Accuracy of loft and lie adjustments

[LIG]

After reading all the threads about jacked lofts from TM and Callaway it got me thinking about loft and lie adjustments.

My irons are about to have their 'MOT' but I wondered.

1. how do you know that the lofts are accurate especially since 1* of error can make such a huge difference

and

2. would it be worth me asking for the loft to be deliberately 'jacked' by a degree or two to help lower my ball flight as I can't be bothered atm to change my swing, due to lack of practice time and motivation?


Two unrelated questions to be sure but please let your wisdom pour forth!

 

[Foxholer]

Loft/Lie machines are very accurate. The key is having your typical swing on the day and having the set-up correct. Just placing a Lie Board on the ground/mat is not very good enough as the height affects the results! Ideally, the board should be fitted into the mat and at 'normal ground level'. However, while 1* out can make quite a difference, a 'consistent error' is actually something that you will unconsciously adjust to. It's when things are all over the place that problems happen.

A couple of degrees of loft-jacking might be worthwhile, but, I'm told, hardly noticeable so not really worth doing. The suggestion to me when I asked the same question, for exactly the same reason, was 'Don't bother frigging around with the optimised settings!'.

 

[BTatHome]

Loft/Lie machines are very accurate. The key is having your typical swing on the day and having the set-up correct. Just placing a Lie Board on the ground/mat is not very good enough as the height affects the results! Ideally, the board should be fitted into the mat and at 'normal ground level'. However, while 1* out can make quite a difference, a 'consistent error' is actually something that you will unconsciously adjust to. It's when things are all over the place that problems happen.

A couple of degrees of loft-jacking might be worthwhile, but, I'm told, hardly noticeable so not really worth doing. The suggestion to me when I asked the same question, for exactly the same reason, was 'Don't bother frigging around with the optimised settings!'.

I'm not sure that there is a shot on the course that has the same conditions, so why bother trying to fit a 1/4" board into the ground.

 

[Foxholer]

I'm not sure that there is a shot on the course that has the same conditions, so why bother trying to fit a 1/4" board into the ground.

That's actually an argument for not getting clubs checked or fitted in the first place! While not particularly unreasonable, it's a SET of clubs. Why not just collect a bunch of random clubs in the first place! And there's always an adjustment made for the particular lie. The key is to be able to make the same adjustment for every iron and know that it is appropriate.

As a bit of a sceptic, I was amazed at the difference setting the entire set (dynamically) to matching made! And if you are going to do it, it make sense to do it correctly! Though as I also posted, it's surprising how naturally we adjust to a (consistent) 'wrong' setting.

If you 'do the Math' you will find out that 1/4" (at the heel of the club) makes quite a difference in lie angle!

 

[LIG]

Loft/Lie machines are very accurate. The key is having your typical swing on the day and having the set-up correct. Just placing a Lie Board on the ground/mat is not very good enough as the height affects the results! Ideally, the board should be fitted into the mat and at 'normal ground level'. However, while 1* out can make quite a difference, a 'consistent error' is actually something that you will unconsciously adjust to. It's when things are all over the place that problems happen.

A couple of degrees of loft-jacking might be worthwhile, but, I'm told, hardly noticeable so not really worth doing. The suggestion to me when I asked the same question, for exactly the same reason, was 'Don't bother frigging around with the optimised settings!'.

I was thinking more about the loft rather than the lie but know what you mean.

I'm not too sure about "optimised settings" because it begs the question, Optimised for who?

As I hit an extremely high ball (I probably flip the club to some extent) and I sweep rather than dig, I thought it would not be too detrimental and might even get me better launch conditions, and all without me having to alter my swing or even think about doing something different.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The machine itself is accurate but like always it depends on the person doing the fitting. I went to an good independent fitter and will be back after my first year to get them checked. I have always had fittings off an impact board on a range mat or the grass and really don't think it makes a huge difference

 

[Foxholer]

I was thinking more about the loft rather than the lie but know what you mean.

I'm not too sure about "optimised settings" because it begs the question, Optimised for who?

As I hit an extremely high ball (I probably flip the club to some extent) and I sweep rather than dig, I thought it would not be too detrimental and might even get me better launch conditions, and all without me having to alter my swing or even think about doing something different.

I understand what you are attempting - I have been in a similar position and still think my flight is too high, even though a knowledgeable mate thinks it's very low - but the saying 'you can't buy a swing' is pretty appropriate here.

Time to practice the 'Pump Drill' and sort the swing out - it really is worth it imo.

The reasoning behing the 'don't frig around' message was that the whole head setup is, generally, based around the target customer. So blades have a high CofG and Super GI ones have low CofG and lofts that are 'adjusted' to compensate. And the shafts tend to be tailored for the target too. And this is without the hype of turning 7-irons into 6-iron distances that the likes of TM are so good at!

If you really want to tak the lazy way out, simply buy a set of more 'player oriented' clubs off Ebay - and sell the failures/rejects there as well. Not a bad hobby, but the swing will still be as good/bad as it always was!!!

 

[Khamelion]

Getting you clubs jacked all depends on who is doing the work and the type of club, forged clubs will take bending better than cast clubs and in some instances you may not be able to have you cast club bent at all.

I had my Cleveland CG16's bent 2[SUP]O[/SUP] upright, but that was done by a fitter who used to work on the Cleveland tour bus fitting the pros, so I guess he knew what he was doing.

But even after your clubs have been bent, the memory in the metal will over time force the club back to what it originally was set to out of the factory.