What is the primary influence a club's lie angle has on ball flight?

The lie angle of a golf club primarily influences the direction of the ball flight. When a club is fitted properly with the correct lie angle for a player's stance and swing, it promotes more accurate ball striking, which leads to a straighter ball flight. If the lie angle is too upright or too flat for the player's setup, it can cause the clubface to point either left or right at impact, resulting in a misdirection of the shot.

While other factors associated with the lie angle, such as impact location, can have indirect effects on elements like launch angle or spin rate, the most immediate and significant influence of lie angle is on the direction in which the ball travels after being hit. Hence, having the correct lie angle is essential for maintaining the desired trajectory towards the target.