Lie Angles

[channelback]

Hi, Michael:

During my lessons with you in early October, we discussed iron lie angles. As you recall, based on the lie board test, my off-the-shelf irons were way too flat for my upright swing. I happened to re-read August issue of Golf Digest
the other day and in it, Stewart Cink mentions that his irons lie at 4 degrees upright because of his swing. What's really interesting however, is that his wedges are 5.5 degrees upright. Again, Cink says its because of his swing, not the length of his arms.

Question: Is it typical to have wedges bent more upright than regular irons? I don't remember how my lie board test with you turned out, except that it was going to be at least 3 degrees upright in the clubs you are going to have made for me. Or, is Cink unusual in having wedges bent to different lies than regular irons?

Anyway, I really enjoyed the lessons and am looking forward to working with your recommendations during the winter.

Bill Knox

[Michael Jacobs]

Hey bill,

I haven't forgotten about your small club, we have some nighttime adult education classes indoors and they are occupying all the small clubs I have made to date. Anyway, to your question:

The wedges have a greater loft and therefore end up having the greatest lie. Now as to Cink, I don't know much about his clubs but if I was going to speculate I would say that whatever degree he is coming up with is where he is hitting the marks in the proper spot off the lie board. I have many students who end up with some out of normal sequence lies ......

Wedges might have different shafts, lengths, or maybe they match and that is the lie he hits right in the center of the sole. The clubs should all be adjusted to a center of the sole lie after hitting off a lie board and swing adjustments have been prescribed and are understood. I personally recommend having an extra wedge that is flatter for pitch and chips because there is less droop down of the club when there is no full swing force