Read our guide to find out the lofts of different golf clubs...
What Are The Degree Loft Of Golf Clubs?
The degree of loft on golf clubs helps separate them from each other as the loft influences the flight and distance of shots.
A lower loft hits the ball further whilst a higher loft launches the ball up into the air with more spin.
There really are no set lofts of golf clubs these days, with manufacturers bringing out clubs at all different lofts to ensure that the flight is right for the golfer.
High launching, forgiving irons tend to come with stronger lofts because the ball launches high enough anyway so doesn’t need the extra loft.
A lower loft combined with a centre of gravity positioned low and back leads to high iron shots that travel a long way.
Better players tend to like weaker, more traditional lofts because they are good enough to strike the ball out of the middle more often than not so can get the launch needed.
Driver Degree Loft
A traditional driver loft is 10-10.5 degrees
A driver loft is traditionally somewhere around the 10 degree mark although there are plenty of exceptions.
Bryson DeChambeau’s driver loft is 5.5 degrees although most better players will have somewhere between 8-10.5 degrees of loft in their driver.
For beginner players or higher handicaps, driver loft could be as high as 12-12.5 degrees to help get the ball up in the air.
Many drivers on the market also allow you to change the loft in small increments to find the right flight for your game.
Related: The best drivers 2020
Fairway Wood Loft
Most golfers will carry a 3 wood and the standard 3 wood loft is 15 degrees.
Some manufacturers will have their 3 woods at 14 or 14.5 degrees and some will have them at 15.5 degrees.
Many players will carry a strong 3 wood at around 13-13.5 degrees of loft if it is a club that they want to go as far as possible or like using off the tee.
Manufacturers also bring out high launch 3 woods up to 16.5 degrees.
Traditionally a 4 wood would be 17 degrees and a 2 wood would be 12 degrees, although these clubs are lesser-seen these days.
A 5 wood is usually 18-19 degrees, whilst a 7 wood will be around 21 degrees.
A 5 wood loft is similar to a 2 iron, and a 7 wood loft is similar to a 3 iron.
Related: The best fairway woods 2020
Hybrid Loft
Hybrids come in a range of different lofts
There really is no set hybrid loft, with hybrids coming in anywhere from 16 degrees all the way through the bag with some beginners and higher handicaps using hybrid irons.
Most tour players with hybrids in the bag will have them between 18-22 degrees to replace their 2 and 3 irons.
They’re easier to hit and will launch higher and come down softer on the greens.
Related: The best hybrids and utility irons 2020
2 Iron Loft
A standard 2 iron comes in at 18 degrees of loft, which is equal to the loft of a five wood. These clubs only tend to be in the very best ball strikers’ bags, with amateur golfers opting for 2 iron utilities, fairway woods or hybrids.
3 Iron Loft
3 irons are usually around 21 degrees, equivalent to a 7 wood or 4 hybrid
The loft of a 3 iron tends to be around 21 degrees, equal to a seven wood or 4 hybrid. They are more common than 2 irons but many golfers still prefer to use a hybrid as they are easier to hit.
4 Iron Loft
A 4 iron loft, traditionally, would be around 24 degrees.
5 Iron loft
The 5 iron lofts in Titleist’s T-Series range from 20-27 degrees
A standard 5 iron loft is 27 degrees.
6 Iron loft
A standard 6 iron loft is 31 degrees, although that is the same loft as many 7 irons these days.
Related: The best compact mid-handicap irons 2020
7 Iron loft
A traditional 7 iron loft is 35 degrees, however some higher handicap irons in recent years have been pushing that loft lower and lower. For example the Wilson Staff D7 7 iron is 28 degrees and Callaway’s Epic Forged and Rogue X irons were 27 degrees. However, the Yonex Ezone 701CB iron took it even further, with its 7 iron coming in at 26 degrees of loft!
The Yonex CB701 7 iron has 26 degrees of loft
That is around a traditional 5 iron loft. Manufacturers are ‘cranking’ the lofts of their clubs because they would simply launch too high if they didn’t due to the forgiving and high-launching qualities on offer.
8 Iron loft
An 8 iron loft is 37-39 degrees.
9 Iron loft
The loft of a 9 iron is 41-43 degrees.
Pitching Wedge loft
A pitching wedge loft is usually between 45-47 degrees, with most golfers using one that comes with their iron set. However, better players like to use a traditional wedge instead of the one that comes with the set to help with control and spin.
Gap Wedge loft
A gap wedge literally fills the gap between pitching and sand wedges and is usually somewhere around 52 degrees.
Sand Wedge loft
A sand wedge loft tends to be 56 degrees.
Lob Wedge Loft
The loft of a lob wedge is traditionally 60 degrees, however some players will carry 58 degree wedges, which can also be classed as a lob wedge. Players like Phil Mickelson have lob wedges as lofty as 64 degrees.
Related: The best wedges 2020
Putter Loft
The loft of a putter is traditionally between 3.5-4.5 degrees. Some golfers may have less or more loft but that usually comes from a putter fitting where the club is tailored to the stroke. If you have a downward attack angle you may want more loft and if you hit the ball on the up then you may want less loft.
Related: The best putters 2020
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