How To Choose The Right Driver Loft
How you can pick the right driver loft, that will get you stability and the perfect amount of spin, for consistent long drives. Find out more.
One of the things I love doing is watching the pro golfers, especially the longest hitters on Tour. I'm also guilty of following "what's in their bag"...
It's no surprise then, that many (like us) start to believe that we should go with a driver that has as low a driver loft as possible (in order to get low spin and high ball speed), together with a shaft that helps us get the ball in the air.
I've been down this route myself. (Think 8.5 degree head with a low kick shaft...)
Honestly, the thought of hitting that driver now sends chills down my spine.
The good shots we great. But there weren't that many of them.
As an aside, I recall Jef (our Master Fitter) telling me the problem was LOFT - Lack Of (use your imagination, this is a family friendly blog 😀) Talent...
But back to the article...
A lack of loft could really end up with losing control of alot of shots.
What then does the right driver loft look like in play, and what are the consequences of having a driver loft which is too low or too high?
Having the right driver loft is necessary to stabilise the flight and to have a little more spin. Although a driver with low loft can yield a fairly long drive, it can also yield a short drive when there is a slight mis-hit such as hitting a bit high in the face or on the toe.
Back spin can be used for stability in the ball flight. When the spin rate is too low, the spin axis becomes so unstable that it creates an aggressive curvature with the ball getting off line. Hence, the back spin has to be low enough to get the optimal distance but has to be high enough to gain maximum stability on the ball flight.
Although it is alright to have high launch and low spin, this is unfavourable from a Moment of Inertia (MOI) perspective and the golfer would also want to have a forgiving driver.
The absolute key to getting the correct balance of launch and spin then, is having the right spin loft. The spin loft is the difference between the dynamic loft of your driver, that is the delivered loft at impact, and your angle of attack.
Hence, having the right driver loft is important. There are heads with varied designs such as giving low spin and high launch, but these will not be as impactful in making a difference as a few degrees of loft change on your driver. The wise choice will be to have the right driver loft, one which is custom fitted for the swing you have, to get the spin loft window right as this is what will result in your launch and spin.
When the driver loft is too high, the spin loft window will increase but this will not just increase spin but you will also lose ball speed at the same time. Therefore, not having the right driver loft will result in a double loss - losing distance from the wrong launch and spin, as well as ball speed.
We hope that we have equipped you with the knowledge for your golf game and the importance of getting fitted for the right driver loft, rather than to play a game of chance with your precious drivers and time!
If you found that inspiring, don't forget to arrange a fitting session with our Master Fitter. He's fit thousands of high handicap golfers around the world, including me :) On the other hand, he's also fitted the best golfers in the world, such as Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh!
👉 Click here to book your 1 on 1 fitting here