PING's Color Code System Applied Since 1972... "Over 75% Accuracy"
The second installment of the fitting series with PING Golf focuses on irons. For irons, directional accuracy matters more than distance, and lie angle is the most critical factor affecting shot direction. Lie angle refers to the angle formed between the club shaft and the ground at address. An upright lie angle (toe up) causes shots to go left, while a flat lie angle (toe down) sends shots right.
Lie angle varies depending on height, arm length, and posture. Since 1972, PING has implemented a color code system for irons, enabling golfers to easily select custom clubs suited to their body type and swing. The system uses 10 colors to categorize lie angles based on height and wrist-to-floor measurement.
Starting from black as the baseline, moving toward blue, green, white, silver, and maroon increases the lie angle by one degree upright per step. Conversely, moving from black toward red, orange, brown, and gold decreases the lie angle by one degree flat per step. PING claims the color code system has over 75% accuracy.
Two golfers participated in this iron fitting session: Nam Kung-cheong, 56, and Cheon Seung-hee, 49. Nam stands 169cm tall while Cheon measures 193cm—a 24cm height difference. Both are skilled players who typically shoot in the mid-80s. PING Assistant Manager Cho Seung-jin, a veteran who has long supported male and female tour professionals using PING clubs, conducted the fitting.
Ball Position Also Affects Trajectory and Shot Shape
Nam Kung-cheong went first. He achieves satisfactory distance but struggles with a draw ball flight and low trajectory that prevent his ball from stopping on greens. His current setup: PING i525 irons with 95g R (regular) shafts, red lie angle (1 degree flat), and power spec loft angle. For loft angles, PING offers standard plus power spec (2 degrees stronger) and retro spec (2 degrees weaker).
Testing used the i540 iron, successor to the i525. To increase trajectory, the 7-iron loft was set to 29 degrees—2 degrees weaker than power spec. To correct his draw, lie angle was set to orange (2 degrees flat).
However, test results showed shots going further right. Impact tape testing revealed the toe was contacting the ground first. "We need to return to the original red lie angle and find another solution," Cho said. Switching back to red immediately eliminated the severe push shots, but launch angle remained just 12.7 degrees.
Watching Nam's swing closely, Cho identified a key issue: Nam was positioning the ball too far right in his stance. A right-positioned ball naturally produces lower trajectory and contributes to draw shots. "I started placing the ball right during my beginner days to avoid fat shots, and it became ingrained without me realizing," Nam said. "My iron distance is satisfactory, but excessive roll has been occurring."
After moving ball position from the right side to center of his stance, Nam initially felt awkward but quickly adapted. However, desired trajectory still wasn't achieved. Adjusting loft to 32 degrees raised average launch angle to 14.9 degrees—nearly 2 degrees higher.
Directional Concerns... "Let's Go 0.5 Inches Shorter"
While trajectory improved, directional consistency remained problematic. Cho suggested trying heavier shafts for shot consistency, noting Nam generates over 160 yards of carry with his 7-iron.
Testing proceeded with two shaft options: same 95g weight but S (stiff) flex, and heavier 105g S shafts. Shot dispersion decreased. However, Nam expressed concern: "I used heavier shafts before, but the weight became burdensome as rounds progressed."
Cho's final solution was shaft cutting—trimming 0.5 inches to improve control and consistency. The results were remarkable. Shot groupings tightened dramatically, with left-right dispersion narrowing from 34 yards to just 7.5 yards.
Cho also recommended replacing the 5-iron with a hybrid club for higher trajectory. "Landing irons directly on greens is crucial," Cho said. "With increased loft angle and adjusted ball position, Nam's launch angle should rise about 3 degrees, significantly reducing ball roll on greens."
Impact Tape Reveals the Truth
Cheon Seung-hee, standing 193cm tall, was using i59 irons starting from 4-iron. His setup: 120g S (stiff) shafts, white lie angle (3 degrees upright), and 0.5 inches longer than standard. Testing used the Blueprint S 7-iron, successor to the i59.
Impact tape testing came first. The heel portion of the sole was contacting the ground first. "Given Cheon's height and his swing style of pulling hands down significantly, his shots tend to go left," Cho diagnosed. "The current lie angle is too upright and needs to be slightly flatter."
Changing lie angle from white to green (2 degrees upright)—one step flatter—immediately resolved the directional issue. "I only considered shaft stiffness before and never knew lie angle was the problem. It was solved so easily," Cheon said with a bright smile.
"Consider Combo Sets to Maintain Advanced Player Feel"
Cho recommended Cheon also try the i240, an intermediate model, instead of the advanced Blueprint S. With Blueprint S, shot dispersion spread up to 22.8 yards left and 19.2 yards right. With i240 irons, dispersion tightened to just 4.3 yards left and 9.4 yards right maximum. Straighter shots also increased carry distance from an average of 162.6 yards to 168.5 yards—approximately 6 yards more.
"The sleek Blueprint appeals to me, but the data points to the more forgiving i240," Cheon said. Cho advised: "If you really want Blueprint, consider a combo set"—i240 for 5-6 irons and Blueprint S from 7-iron through pitching wedge.
"Given your height, extending club length up to 0.75 inches wouldn't be problematic," Cho said. "However, I recommend dropping the 4-iron and replacing it with a more manageable driving iron or hybrid."
"My last fitting was four years ago, and my lie angle had changed since then," Cheon said. "Chasing distance made me use more lower body, which lowered my swing. Adjusting the lie angle definitely feels more comfortable and improved my directional accuracy."