistency. You have to groove the right swing and consistently hit the ball in the middle of the face with your irons. That’s hard enough to do as it is so you don’t need your equipment working against you. But if your irons don’t have the right lie angle, that is exactly what they are doing. Read on to learn what lie angle is, how it affects your shots, and how to get the right lie angle for your irons.
Does TGW match your swing?
TGW always recommends getting fit and trying out your clubs to make sure they match your swing. You can also use the PING Color Code chart to match your height and wrist-to-floor measurement, but because there is no standard lie angle across all club makers, it may not always translate to every iron.
What is lie angle in golf?
Lie angle is one such element that can have a dramatic effect on your ability to strike the ball well.
What influences the lie angle of a ball?
Lie angle at address or static play angles can be influenced by a great many things . The length of a player’s arms, how a player addresses the ball (posture), and the length of shaft are among the factors. However, this is not all that we need to know.
Why Does Lie Angle Matter?
Why does lie angle matter to us? Because at impact, when the toe of the club is up, the planar angle of the face (face normal) will be closed to the target line. If the toe is digging, the face normal will present open to the target line.
What is Golf Club Lie Angle?
You have heard over and over again how important it is to have your clubs fitted to your swing. But you are probably thinking “How much difference can it really make?”. The answer could be a significant amount depending on how far out of line your clubs are with your swing.
What is the lie angle of a golf club?
The lie angle is the angle between the sole of the club and shaft. If the toe is down at impact, the lie angle would be considered flat. A toe up condition would be considered upright. An ideal lie angle would have the sole of the club parallel with the ground at impact. Now that we understand what the lie angle is, ...
What to do if you don't have time to perfect your golf swing?
However, if you don’t have the time to perfect your golf swing. You might try adjusting your lie angle to help cover your swing faults.
How far off the pin should you hit the golf ball?
When you consider that you almost never execute a perfect swing, 1 degree off could easily cause you to be in the bunker instead of on the green. If you hit the ball 10 feet left of the pin, your lie angle would cause you to be an extra 6.5 feet left. There are many bunkers that are less then 16.5 feet from the pin.
What is the lie angle of a soft forged golf club?
Keep in mind that every manufacturer has their own standard lie angle. The standard lie angle between manufacturers could be up to 2.5 degrees different.
How to fix a golf swing flaw?
As discussed earlier, the best solution to a swing flaw is to fix your swing through lessons and repetition. However, many people just want to go enjoy a round of golf every now and then without a lot of practice. If this is you, you may want to adjust your clubs to help cover up a swing flaw. While not ideal, it could help you enjoy the game more.
How far would a shot pulled 10 feet left end up?
With a lie angle 1 degree flatter than it should be, a shot pulled 10 feet left would end up 3.5 feet from the hole for a tap in. When you take this into consideration, it really depends on your swing faults as to how much an incorrect lie angle would help or hurt.
What happens if you have a wrong lie angle on your golf clubs?
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.
How do you measure the lie angle of a golf club?
The old-school way of measuring lie angle uses a couple of commonly used golf tools: an impact board and some tape. Tape up the sole of your golf club and hit a few shots off the impact board. By looking at both the tape and the impact board, you can tell what general type of lie angle you need.
Why is it so 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 lie angle should my clubs be?
That question depends on many factors and is impossible to answer without seeing your swing and what clubs you are currently using. Though you can learn a great deal by using the impact board and the marker trick, it is best to seek out a professional club fitter so that you can enjoy the best possible results on the course. If you are in the market for a new set of golf clubs, the fitting is thrown in for free as long as you commit to buying.
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 the second most common lie angle?
This lie angle is the second most common type because lots of amateur golfers struggle with an over-the-top swing plane and the upright lie angle helps keep the ball from heading too far to the right each time. Be careful with going with too much of an upright lie, though, as this could lead to those dreaded sharp duck hooks into the water that we all hate.
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.
Fun? No. Important? Maybe.
The Myths
- Myth #1 – Lie angle affects accuracy Myth #2 – Lie angle affects distance Myth #3 – Lie angle affects consistency Myth #4 – Using a lie board is a good way to fit lie angle
How We Tested
- We gathered 7 golfers of varying handicaps for this test. Each golfer hit 7 shots with a 6-iron set at each of the following lie angles: 57.5, 61.5, and 65.5. All shots were recorded on Trackman. Each golfer was also fit for lie angle on a lie board. All testing was done at and with the help ofClub Champion.
The Results
- A cursory look at the data shows that lie angle can have a huge effect on accuracy. Our testersshrunk their left-to-right dispersion by an average of 5.5 yardswhen comparing their best lie angle fit to their worst. Some players were able to adapt to a range of lie angles (5 feet difference from best to worst dispersion) but others saw huge differences (one tester shrunk his grouping …
Conclusion
- While it’s definitely the least exciting part of a club fitting, dialing in your lie angle is critical to maximizing your distance and accuracy with your irons. We also learned that, for many players, a lie board can be a useful tool for getting the lie angle correct. However, to make sure everything is optimized, you need to work with a skilled club fitter like Club Champion.