Driver's loft

[michaeljames92]

i have a tm r7 460 at 9.5* stiff shaft. i can get very little height on this driver and seem to be hitting nuclear scuds that barely get off the ground. i have used a reg shaft with 10* before in other drivers and got it up to a good height. wouldn't consider my swing slow, but not fast either.

[rockwater]

Would've bought my driver in a 12º if it were available for lefties. Using a 10.5º and I like it okay.

[lovemylabs]

I have a junk 9.5 and do pretty good, but when fitted there is any chance that I could get even a half yard or more I would change in a heart beat.

[Guest]

Driver loft selection is a function of swing speed but many more factors come into play. E.G.:

A 10º lofted driver usually has a loft-range of ±3º and the "effective" loft of the driver depends upon the point of contact with the ball. Hitting the ball with the bottom of the driver effectively puts the loft at around 7º and hitting with the top of the driver face it's close to13º. There are drivers on the market that minimize this effect by having a flat face or lower face roll. The angle of attack plus the "effective" loft of the driver equals the launch angle. The angle of attack is dependent on how high the ball is teed-up and how far to the left of the center of the stance the tee is placed. Moving the entire body to the left during the downswing can lower the angle of attack.

Of course, if one tries to remember all of this during the game then it likely leads to returning to the club house before finishing the 18-holes and having a couple of cold ones.

[TBone]

Currently playing with a Callaway X460 10 degree. Before that was a Ping G5 copy with 10.5. My distance never seems to change much with loft but my accuracy sure does. Just going down a 1/2 a dgree on the Callaway I could tell a difference. I'm thinking of maybe trying a higher lofted driver this year 12 or 13 just too see if I still get the same distance. I don't believe in the lower loft more distance theory. I quit believing that when my 270 yard drives were getting blown away by a guy using an original Adams Tightlies 3 wood (16*) as his driver.

[josef]

yeah, i got suckered last year on a 9 degree Ping G5 on a Blow-Out sidewalk sale that Edwin Watts had last year. I didn't have a driver and the salesman kinda shot me a line of crap and suckered me into buying the 9 degree as he didn't have exactly what i was looking for.. it went something like.. "Strong guy like you.. you'll be hitting the 9 degree with no problem.. " and i fell for it.. the price was really low though.. haha.

anyway, once i start making some progress, i will definitely be looking to change to a 12 or 13 degree. i need more height.. and i swing slow.. lol.

[joseywales]

Just recently switched to an 8.5 Hibore. It seemed like the bigger the heads on the driver, the higher off the face they would fly. Going to an 8.5 made all of the difference. It's easy to control ball flight and still work the ball w/maximum distance now. It also helps with a stiff v2 shaft versus the stock fujikara. With today's driver heads, I don't forsee going back to anything higher than an 8.5 ever again.

[walk18]

10.5 titleist with the UST ProForce V shaft. I won't be changing for a long time..

[GolferX1]

flat swing- need 10-12 driver loft. but now with the high moi drivers -easier to play a lower 9.5 and get what is needed.. ex: D2, 5900, BUL, ping G10.. a few good examples..

[jdarmo]

9.5 Adams RPM 460. I can hit the 9.5 pretty good. I don't think that I would change lofts.

[Leek]

Usually, Drivers have more loft than is marked on them. I have a Cleveland marked 10.5, I took it to a clubfitter and found out it's actually 12. I have a tour issue Adams that's marked 10.5 and it's actually 11 degrees.


A 9.5 could range from 9.5-12 degrees!

[marpr]

I hit a 8.5 Degree. I dont think i would ever consider going over 9.

[Guest]

I used to hit a 10.5 but hit it terrible. Hadn't purchased new equipment in quite a while but looking to get into the game again so I read up on the newest game improvement clubs and tips.

Everything I read told me to check my ego and go a bit higher. So I went up to 12 as I got a great deal on a Ping G10. I hit probably 50-60% more fairways than I used to. My distance is only affected by the roll, which is less, but at my level it's HUGE to be able to hit straight that often.

My swing speed is lowered to a more natural speed (as opposed to over swinging) and I'm teeing the ball up lower for more consistent shots.

I couldn't be happier.

[lamebums]

10.5. I need about a 9, I think. The ball's going way too far up in the air, and when that happens the wind just starts making a mockery of my tee shots.

[smileykj218]

8.5, with my swing it produces the best launch angle on a launch monitor.

[thor]

I just went from 10.5 to 9.5 after reading this book by Tom Wishon I should probably be hiting a 12........

[knuckleballer71]

14* on my Brassie

[mrconsistency]

I use a 10.5 Wilson Staff DD6+ driver, it is awesome but I reckon my next driver will be 9.5 just because I hit the ball pretty high. I reckon 9.5 will give me more run off the tee instead of getting distance from carry. What do u guys prefer... Run or carry?