We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Do You Check Loft/Lie?

Nippon Shafts
Canadan

Canadan

LGND
Albatross 2024 Club
Staff member
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
149,035
Reaction score
107,064
Location
Ohio
Handicap
**
I’ve had two sets of irons checked and adjusted for loft and lie in the last week and i must say it’s been very eye opening. My new level pitching wedge was a good three degrees flat from spec which is horrible for my swing.

Some really flat irons.
Some consistently strong irons.
Some very weak random irons and wedges.

My local store charged me 30 dollars for 11 irons and wedges last weekend, and 24 dollars today for 7 irons. This was to check and bend to my preference.

I strongly encourage everyone take the time to do it and I’d love to see some feedback on findings. Most places are really fair with their pricing.
 
When I'm playing forged irons, I check them every 3 months.

Now that I have the Mitchell, its easy peasy since I don't have to take them anywhere.

Inevitably, they move over time, and with as much golf as I play, it slowly becomes noticeable.
 
Been soooooo tempted to buy my own machine. I’ve found that I’m quite sensitive to just the right lie angles.
Totally agree to get them checked and also to not be afraid to bend to you ball flight preferences, not necessarily what a lie board implies they should be.
I tend to err on the side of flat, as I hate to see my shots turn left more than a few yards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I do it a few times a year. However, I haven’t kept clubs long enough ever to have them checked more than 1 or 2 times. I plan to hang on to my current set for a few years though. I feel like I’m (mostly) over my club ho days.

My club lost their loft/lie machine during Hurricane Harvey and haven’t replaced it. So I don’t have easy access like I did at one time. I eventually took my PXG’s to a friend’s shop and found they were all over the place.
 
Last edited:
I bought a set from Mizuno this year and had them check just to feel better, everyone of them where spot on.
I bought a set from a THPer and had those checked and 3 lofts where off but not far, and had the lie angles set to 1 flat.
I try to have it done at least once a year toward the end of the season just to see if anything has changed.
 
Jman said:
When I'm playing forged irons, I check them every 3 months.

Now that I have the Mitchell, its easy peasy since I don't have to take them anywhere.

Inevitably, they move over time, and with as much golf as I play, it slowly becomes noticeable.
Click to expand...

I never checked mine that often, but probably because I don't play nearly as much as you. I really should get a bending machine again.
 
I dont see much need for it. Every time Ive bought a used set of forged irons Ive gotten them checked and they are always spot-on. Getting your loft/lie check regularly is another one of those golf old wives' tales, IMO.
 
It's become a habit of mine for new irons and wedges.

Things move and tolerances are a thing. I still remember being confused on why one of my 5 irons just would sit right, it looked flat. Turns out it had a lie angle of 54*. Had to see that on the machine against a known good club since I couldn't believe it was that flat. They actually had to send that club back since they were afraid to bend it.
 
I check 2 times a year as I play 2-3 times a week all year long.
 
I had 2 sets checked and adjusted 4 or 5 months ago. One set was 2 degrees or more strong in lofts and the other set was a degree or more flatter in lie angles than I ordered them. The set with the flatter lie angles are soft forged and had been played for 8 months prior to me checking them. Have not checked my new clubs yet but likely will do so soon.
 
I have mine checked right after purchasing them, and about every 6 months thereafter. They're usually pretty consistent once the initial adjustments are done. I've had brand new custom irons straight out of the box be 2-3* off in any and every direction.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Badger_Golfer said:
I dont see much need for it. Every time Ive bought a used set of forged irons Ive gotten them checked and they are always spot-on. Getting your loft/lie check regularly is another one of those golf old wives' tales, IMO.
Click to expand...

If you hit off mats a lot then the lie angles are always off after a few months.
 
I need to get this done ASAP!
 
Badger_Golfer said:
I dont see much need for it. Every time Ive bought a used set of forged irons Ive gotten them checked and they are always spot-on. Getting your loft/lie check regularly is another one of those golf old wives' tales, IMO.
Click to expand...

Really depends on how much you play.

My rule is three times a year, and every time there have to be some tweaks.
 
Canadan said:
It really is worth it, and most places are fair with their pricing.
Click to expand...

Or, buy a machine.

What crazy ass would do that though? Hahaha
 
I have them checked when they come out of the box then if something seems off but it’s certainly not a thing I worry about.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Not something I've ever thought about, and now I'm paranoid, ha. This may also explain why I did not hit my second set of 565s as well as my first set, when both were in "standard" l/l/l.
 
I do mine at the beginning of every season. And they are always off from specs. Usually a degree or so on loft and same with lie. And then a few are ok. Place I go to charges 3 or 4 dollars per club if they need to adjust. I’ve found a friend of my brothers who I trust even more than the shop I’ve been going to so I’ll be going to him from now on.
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #20
Badger_Golfer said:
I dont see much need for it. Every time Ive bought a used set of forged irons Ive gotten them checked and they are always spot-on. Getting your loft/lie check regularly is another one of those golf old wives' tales, IMO.
Click to expand...

I could not disagree more with this.

In the last week I’ve had three different companies products checked, two of which were brand new, and each of them had flaws that would have negatively impacted my numbers.

It’s no tale. It’s just good sense. And if your clubs are perfect no reasonable shop would charge you for confirmation.
 
Last edited:
I definitely feel like I should, but nothing seems that off at the moment. If anything is either strong or weak, or if the lie angle is off, I don’t seem to notice. Would definitely provide some peace of mind in the least.
 
Badger_Golfer said:
I dont see much need for it. Every time Ive bought a used set of forged irons Ive gotten them checked and they are always spot-on. Getting your loft/lie check regularly is another one of those golf old wives' tales, IMO.
Click to expand...

For rock hard clubs maybe. Any softer metal will bend. I’ve only had one set come spot on, numerous others from numerous brands were off from the start - both used and new iron sets. It’s certainly not a wives tale, but shouldn’t be viewed as a negative either. It’s just a necessary evil with softer metals.
 
The effect of improper lie angles can be HUGE!! I had never been fit for clubs before, my reasoning was I am not consistent enough for it to make a difference. WRONG!!!!

I used a lie board and the sharpie test to self determine I needed 2 degree flat. I have been playing them like that for a whole year and have struggled with a pull hook and extreme toe contact. I carried the 2 iron in my old set and hit it quite well especially off the tee. I banished the 3 iron from my bag quickly and eventually dropped the 4 iron in favor of two hybrids. I just could not hit them well.

I finally gave up trying to fix my pull and have began taking lessons in an indoor high tech environment. During my 21 shot assessment which starts at 40 yards and increases all the way to driver with three shots each the results were telling. I am pretty good with my wedges, things start getting funky at 140 yards and by 180 I was a dumpster fire.

Above 200 yards I switched to a hybrid and my pattern tightened up significantly. With the help of a pro, a lie board and some impact tape we determined I needed to go from 2 flat to 1 upright and possibly another degree up. We started with a nine iron and the impact location moved to almost dead center. The five iron that I hit horribly just a few minutes before carried 180 yards and I hit three in a row that were very nice shots.

I cried tears of joy as I hit nice center contact shot after shot with wedge thru 5 iron. I struggled for a year with this thinking it was all me and my swing. I have some flaws in my swing for certain but the toe contact makes it go left even worse. The toe digging at impact is a terrible feeling and it is a sliding scale, The shorter wedges its not very noticeable but the long irons feel dead at impact and the shots are weak.

I hope that those of you who think you are not good enough to get fitted will read this and go see for yourself. You WILL be a better golfer if your clubs fit you.
 
Sometimes the lie board is inaccurate. If you can find a fitter who uses Trackman I suggest it. I got fitted a couple months ago and asked the fitter to use a lie board vs. Trackman stats. He laughed because clearly I was being a crusty old man. He said okay and the lie board said I was 1 degree upright and Trackman said standard. I went with the $20k machine numbers vs. 50 cent tape and plastic. The fitter explained why the tape and board can be off but it was close. Spending $1k on clubs I didn't want close. I wanted exact.

Also, if you have cast clubs vs forged and are in the range of 2 degrees flat or upright bending them could be a problem. If they have voids in the design they may break. Most techs will warn you before attempting to bend a cast club. That if it breaks its not on them.
 
I had my lofts and lies checked on my CF16s after a year and a half of a lot of play. Several were right on and nothing was more than 1° off from stated spec. I have not had anything checked on my '19 Apex irons or the wedges, yet. Being built at ECPC by the guys that assemble the clubs for the pros I'm trusting that they were on spec. I do plan to have lofts and lies checked in the fall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top