How to Choose the Lie in Golf Clubs?

At Handmade Custom Clubs we are passionate about fine-tuning your clubs and we often get asked about how to choose the lie on golf clubs.

Many golfers focus on loft, shaft or grip, and forget something as basic as the angle at which the club sits on the ground. If the lie doesn't suit your height or stroke, it could be affecting your direction, shot height and the feel of the game.

Choosing the right lie on your golf clubs is key to making each shot accurate, controlled and consistent. Read on to learn how to choose the right lie on your golf clubs and improve your game.

What is Lie and why is it so important?

The lie is the angle formed between the base of the clubhead and the shaft when the club is resting on the ground. This angle determines how the clubhead will sit when it hits the ball, which directly affects the direction and trajectory of the ball on each shot.

To get the face of the golf club to orient itself correctly, you need a well-adjusted lie that allows the point of impact to be in the centre of the club face. Otherwise, deviations could occur, even with a good swing.

How does the lie affect each golf club?

Each type of club has a different reaction to an improper lie. 

Lie of the Irons

The iron set covers those approach shots and sometimes tee shots on short holes. Your lie is probably the most determining factor for the direction of the ball.

• Lie too vertical: It favors an unwanted draw or even a sharp hook.
• Lie too flat: Enhances a fade or slice that is difficult to correct.

Looking at the wear on the sole helps you know if the club is hitting more on one side than the other.

Driver's Lie

Driver lie is often overlooked because most adjustments focus on loft or shaft weight. Still, a lie that doesn't suit you can open or close the face at impact, altering trajectory. 

• Lie too flat: The driver head is tilted so that the face opens at impact, which often creates a slice (deviation to the right for right-handed players).
• Lie too vertical: It causes the clubface to close excessively, producing a hook (deviation to the left).

Lie of the Fairway Woods

Woods are used on long shots from the fairway.

• Incorrect lie: An improperly adjusted lie will cause the clubhead to not sit properly on the ground, which can shift the point of impact.

Lie of the Wedges

These high-loft clubs (pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge) require extreme control. A poor lie, as we have discussed with the other clubs, will make you lose performance on the course.

• Inappropriate lie: In wedges, an incorrect lie can significantly alter the trajectory of the ball.
• Consequence: This can result in shots that are too high or, on the contrary, low and with little control, affecting the ability to accurately approach the green.

Lie of the Putters

Although the primary impact of putters is rolling the ball onto the green, the lie is still a key factor in alignment.

• Alignment: A putter with an improper lie can make it difficult for the player to properly align the clubface.
• Result: This can affect the way the ball rolls, causing it to deviate from the target, even if the shot is executed with good pace.

A well-adjusted lie on the putter facilitates a consistent stroke and greater confidence on the green.

How to Find Your Ideal Lie?

To determine your lie, it is best to combine professional analysis with your own personal feelings on the course. 

Booking a professional fitting It's the most accurate way to find out your ideal lie, as a professional clubfitter has advanced tools to evaluate the position of the club at every impact. Based on your stance and swing, you can find out if your current lie is too vertical or too flat.

Ready to adjust the lie of your clubs?

Now that you know how to choose the lie of your golf clubs, you should know that at Handmade Custom Clubs, we create custom golf clubs and we take care of checking every element that influences your performance. If you are thinking of updating your equipment or simply want the lie of your golf clubs to fit your swing, contact us or book a fitting with us.

At Handmade Custom Clubs we are specialists in creating Custom Golf Clubs

Would you like to get a fitting? Book your appointment and we will discuss together the best way to configure the lie of your golf clubs so that your swing benefits to the maximum. Every player is different, and achieving that harmony between your stance and the club can be the missing piece in your golf puzzle. We recommend that you book a fitting so that we can carry out a thorough study.

Here we leave you our Online Golf Shop where you can buy your new golf clubs with just a couple of clicks and adapted to your needs. At Handmade Custom Clubs we are specialists in creating custom golf clubs.