Golf-FAQ.com

what does upright andflat mean in golf

by Mr. Willard Toy Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

An upright backswing, for those who may be unfamiliar, is a golf swing where the arms tend to work more vertically up and down. A flatter backswing swing, by contrast, is when the arms work more around a golfer’s body.

If your club is too flat for your swing then it means the toe of the club is lower than the heel (normally you want them level at impact). An upright lie angle means that the angle between the shaft and the ground is larger, making the club shaft more upright compared to the ground.Feb 15, 2020

Full Answer

What does “flat” mean in golf?

Well, no. “Flat” describes a swing plane that is more horizontal than the norm. For a right-handed player, this means the left arm forms an angle of less than 45° with the ground at the top of the backswing.

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.

What does 2 degrees upright mean on golf clubs?

Most likely, it means that a club is 2 degrees more upright than the standard lie angle for that brand and model. For example, if a 5 iron has a standard lie angle of 62 degrees, but you either custom order it or have it adjusted to be a lie angle of 64 degrees, then it would be considered to be 2 degrees upright.

What is the difference between a flat and upright swing?

Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples are two greats with upright swings. Golfers with flat swings tend to hit shots which bend from right to left (draws or hooks). Flat swingers employ a more rotational action back and through the ball as well.

image

Should my clubs be upright or flat?

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.

What does 2 degrees upright mean on a golf club?

Two degrees upright means that a golf club has a lie angle that is two degrees upright of standard. The standard lie angle is going to differ depending on the club you are talking about and the manufacturer.

What happens if club is too upright?

If your golf club is too upright at address, it can lead to the toe of the club digging into the turf at impact. This is because during the golf swing, your hands – and hence the club shaft – naturally become more upright due to the forces created. This will negatively affect your ball-striking.

What is a flat golf swing?

“Flat” describes a swing plane that is more horizontal than the norm. For a right-handed player, this means the left arm forms an angle of less than 45° with the ground at the top of the backswing. PGA Tour standout Matt Kuchar is an extreme example of a golfer whose swing is flat.

Do shorter golfers need flatter clubs?

Generally, shorter golfers will need a flatter lie angle, whereas taller players will need a more upright lie angle. If you hit a lot of shots toward the toe of your club and your ball tends to fade to the right, you probably have a lie angle that is too flat for you.

What happens if your irons are too flat?

If the lie angle is too upright then then the ball will be hit left of target. If the lie angle is too flat then the ball will be hit right of target. It should be said that the ball will travel approximately four yards away from your intended target line for every degree your lie angle is either too upright or flat.

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.

Should hands be in front of ball with driver?

The ball should be positioned forward in the stance therefore you DO NOT start with your hands ahead of the ball at set up. Because the ball is on a tee, the driver will hit the ball on the upswing and your hands will be in the middle of your body at impact. Your hands will not be forward at impact with the driver!

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 is an upright golf swing?

An upright backswing, for those who may be unfamiliar, is a golf swing where the arms tend to work more vertically up and down. A flatter backswing swing, by contrast, is when the arms work more around a golfer's body.

What does upright mean in golf clubs?

An upright lie angle means 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. If a club is too upright for your swing this means that during the swing, the heel of the clubhead will be lower than the toe.

Should my driver be more upright?

0:001:36Does Lie Angle Matter in your Driver? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe reason that's important with an iron is because as you add loft as the club becomes more uprightMoreThe reason that's important with an iron is because as you add loft as the club becomes more upright and that aims to face more and more to the left as the club becomes too flat.

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.

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 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 difference between a flat lie angle and an upright lie angle?

A flat lie angle (for a right-handed golfer) will result in angled shots and tailspin to the right of the course. Whereas, upright lie angles will send the balls spinning out to the left.

What is the lie angle of a golf club?

The lie angle is the angle between the center of the shaft and the sole. To put it into simpler terms, the lie angle is the angle between the center of your club and the line of the ground.

When to get flat lie angle?

It is possible to get a flat lie angle when both teeing off, or when striking the ball straight from the turf. NOTE: Here is where you will notice dents and chips in your clubs most, although striking the grass before making contact with the ball can also affect the lie angle at this stage.

Why do you adjust your lie angle?

On average your shots will also be slower and less powerful. Finally, adjusting your lie angle can help set right other areas of imbalance in your game. Nearly all professional players have the lie angles on their clubs adjusted to suit their personal play style, and it could benefit you too.

What is the difference between a flat and upright golf club?

A flat club’s lie angle is less than average, while an upright club has a higher than average lie angle.

What happens if the golf club is too flat?

If a club’s lie angle is too flat for an individual player’s swing, the club’s toe will strike the ground first, resulting in shots pushed to the right. If the lie angle is too far upright the club’s heel hits the ground first and the player will tend to pull the ball to the left.

What happens if your lie angle is correct?

If your lie angles are correct, the front edges of your divots will be uniform, their depths will be consistent and their shapes will point toward the target. If the divot edges closer to you (relative to your hitting position) are deeper, then the club’s heel is hitting the ground first and your lie angle is too far upright.

What is the lie angle of a golf club?

The "lie angle" of a golf club measures the relationship between the club’s shaft and the ground when the club is held with its sole level to the ground. There are three categories of lie angles: standard, flat and upright. A standard club has an average lie angle.

What is the largest lie angle?

Wedges and the 9-iron have the largest standard lie angle, at 64 degrees. Industry standard lie angles have increased from 1 to 3 degrees across the board since the 1950s, possibly as a means to help limit the most common golfing error, the slice.

What does it mean when a golf club has a flat lie angle?

The lie angle is not adjusted to suit your playing style. A club with a flat lie angle means that its angle is lower than that of the standard club. A club with an upright lie angle has a higher angle than that of the standard club.

What happens if the golf ball is flat?

If the angle is flat, then the golf ball will go towards the right and if the angle is too upright, then the shots will move towards the left.

How does driver lie angle affect ball flight?

This is because it affects the direction of the ball during a shot. If the lie angle is too flat, the ball will move towards your right side. This is in the case of a right-handed player.

What is the driver lie angle?

Driver lie angle is the measurement between the shaft and the center of sole on a driver. The driver lie angle will either be in the standard, flat or upright position; with each position affecting how the driver interacts with the ball. The driver lie angle can make a whole lot of difference in a game.

Why is my golf club lying?

The simple reason is that the lie angle in your club is incorrect for you. You will slice the ball more often if your lie angle is too flat. On the other hand, if the lie angle is too upright then you will tend to hook the ball more.

What is the standard lie angle of a golf club?

The standard lie angle of a driver can range anywhere between 50 to 60 degrees. If you are wondering what the terminologies in regards to lie angle are, I’ll explain them to you now.. If you find a golf club with a standard lie angle, it means that you have picked up an off-the-shelf golf club.

What is loft in golf?

Loft, on the other hand, is a trajectory control. The loft will also determine how far your golf ball will travel. The lie angle is measured between the center of the shaft and the ground when the sole of the clubhead is touching the ground or is flat on the ground.

What is an upright golf swing?

Engage your whole body. As was mentioned above, an upright golf swing is a swing that uses mostly arms to move the club back and through the ball. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with this 'arm-style' swing, but it rarely works for smaller golfers.

How to tell if a golf swing is flat?

Left arm below shoulder plane. At the top of the backswing, a flat golf swing will have the left arm below the plane of the shoulders. That means, when viewed from behind, the right shoulder will be visible at the top ...

What wrist position do you use for a flat swing?

Flat or bowed left wrist. The final point you need to watch for when spotting flat swings is the position of the left wrist at the top of the backswing. Typically, those using a flat swing will have their wrist in either a flat or bowed position at the top.

What is a big shoulder turn?

Big shoulder turn. Players who use a flat golf swing tend to make a bigger shoulder turn than those using a steeper plane. It is necessary to pair a flat plane with a big shoulder turn in order to get satisfactory results, so watch how far back a player turns to help determine what kind of swing they are using.

What are the disadvantages of a flat golf swing?

The Disadvantages of a Flat Golf Swing. There is nothing you can do in golf that is all upside and no downside. Every decision you make in your swing is a compromise, so you will always be gaining something through sacrificing something else.

What is a plane in golf?

In golf, 'plane' refers to the angle of the club during the backswing and downswing. A swing with a steep plane is one that has the club go high up into the air on the backswing, while a flat plane keeps the club lower to the ground, with the hands near to the right shoulder at the top (for a right handed golfer).

What is the job of each golfer?

It is the job of each golfer to uncover the style of swing that will allow them to reach their potential on the course.

golfingchuck

Start with 2* flat and go from there, if they are the new ap2's they should be bent fairly easy. That should help with the lefts.

acquadiice

have you been thinking about the fact that Mizunos are shorter than Titleist as std? . I'm not saying that this is a lenght problem, but it might be.....

acquadiice

have you been thinking about the fact that Mizunos are shorter than Titleist as std? . I'm not saying that this is a lenght problem, but it might be.....

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.

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 does it mean when your toe is up at impact?

A toe-up position at impact indicates that your lie angle might be too upright; a toe-down position (meaning the club's heel is higher than the toe) at impact indicates that your lie angle might be too flat.

Can irons be bent at the hosel?

If there's a problem with lie angles, most (but not all) irons can be bent at the hosel to increase or decrease the lie angle. And if you are serious about golf, want to maximize your scoring ability, and are shopping for new clubs, visit a clubfitter first.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9