Have the Loft of Your Golf Clubs Checked

Mark Oswald
General Manager
The Highlands at Dove Mountain in Marana, AZ.
Marana, AZ
oswaldpga@gmail.com

More Information

Have you been fitted for the correct lie angle on your golf clubs? If not, some of the problems you may be having with your ball flight may be directly the result of improper lie angles.

Look at the illustration.

The picture on the far left is an iron where the lie is too upright. The heel of the iron (the most inside part of the clubface, closest to the shaft) will make contact with the ground first, this resistance from the ground on the heel will allow the toe of the club to pass the heel and therefore close the clubface. The closed clubface results in the ball going left of target; this is illustrated with the arrows and dots in the diagram. Note on the clubface diagram, the clubface’s impact with the ground is on the heel of the club.

The picture in the center of the diagram shows an iron with the correct clubface lie angle. The center of the iron makes contact with the ground evenly and the result is the clubface does not close or open at impact due to hitting the ground. The clubface diagram shows impact with the ground in the center of the clubface.

The picture on the far right is an iron where the lie is too flat.  The toe of the iron (the most outside, end of the clubface) will make contact with the ground first, this resistance from the ground on the toe will allow the heel of the club to pass the toe and therefore open the clubface. The open clubface results in the ball going right of your target, this is illustrated with the arrows and dots in the diagram above. Note on this clubface diagram below the irons impact with the ground is on the toe of the club.

The lie angle of your irons is very important and can change over time and with swing changes. You should have your lie angle measured by a PGA Professional every few years. It is a very simple process that is inexpensive and takes only a few minutes. Have your lie angle checked soon and then have your clubs adjusted by a qualified club technician. This adjust of your lie angle may be just what your game needs for 2019. 

For more help with your golf game, contact Mark Oswald at oswaldpga@gmail.com.