Bending

In bending, the clubhead is mechanically deformed in a device. Two values are changed: the loft, i.e. the angle of the clubface, and the lie, i.e. the angle between shaft and sole. Forged irons made of soft steel can be bent well, cast heads made of hard alloys considerably worse. The adjustment is an integral part of a proper club fitting and usually costs only a few euros per club.

In practice it is almost always about the lie angle. An example: during a fitting, the tape evaluation shows that you consistently strike the sole at the toe. Your balls therefore drift slightly left, although the clubface points cleanly. The fitter bends the irons flatter, and the tendency disappears. Conversely, a more upright lie helps players whose balls regularly stray right. Just two degrees of change make for several metres of deviation over 150 metres.

The typical misconception: bending is not a DIY job. Anyone who bends the club themselves over the knee or in a vice risks cracks in the hosel and uneven angles across the whole set. Many also believe that once bent means bent forever. In fact, the angles change slightly over the years through normal use. Anyone who plays seriously has loft and lie re-measured every few years.