If you’ve ever looked into purchasing a set of PING irons, you may have noticed a unique trait they have.  PING irons, no matter their style, have small coloured dots on their hosels.  These dots are located just above the logo on the back side of each club.  The question is, what do these dots mean and how do they affect which clubs you should purchase?

The dots symbolize the varying degree and type of lie angle of the club.  The lie angle of a club is the angle between the shaft and the ground when the club is at normal playing position, with the centre of the sole touching the ground.

Why is Lie Angle Important?

Ideally, you need a club with a lie angle that will have you hitting the ball squarely at impact.  If the lie angle is too upright, you will tend to hit the ball to the left of your target.  A lie angle that is too flat results in a shot that is off to the right of your target.  Just one degree of variance can have you missing your target by as much as 4 yards.  And when you consider that some golfers could be playing with clubs that are off by 2–3 degrees, finding clubs with a proper lie angle could make a huge difference in improving accuracy.

This is why PING created its colour code system.  Each colour represents a specific amount and direction of deviation from each iron’s standard lie angle.  In all, there are 10 different colour codes (gold, brown, orange, red, black, blue, green, white, silver, maroon) separated by one degree.

Finding the Right Colour Code for You

Using the PING Color Code Chart would be the first step in finding the correct colour code. A Golf Town Master Fitter will measure your height and wrist to floor length. They will then plot your measurements into the chart below to find a suggested length and lie angle. Once an initial angle has been established, we’ll test your swing using a lie board to analyze ball flight to find the correct colour code for you.

Clubs with a black dot have the standard lie angle for that particular iron.  They then deviate, with gold being the flattest club (4 degrees from standard) and maroon being the most upright (5 degrees from standard).

In general, people that are shorter or with longer wingspans will require a flatter club to go with their swing.  Taller golfers or with shorter arms will need a more upright club from the standard lie angle.

Once you find the right colour code for your clubs, you could see notable differences in your accuracy and consistency, giving you greater confidence with your irons. Contact your local Golf Town to book a fitting today!