Golf Club Lie

The angle between the shaft and the ground line, measured when the club is in the normal playing position.

Lie angle alterarations are typically measured in degrees plus or minus from standard.

The lie angle on your clubs plays a major role in what your ball flight will be like. Too flat, and the ball flight will tend towards the right (for a right handed player). Too upright and the ball flight will tend towards the left (for a right handed player).

A typical 8-iron will have a lie angle of around 63 degrees. Alterations to that would be expressed as Plus the desired alteration or Minus the desired alteration, in degrees.

Altering the lie angle on a set of irons is done in a precision bending machine. The club head is clamped into the machine and the required alteration made. This process leaves small pock marks on the club hosel. These are unfortunately unavoidable, but do not effect the characteristics of the clubs.

Not all irons can be altered for lie. Some cast, multi-material irons lose structural strength when the lie is altered.

Lie alterations shouldn't be undone. Once the club is bent, bending it back places too much stress on the hosel and the strength of the club is compromised.