What is Loft of Golf Clubs? Driver, Wedge, Hybrid, Wood, Iron, Putter Lofts Explained

As entertaining as golf is, having the right information is crucial to acing the game. There are many factors that play a critical role in the game being actually entertaining. One of those crucial pieces of information is knowing exactly what is loft in golf as well as knowing everything about golf club loft charts.

Every golf fan knows that there is a wide range of choices when it comes to loft, and each one makes a huge difference. This is also the part where the beginners who do not understand the jargon, face the most struggle. This is why I have dedicated an entire article to this topic.

Below, you will find all the information that will help you understand everything about golf club lofts. Therefore, without further ado, let’s get down to business. Before we proceed further with the types and importance of golf club lofts, let’s start with what exactly it is!

What is Loft in a Golf Club?

What is Golf Club Loft
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A golf club is composed of a wide range of different parts, and one of those parts is a loft. Loft is basically the angle between the ground and the clubface. Therefore, the angle that forms between the vertical ground and the clubface of the golfer becomes the loft.

Golf is one of those sports that requires keen knowledge along with the right skill set. It is the only sport where a player with even a bit more information than the others gives him a winning edge.

There is a wide range of different types of lofts due to the angle difference. Even the dissimilarity of a single degree of angle can make a difference in how the loft performs. It influences the speed as well as the distance the ball is bound to cover. You may also want to know what clubs do pros carry.

Importance of Loft in Golf

Even if a golfer is exceptional at the sport and can perform better than his comrades, his performance will go south really quickly if he picks the wrong loft. We now know that the loft is the angle between the ground and the clubface, so we have established the fact that it plays a very important role.

Even the slightest hitch in the angle can affect the shot player is about to take. If the angle is higher than needed or if it is lower than required, the ball will not go as far or as smoothly as the players want it to go.

In such a situation, the skillset of the players becomes a null point, as even the most precise shots will go array with the wrong loft. Only the perfect knowledge about golf club angles chart helps in such situations. So let’s look at different types of golf club loft! You can also have a look at best golf club sets for seniors.

Different Types of Golf Club Lofts

When it comes to lofts in golfing, the list is quite long. Before we dive into that detail, first understand the 6 different types of golf clubs.

The type of loft is different for each type of club. Following are the six types along with the type of their respective golf club degree charts. Understanding these types will help in making the right choice when it comes time to choose one.

1. Driver Loft

The first type of golf club loft is the Driver Loft, also known as Woods by many golfers. They are the type of clubs that are most commonly used for long-distance shots. Despite the fact that they are longer in size than other types of golf clubs, they come with lower lofts than the rest. There are six different types of lofts in the Driver Club.

1. The first is the 5° loft which is mostly used by Long Drive for the longest distance shots.

2. The second is 8° to 10°.

3. The third is 8° to 10.5° which is mostly used by low handicap.

4. Standard long angle for Drivers is the fourth one which is 9.5° to 12°.

5. The fifth is 10.5° to 13° and the sixth is 12° to 14°.

As Drivers are used with a slightly upward angle to throw the ball across the field, it is critical to pick the right loft according to the player’s expertise level and swing speed. For instance, if a player uses high speed while swinging the club, their best choice will be the second which is 8° to 10°.

You may also want to read about best golf drivers for slow swing speeds

2. Wedge Loft

The second type of loft in golf is Wedge Loft. It is the most important type of club as it is mostly used for high precision shots as well as short distance shots on the green ground.

Even the minute difference in the wedge loft can result in the winning shot going south and the player losing their game. There are four types of wedge lofts:

1. The first one is commonly known as Pitching Wedge in golf jargon, and it has an angle range of 45° to 47°.

2. The second is called a Gap Wedge and it comes with a range of 50° to 52°.

3. The third type is the Sand Wedge which comes with an angle range of 54° to 58°.

4. The last one is the Lob Wedge which comes with a range of 58° to 64°.

While the range of Sand Wedge and Lob Wedge is wider than the first two, they also come with a standard angle. The standard for Sand Wedge is 56° and that of Lob Wedge is 60°. Lob is also the type of wedge with maximum loft.

3. Hybrid Lofts

The third type of golf club is the Hybrid. As the name of the club indicates, it comes with a design that is a hybrid of Iron and Fairway Woods. Have a look at best hybrid iron sets.

Their lower center of gravity makes them ideal for launching the golf all higher in the sky. Moreover, they are also quite versatile, meaning they can be used for different shots. Hybrids comes with 6 different loft types.

1. The first is a 2-Hybrid which comes with an angle of 16° to 18°.

2. The second type is 3-Hybrid with an angle of 19° to 20°.

3. The third type is the 4-Hybrid with a 21° to 23° angle loft.

4. The fourth is the 5-Hybrid which comes with a 24° to 26° angle loft.

5. The 6-Hybrid is the fifth type and it comes with a 27° to 28° loft angle.

6. Last and the sixth type is the 7-Hybrid which has a loft angle of 31°. The most commonly used Hybrid clubs are 3-Hybrid, 4-Hybrid and 5-Hybrid.

4. Fairway Wood Lofts

As the name of the club indicates, it is the type that is used in the Fairway area of the golfing field. It can also be used in the ‘Tee’ area.

As they are able to create more distance and throw the ball off a long distance away, they are mostly used for such shots. Fairway Woods come with 7 types of lofts, although 5 of them are the most commonly used.

1. The first type of Fairway Woods loft that we have is known as the 2-Wood. It has an angle of 12°.

2. The second is the 3-Wood which comes with a range of 13° to 16.5°.

3. The third is 4-Wood with a 17° angle.

4. The fourth is 5-Wood which is available in a range of 18° to 19°.

5. Last and the most common type of fairway wood loft is called the 7-Wood which comes with an angle of 21° to 22°.

Apart from these five, there is also the 9-Wood with 23.5° to 25° and the 11-Wood with 28° loft.

The standard Fairway Woods loft is the second type i.e. 3-Wood. It is capable of hitting the longest-distance shots, especially in areas that have longer grass. Whereas, the 5-Wood loft hits the golf ball as far as 180 yards, which is the farthest.

5. Iron Loft

The fifth type of golf club loft and lie chart is the iron loft. This type is mostly used for shots where the golfers need more control over the golf ball. Read about best irons for seniors with slow swing speed.

They have a higher accuracy rate than other types of clubs. An iron club comes with 8 different types in the iron loft chart.

1. The first is the 2-Iron with a loft of 16° to 19°. The standard loft of 2-Iron is 18°.

2. The 3-Iron is the second type with 21°.

3. 4-Iron with a loft of 24° to 25°.

4. The fourth type is called the 5-Iron and it has a loft of 27° to 28°.

5. 6-Iron is the fifth type and it comes with a 30° to 31° loft.

6. The sixth type of Iron club is 7-Iron and it has a loft angle of 34° to 35°.

7. The 8-Iron is the seventh type with a loft of 37° to 39°.

8. The last is the 9-Iron with a loft of 41° to 43°.

The higher the loft angle is, the shorter the length of the club becomes. Therefore, the 9-Iron comes with the shortest shaft of all other types of iron clubs. They are ideal for shots where the golfer needs more control than a putter and less than a driver.

6. Putter Lofts

The last type of golf club is the Putter. The putter is the type of club that is used for very short-distance shots. It is mostly used by golfers to hit the ball directly into the hole in the ground.

As the task of the putter is to keep the ball secured to the ground and not lift it off of the golf field, it only comes with a single loft angle. A putter has a loft angle of 3.5° to 4.5°.

If you are a golfer with slow swing speed, have a look at best golf balls for slow swing speed

How to Pick the Right Golf Loft?

Now that you are aware of what exactly is a loft in a golf club, as well as the different loft angles of each golf club, it is time for you to pick one for yourself.

However, picking a type of club is tricky business, as it can turn a winning shot into a losing one. Following are a couple of features that can help you pick the right loft angle according to your own expertise.

1. Type of Club

As mentioned above, every type of club comes with its own range of loft angles. Therefore, if you are looking to make more long-distance shots, then a driver will be more suitable.

You can pick the fourth type of Driver loft which has an angle of 9.5° to 12° as it is the standard one. Similarly, for shots in the tee area, the Fairway Woods will be more appropriate.

For a lower angle, a 2-Wood will do the job, and for a long distance across the fairway area, the 5-Wood will be more suitable.

2. Skill Set of Players

This goes without saying that the expertise level of the players is a major point in deciding which loft angle is suitable for them. Beginner-level golfers will have a higher advantage with golf clubs that have higher loft angles.

For instance, a hybrid, or the 8-Iron or the 9-Iron comes with a higher angle than the rest. An expert golf player will be able to handle the ball more perfectly with lower loft angles.

3. Swing Speed

The club swing speed of player also plays a role in determining which loft angle is suitable for them.

Golfers that have a higher swinging speed can play well with clubs that have low loft angles. On the other hand, golfers that have a slower swing speed need clubs that come with higher loft angles such as 8-Iron or 7-Wood.

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Final Thoughts about Golf Club Angles

Golf is a delightful outdoor game that requires a skill set, as well as the right set of clubs. Determining which clubs are good for the game depends upon each player’s expertise level.

However, if they are able to understand the golf club face angle chart, then it will become much easier for them to pick the right clubs with the perfect loft angle for their next game. Therefore, read the article above to find out everything there is to know about what is loft in golf and golf club loft charts. Also have a look at golf club distance chart for seniors.

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