This is LP's job so I guess he knows how it works. Here is a picture showing how loft is measured and it looks like the angle is measured from the vertical shaft to the face.

http://echo.leaderboard.com/loftangl.gif
http://echo.leaderboard.com/loftangl.gif
EDIT: Well there was a picture here?

Is there a similar home-spun way to measure bounce, Lowpost?

There's no pictures where you linked to, Brian.

It's not my job, just my passion. I'm fortunate to be in a position where I can pursue it aggressively.

Carrying on the DIY theme is it possible to check the lie yourself?

Presumably you can buy a board and tape (on Ebay?) but is there a table that translates impact points either side of the sweet spot (where ever that may be) into degrees flat or upright?

I'd pay to get the lies adjusted but I'd rather not have some 17 year old punk playing off a very low number smirking as I topped, thicked and shanked my way through the fitting down at the discount store.

However, a piece of plywood and some electrical tape on the sole will show you where you're making contact on an iron. Every 1/4" away from the middle means 1° that needs to be adjusted.

What? How in the world can you even think to possibly compare lofts if you have to be accounting for shaft lean? My friend, I don't think you're correct here for the purpose of measuring a golf club. I haven't seen a gauge where the shaft is oriented anywhere but vertical or horizontal.

Yes, the head needs to be soled properly, but every gauge I've ever seen holds the shaft vertical and allows the head to sole from there.

It's by leaning the shaft forward or back that you change the effective loft for your shot. For spec'ing a club, you need a constant - and this constant is a straight shaft. Otherwise, it could be said that every club is 40° - just lean the shaft more or less to get there.



Now I know you're crazy. All wedges have the same loft? Please tell me you're mistaking loft for some other spec - like lie perhaps? I could see all wedges having the same lie because they're all the same length - that makes sense.

GoNavy, here is the equipment I have in my shop.

The MR3 True Blue. MR3 Golf Designs
When a club is in this device and neither strong nor weak lofted, the club is vertical (as in the pictures).

The Auditor 3D ruler. myOstrich Golf Clubmakers
Again, the shaft is laid horizontally, the loft and lie is measured with a protractor.

The Auditor Loft and Lie Gauge. GolfMechanix,The leading manufacturer of golf club making tools, golf tools, instrumentation and gauges.
Here we have a vertically oriented shaft. Once secure and soled, all measurements are made with the shaft vertical.

The 'Green Machine' GolfMechanix,The leading manufacturer of golf club making tools, golf tools, instrumentation and gauges.
This is not in my shop. But it is in Tom Wishon's shop - and used for his hand select service. Apparently this is 'the' machine for bigger outfits to have. But still, shaft is up and down in regards to loft.

All loft surveying equipment I have supports a vertical (or horizontal). There is no shaft lean. Now, adjusting the face angle will alter the loft (face pointing left or right). Closed decreases loft, open increases it (and the opposite is the effect at impact if square. In other words a 9° head 1° open will be 8° square, 1° closed will be 10° square).





So scrags, lean the shaft on the wall, perpendicular to the floor, ensure the face is square, and measure away.

Now I know you're crazy. All wedges have the same loft? Please tell me you're mistaking loft for some other spec - like lie perhaps? I could see all wedges having the same lie because they're all the same length - that makes sense.


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Yes I know, we are comparing apples and oranges here. The point I was making is the angle is measured off the shaft with a loft gauge, doesn't matter if the shaft is vertical or horizontal, or anything in between. The question was if using a standard protractor and measuring with a vertical shaft, I didn't want the poster to try and do a measure from the surface thinking the shaft has to be vertical because you end up with wildly screwed measurement, ie too much loft because clubs when soled properly do have a lean to them and the sole needs to be accounted for, ie bouce. Even brians picture shows the angle as compared to the shaft, it being vertical is just for convience. Just trying to point out, it is not really a DIY job for the novice, you can't just start bending and only concern yourself with the loft.

I meant to say all wedges like PW from different compamies etc... have the same loft, or a standard, didn't mean all wedges PW/LW/GW have the same loft, could have put that better, sorry, I'm getting old I lose my train of thought sometimes and leave things out..lol

But as I read the thread I got the impression that he might take a protractor and try to measure the face with a vertical shaft off the ground if you understand what I am saying, and it would be incorrect, it would correct itself if you leaned the shaft correctly and soled the club, providing there is no bounce.

Well, you know what's about to follow this sentence...

By going to the PING website, you learned that your PW should be 47°. It may be 46. It may be 48. It may be even further out of spec. Not knowing what your SW is, it's time to get the lofts checked. Then buy (or have something built) that splits the gap. Even if you grab a wedge out of the bargain bin, it needs to be 'loft verified'.

Interesting LP. My club selection is pretty normal regarding disance - except for my wedges - with my sw I can easily hit the ball 120 yards - and the distances I am getting with my wedges doesn't always correspond to their loft. I noticed some of my SW are longer than others and this may account for the difference in distance. A friend of mine, we are pretty equaly in club selection - except for the wedges. For his SW he maxes out at 80 yards - which I find extraordinary.


James