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how to choose loft and shaft for a golf driver

by Hadley Berge Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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If it is between 105 and 115 mph, a loft between 7 and 9 degrees should be considered. Golfers with club-head speeds below 85 mph should use a loft angle between 14 and 20 degrees. For speeds of 130 mph and above, try a loft between 4 and 7 degrees.

Choose a loft to try based on your assessed club-head speed. If it is between 95 and 104 mph, a 10- or 11-degree loft will be appropriate. If it is between 105 and 115 mph, a loft between 7 and 9 degrees should be considered. Golfers with club-head speeds below 85 mph should use a loft angle between 14 and 20 degrees.

Full Answer

What loft driver do professional golfers use?

Most professionals on the PGA golf tour are using a driver with a loft between 9 and 10.5. The golfers will change the loft based on the shaft they have on their club and how the shaft impacts the ball flight as well. Most golfers on the professional circuit have a very fast swing speed.

How to choose the right golf shaft for Your Driver?

The shaft weight can also impact the height that a golfer can hit the ball. IF you are struggling with hitting the ball too high and your loft has already been turned down quite a bit, then the best choice could be to put a heavier golf shaft in place or slightly lower your loft. What Type Of People Should Use A Higher Lofted Driver?

What is the best loft angle for a driver?

Golfers with club-head speeds below 85 mph should use a loft angle between 14 and 20 degrees. For speeds of 130 mph and above, try a loft between 4 and 7 degrees. Compare the feel of drivers within the loft range that fits your club head speed at the practice facility at your local golf equipment store or pro shop.

Do you need a higher loft to hit a good driver?

If you do not have a high swing speed, you are going to need to keep the loft down, so you don’t hit a ballooned type golf shot. Slower swing speed players struggle to launch such a lower lofted club, and that is why they do better when given a driver with 13 or more degrees of loft. Are There Other Factors Besides Swing Speed?

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How do I know what loft I need for my driver?

The ideal driver loft depends on your swing speed and the attack angle. Average players that swing the club less than 95 MPH will likely find that a 10.5-degree driver performs the best. Better players who can control their drives and want the most distance will lean more towards a 9-degree driver.

What loft driver should an average golfer use?

In fact, swings often got the most distance with driver lofts at 9 degrees or less. (It's still true that golfers who swing less than 80 mph would likely benefit from using drivers with 11 degrees of loft or higher.) Lower lofts can provide more energy transfer at impact because there's less of an oblique angle.

How do I pick the right shaft for my driver?

5 factors to help you find the right driver shaft for your swingFlex. Generally speaking, a driver shaft that's too stiff will cause shots to launch too low, with too little spin and low peak heights. ... Weight. The weight of a shaft has a similar correlation to performance as flex. ... Length. ... Kick point. ... Torque.

Is higher loft better for driver?

Club Loft. In general, the slower the swing or club speed, the higher the loft of the driver to optimize both carry and roll. Most drivers come in degrees of loft from 8.5 to 16. Long Drive competitors have drivers that have only 4 to 7.5 degrees of loft.

Do any pros use 10.5 loft?

At the WGC-HSBC Champions, Dustin Johnson took the title using a TaylorMade SLDR driver with 10.5 degrees loft. Although TaylorMade has recently been touting the benefits of "lofting up" with its new driver, it's actually been a trend on the PGA Tour for more than a decade.

Is 11.5 loft too much?

If you have a mid swing speed of 95-104 mph, a driver loft of between 10-11.5° will normally be a good starting point. If you hit down on the ball, you're likely to have high spin loft, so using less loft will actually reduce your backspin and should help you hit the ball further.

Which golf driver shaft is best for me?

There is a thing you must know that the shaft flex really impacts the accuracy, trajectory, and distance of your shot. Therefore, getting the right flex in your golf clubs is essential....How Do I Know?Driver CarryFlexSwing Speed220-245 yardsRegular75-85 mph200-225 yardsSenior62-75 mph>200 yardsLadies>60 mph2 more rows•Mar 17, 2020

How long should your driver be based on height?

Tony Finau is one of the tallest golfers on the PGA Tour at 6'4″, and his driver's length is usually around 45 inches. Both Finau and Fowler are two of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour....Driver Shaft Length Based Solely on Height.Height (feet/inches)Driver Shaft Length5'0″-5'2″44.5″4'10”-5'0″44″< 4'10”43″7 more rows•May 9, 2021

What flex do I need for my driver?

If you're between 97 and 104 mph with the driver, you need a stiff flex. Regular – Now we are getting into the range where a majority of recreational golfers fall, and also where many LPGA pros fall. If you're between 84 and 96 mph, regular is going to be best for you.

Do I need a stiff or regular shaft?

To check your swing speed a shot tracking device will be the most accurate method. Based on your swing speeds here are our recommendations: 80-95 mph swing speeds should use regular shafts. 90-105 mph swing speeds should use stiff shafts.

What loft driver should seniors use?

11 degreesWhat loft driver should seniors use? Most seniors should use a driver loft of at least 11 degrees. While some players might get away with 10 or 10.5 if they still have a higher swing speed, most golfers should between 11-13 degrees.

What degree driver hits the farthest?

The low loft of a golf driver is very surprising from the perspective of physics. Everyone in freshman physics learns that the optimal launch angle for a projectile - the angle that makes a ball fly the farthest - is 45 degrees.

How to get a different Flex rating driver?

Arrange to try out drivers of other flex ratings if you can. The best way to do this is often to borrow drivers from your golf buddies, but it may be just as easy to rent a driver of a different flex rating from your local driving range. Some pro shops in your area may also allow you to take a swing or two before you decide to buy, and many golf equipment manufacturers allow golfers to try their clubs at touring events called "demo days."

What is a flex rating in golf?

The universal golf club flex ratings are named, in order from most flexible to the stiffest, ladies, senior, regular, stiff and extra stiff. This rating is usually printed or engraved somewhere on the shaft or club head of each driver. If you're using a ladies flex driver and your loft is too high, you should try a senior or regular flex driver, ...

What happens if you use a driver that is too stiff?

If you're using a driver that is too flexible or too stiff for the speed of your swing, your loft may be way off in either direction. Proper loft can be achieved with drivers of any flex rating--the key is finding the best flex rating for your unique swing.

What does it mean when your loft is too high?

Analyze your drive to see if your loft is too high or too low. High loft is indicative of a driver that is too flexible, whereas low loft is indicative of a driver that is too stiff.

Can you purchase a professional club fitting?

Purchase a professional club fitting if you're still unable to determine which club flex rating will best help you attain proper loft.

What is the best loft angle for a golf club?

Golfers with club-head speeds below 85 mph should use a loft angle between 14 and 20 degrees. For speeds of 130 mph and above, try a loft between 4 and 7 degrees.

What is the best loft for a car?

An appropriate loft choice will maximize your distance. The majority of drivers on the market today range between a 4-degree and 20-degree loft.

What is the most misunderstood aspect of picking out a driver?

One of the most misunderstood aspects of picking out a driver is choosing the loft.

Why is it important to choose the right golf driver shaft?

Choosing the right golf driver shaft for you is extremely important as it can have a great impact on distance, accuracy, and ball trajectory.

What are the physical properties of a golf driver shaft?

The physical properties of best golf driver shafts that should be considered are length, weight, torque, kick point, and flex . All these properties combine to produce a balance and a feel to a driver and can greatly affect the overall performance of the club. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

How much does a graphite shaft weigh?

Weight Of The Shaft. Graphite shafts are manufactured in a variety of weights ranging from the sub-40-gram category up to about 90 grams, with the most common being in the 65-gram vicinity. The shaft weight has a major effect on the overall weight of the driver.

What happens if a ball is struck off the toe of the driver?

Referring again to the diagram, if a ball is struck off the toe of the driver, the clubhead will rotate more, putting sidespin on the ball resulting in off-target shots .

How does shaft weight affect driver?

The shaft weight has a major effect on the overall weight of the driver. As stated previously, the lighter the driver, the higher the swing speeds generated, resulting in greater distance.

What happens if a golf shaft is too stiff?

Using a shaft that is too stiff for your swing will most likely result in a lower ball trajectory and loss of distance, as well as an open face at the impact that will push the ball to the right, or the fade side.

What happens if you use a golf driver with an improper shaft?

Using a golf driver with an improper shaft can adversely affect the distance, accuracy, and trajectory of your drives. The shaft is often mistakenly referred to as the “engine” of a golf club. In fact, it is more the “transmission” as the power, which is supplied by the golfer’s arms and body, is transmitted through the shaft to the clubhead.

What is the best loft for a golf driver?

Why? Well imagine firing water from a garden hose at a plant pot on the other side of the garden. If someone were to turn down the pressure of the hose, you would have to tilt the nozzle upwards to try and maintain the distance the water is traveling. The same applies to the loft of your driver. Golfers with this swing speed would typically benefit from a driver between 12-14° of loft.

How many degrees is the loft on a golf club?

Here’s a fact for you. The loft on your clubface varies from top to bottom by up to six degrees! Loft is at its lowest on the bottom of the clubface and is at its highest on the top. Strikes above the clubface centre will tend to launch higher with less spin and vice versa on shots from low on the clubface.

Why is spin loft important?

What is Spin Loft and why is it important? It sounds complicated, but it isn’t, and the reason you need to know it is because it affects the amount of backspin you create, which in turn affects the distance the ball will travel.

Why do golfers spin the ball less?

2. Upward hitters. Golfers that hit up on the ball (have a positive attack angle) will tend to spin the ball less because their spin loft is lower. So they can therefore afford to have slightly more loft to maximize distance.

Why do golfers need more loft?

Why will most golfers benefit from more loft? The chances are because a) it makes it more difficult to curve the ball offline and b) your swing speed isn’t fast enough to warrant the low loft you’re using to maximize distance. But it must be said, a higher loft won’t work for everyone.

What is the best angle to hit a ball down?

However, you need to make sure you maintain a high enough launch angle in the process, above 11 degrees ideally.

How high should the launch angle be when hitting a golf ball?

However, you need to make sure you maintain a high enough launch angle in the process, above 11 degrees ideally. 3.

Why is driver loft important?

If you choose a driver loft that is not right for your game, you will struggle with distance, launch, and forgiveness.

What Type Of People Should Use A Higher Lofted Driver?

Beginners and higher handicap golfers with slower swing speeds are going to benefit greatly from a higher lofted driver.

What Is The Main Factor That Goes Into Determining What Loft To Use?

The main factor that determines what loft you should be using in your driver is swing speed.

What If I Am Hitting The Ball Too Low?

Hitting the golf ball too low can be very frustrating. When the ball is too low, the distance you can get is extremely impacted.

Can Driver Loft Affect A Hook Or A Slice?

If your driver does not have enough loft, you are going to notice that you have a hard time keeping the ball straight.

Does Tee Height Affect Driving Distance?

Lining your golf tee up at the perfect location is very important. If your golf tee is too low or too high, you could miss the sweet spot as you hit your shots.

Why do junior drivers have lofts?

The reason that junior drivers are built with the high loft is to accommodate those with slower swing speeds. However, not all Junior golfers have these lower swing speeds, which is why it is so important to get a driver lofted to you particular needs.

How much loft do you need for a golf driver?

In the most convenient terms and simplest definitions, players with faster swing speeds (105mph and above) typically need lower-lofted drivers of seven to 10 degrees, though this notion is becoming an aging barrier to a more complex driver market. All of the contributing factors to ball flight trajectory makes it difficult to paint any sweeping generalizations on the best driver loft. Although a player may have a positive attack angle and produce low spin, they can still benefit from a lower-lofted driver that increases total distance.

What is the loft angle of a golf driver?

One of the key factors in choosing your next best new driver is getting the right loft angle. The loft of the driver, between 7.5 and 14 degrees, influences the ball flight’s trajectory along with the design, shaft bend, and, among other things, you!

What factors affect the trajectory of a golf ball?

Swing factors such angle of attack (how you drop into the path of the ball), the dynamic loft (the true loft presented to the ball at impact), and the spin loft (the difference between the two) all contribute to the golf ball's trajectory and the right effective loft needed to work within these parameters. Whether you flip your wrists at impact causing higher dynamic loft or set your back shoulder down to increase your angle of attack, produce fast clubhead speeds or have a slow swing speed – it all factors in for the right driver and loft fit.

Why use higher loft drivers?

Understanding that the face curvatures in higher-lofted drivers help prevent side spin when the face angle and swing path are not moving in the same direction at impact, is vital. The loft, therefore, becomes useful to get better accuracy to be in a better position off the tee. Soft, wet course conditions that are not conducive to roll out of the golf ball also make higher lofted drivers advantageous as carry distance is the paramount goal. Lastly, swing flaws in higher handicap players that miss left from closing the clubface down or have an overly steep angle of attack and need dynamic loft to get height on the ball, will benefit from a higher lofted driver. Often using the added forgiveness higher loft degree drivers deliver coupled with higher bendpoints in the shaft can maximize both forgiveness and the desired launch angle.

What is the best loft for a driver?

Golfers with lower swing speeds of under 80mph or those who are beginning the game need to get as much carry distance as possible and should be playing driver lofts of 12 to 14 degrees. These ball flights need to resemble a garden house stream or achieve the highest trajectory possible from the loft rather than the swing and ball speeds.

How does a driver affect loft?

Without diving into too much detail, uses of materials such as lighter carbon-composite crowns (top of driver) or using weight-savings in various parts of the clubhead to create a different center of gravity (CG) enables a more forgiving driver design that also largely affects ball flight heights. By moving the weight down and back away from the face, for example, a driver can be made to allow for better off-center strikes – meaning your misses will get greater distance.

What is more important to finding the right driver than your swing and game?

Nothing is more important to finding the right driver than your swing and game, period. Not what the pros play or what your buddy plays or the scratch member with the nice parking spot plays. Your swing dictates what you should play!

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