Lie Angle
Lie angle is the angle between the shaft and the ground when the club is soled correctly. A lie angle that is too upright pulls shots left; too flat and they drift right (for a right-hander).
Lie angle is measured at impact, not at address — because the shaft flexes and the golfer's posture changes, the dynamic lie angle can differ from the static stamped angle. A professional club fitting includes a dynamic lie board test that leaves a mark showing whether the toe or heel is hitting the ground first. Adjusting lie angle by 1–2° is a simple bend on a steel-hosel club and can correct a pattern of directional miss without changing the swing at all.
Example
A player who consistently hits short irons left-of-target with a neutral face checks lie angle: the club is 2° upright — a bend to the correct angle straightens the miss.
Related terms
- Club PathClub path is the horizontal direction the clubhead is moving through impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. Positive is in-to-out (a draw bias); negative is out-to-in (a fade or slice bias).
- Face AngleFace angle is where the clubface points at impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. It determines roughly 75–85% of the ball’s starting direction.
- AlignmentAlignment is the direction the body and clubface are aimed at address. Poor alignment is one of the most common causes of off-target shots even with a good swing.
Related guides & benchmarks
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