Golf Nut, I’ve never been concerned about lie and loft and if it matters to mid to high handicap golfers. Can you explain it in simple terms?

Let’s first look at the standard definitions of these golf terms. Lie is the angle from the shaft to the ground when the golf club is placed on the ground in a normal playing position. Loft is the angle of the clubface that controls trajectory of your golf shot and affects distance. Now the question becomes: how does it affect you and should the average golfer be concerned with lie and loft?

Lie reflects where the sole of the clubhead is striking the ground. If the lie of your golf clubs is not correct for your type of golf swing it can affect how consistently you make good contact with your particular clubs.

Stronger or weaker lofts can lead to higher, lower, longer, or shorter ball flights. The standard loft on manufactured golf clubs varies from brand to brand, leading to the claims of longer hitting irons. But this may not be true for all golfers.

Many teaching pros will have a golfer hit golf balls from a lie board to check this. The marks on the sole and the imprint on clubface tape show how your golf club is lining up when you make contact with the golf ball. After checking these, the lie can be adjusted for someone who has a more upright or flatter swing, or for unusually tall or short golfers. This will give them the best possible chance of making solid, consistent contact with the golf ball.

A quick way to eyeball your lie is to stand at address with a golf club and look at how the bottom of the clubhead is touching the ground. From this you will know how your lie should be adjusted. If the middle bottom of the clubhead is on the ground then the lie of the golf club is good. If the toe of the club is pointing up in the air and the heel of the club is on the ground then this means that your current lie is too upright and needs to be made flatter. If the heel of the golf club is in the air and the toe is on the ground then the club is too flat and needs to be made more upright.

Loft is many times considered more of an individual preference based on the desired ball flight. However, the distance you hit the golf ball is also a factor. If you are struggling for more distance and also hitting the ball very high, you might want to adjust your loft. If you are struggling for distance and hitting a relatively low ball flight, you probably need to work on your golf swing or take golf lessons, not adjust your loft.

So for the “average” amateur golfer, I believe that lie is more important. It can make a big difference in making solid, consistent contact with the golf ball. This is particularly important to beginning golfers. To eliminate the frustration for the beginners, a golf pro or someone who makes or repairs golf clubs can usually adjust your lie to give you a better chance for solid contact.