Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture to measure and recommend lie angle

1 . A system for detecting and characterizing a position of a golf club, comprising:

a golf club having a shaft;

a connection mechanism coupled to the shaft and configured to hold a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device comprising:

an application display;

a plurality of sensor components including a gyroscope and an accelerometer; and

a processor in operable communication with a memory including instructions defining a process executable by the processor, the process, when executed, being operable to:

issue an indication for a user to line up the golf club in an address position;

continuously compute a stream of lie angles based on actual lie angle data from the accelerometer as the user holds the golf club;

dynamically calculate a standard deviation of the stream of lie angles;

calibrate the gyroscope to detect movement of the golf club;

numerically define a sensitivity threshold, corresponding to an upper limit of the standard deviation of the stream of lie angles that indicates when the golf club is in the address position;

trigger a first countdown, once the standard deviation of the stream of lie angles drops below the sensitivity threshold;

activate a lock-in period, after the first countdown expires without the standard deviation of the stream of lie angles exceeding the sensitivity threshold;

wherein the accelerometer measures a locked-in lie angle after the lock-in period expires; and

wherein the locked-in lie angle corresponds to a color code, the color code being predetermined to be associated with one or more suggested golf clubs approximately calibrated to the locked-in lie angle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor further issues an instruction to show the color code on the application display.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor further issues an instruction to provide feedback to the user after the locked-in lie angle is measured.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the feedback is auditory.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the feedback is haptic.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to store the color code in online communication with a digital account associated with the user.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the golf club is a short-game club.

8 . A method of determining a recommended golf club having a suitable lie angle, comprising:

(i) indicating, on an application display of a portable electronic device, for a user to move into an address position while holding a golf club;

wherein the portable electronic device is attached to a shaft of the golf club;

wherein the portable electronic device comprises a plurality of motion sensors in communication with a processor;

wherein the processor is in communication with an operable memory; and

wherein the plurality of motion sensors includes an accelerometer and a gyroscope;

(ii) continuously computing a stream of lie angles based on actual lie angle data from the accelerometer;

(iii) dynamically calculating a standard deviation of the stream of lie angles;

(iv) triggering a first countdown once the standard deviation of the stream of lie angles is below a predetermined sensitivity threshold;

(v) activating a lock-in period, only if the first countdown expires without the standard deviation of the stream of lie angles exceeding the predetermined sensitivity threshold;

(vi) measuring, after the lock-in period expires, a locked-in lie angle of the golf club at the address position;

wherein the locked-in lie angle corresponds to a color code; and

wherein the color code corresponds to one or more suggested golf clubs approximately calibrated to the locked-in lie angle.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further providing feedback when the locked-in lie angle is determined.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the feedback is auditory.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the feedback is haptic.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further showing the color code on the application display.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising issuing instructions on the application display to prompt the user to seek the one or more suggested golf clubs labeled with the color code.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the golf club is a short-game club.