Horizontal Launch Angle in Golf: What It Is & Why It Matters
VECTOR SWING LAB /// PRO
VectorGOLF.ai
7-Iron · 12 metrics · Click any metric to learn more
Carry
189
Target: 165-175
Total
199
Target: 175-185
Club Spd
95.2
Target: 82+
Ball Spd
123.4
Target: 118+
Back Spin
3459
Target: 6k-7k
Side Spin
736
Target: <250
HLA
-4.6°
Target: ±1.5°
Launch
12.5°
Target: 16°-19°
Descent
35.8°
Target: 40°-45°
Face Tgt
-5.2°
Target: ±1.0°
Face Path
2.5°
Target: ±2.0°
Smash
1.31
Target: 1.38+
What Is Horizontal Launch Angle?
HLA (Horizontal Launch Angle) is the initial direction the ball leaves the clubface, relative to the target line. Negative = left, positive = right.
Units: degrees
Why It Matters
HLA largely determines where the ball starts. Face angle at impact is the primary driver. For a straight shot, HLA should be near zero.
Typical Ranges
Target: ±1.5° for consistency. More than 2-3° off = significant miss.
Common Issues
HLA left: face closed at impact. HLA right: face open. Often correlates with face-to-target. Alignment and path affect face delivery.
Related Metrics
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