Golf Clubs - Lie Angle
A ½" change in length will alter the lie angle by 1°.
The lie angle of a golf club is the angle created between a line drawn through the center of the golf shaft and the ground, on the golfer’s side of the golf club at address, viewed facing the clubhead face.
Your club's - lie angle - may cause stray shots.
If the lie angle is too upright, or the club is too long, ball-flight will stray to the inside.
No matter how square to the target you hold the leading edge of the face, if you move the Toe Up, the club face automatically points to the inside of the target. This will happen if the lie angle is too upright, or your clubs are too long.
If the lie angle is too flat, or the club is too short, ball-flight will stray to the outside.
No matter how square to the target you hold the leading edge of the face, if you move the Toe Down, the face now points to the outside of the target. This will happen if the lie angle is too flat, or your clubs are too short.
As loft increases, the more off-line the face will point when the lie angle is not correct for the golfer. Thus, the lie angle is much more important to be fit to the golfer in the irons than it is in the woods, since irons have a little to a lot more loft than do woods.
There are two (2) types of lie angle... Static (at address) and Dynamic (at impact).
At address: The Static Lie Angle is correct when the golf club sits "just slightly toe high" in order to counter the effect of centrifugal force on the clubhead, i.e., the center of gravity of the clubhead tries to form a straight line to the grip. This force causes the golf shaft to bend which causes the lie angle to be just slightly more flat at impact.
At impact: The correct Dynamic Lie Angle puts the bottom of the clubface parallel to the ground taking a divot that is parallel to the target line. The center of gravity being square to this results in more efficient transfer of energy to the golf ball and a straight golf shot.
In order to measure dynamic lie angle, hit balls off a striker board that impacts the sole of the clubhead. The mark on the sole determines the amount of adjustment required to produce a Dynamic Correct lie angle.
Pop-Up Window Striker Board Test and Lie Angle Charts.
Lie angle adjustments are used to correct a swing plane that is either too upright or too flat.
For example, a standard lie angle may be too upright for a shorter player. He or she may benefit from a shorter club lenth or a flatter lie angle (a ½" change in club length will alter the lie angle by 1°).
