Driver Loft's???

[Martylaa]

Can someone explain the lofts on a driver, tell me what they expect from the lowest to the highest loft please?
Picked a couple up but not sure what loft would be best as i'm new to the game.

 

[Smiffy]

Tell me what they expect from the lowest to the highest loft please?

Lowest loft = trees, trees and more trees.
Highest loft = more chance of avoiding the trees.

 

[Martylaa]

Tell me what they expect from the lowest to the highest loft please?

Lowest loft = trees, trees and more trees.
Highest loft = more chance of avoiding the trees.

haha
that the technical description?

 

[Smiffy]

Tell me what they expect from the lowest to the highest loft please?

Lowest loft = trees, trees and more trees.
Highest loft = more chance of avoiding the trees.

haha
that the technical description?

Not far from it!
Leave the lower lofts (under 10.5) to the better guys.
A higher lofted driver will hopefully get you on the right track as a beginner. Looking down on a flat faced driver does not inspire confidence, believe me.
Don't forget the importance of the shaft in all of this. You could have a beautiful looking 11 degree driver but with an unsuitable shaft in it, you are heading down a very rocky road.

 

[RGDave]

I'm glad this has come up again. I've played with a few chaps recently who swing it no faster than me, take the same irons or lower, don't hit their fairways as far etc. but use 10.5 Pings or Taylor Mades and seem to hit the ball further than me with my 12 and 13 degree drivers. At first thought, this seems kind of obvious, but I've been advocating the theory that with slower swing speeds (80-90-ish) more loft = more carry and better launch angle. Maybe I need a re-think.

 

[richy]

I have to agree and disagree with smiffy here. Being a beginner i started with a 12* lofted driver almost a year ago. I had a fitting about a week ago and ended up with a stiff shafted 9* driver and I wasnt putting it in the trees. Far from it, in fact I had a lot more control with it. This however has a lot to do with the shaft so a fitting would be the best thing to go for.

Im still a beginner but with a 9* driver

 

[MashieNiblick]

Always an interesting topic. I agree that there is more to this than just the number on the club head.

My understanding is that it's what they call the "dynamic loft" i.e. the actual loft at impact that matters and this is affected by factors such as shaft flex and kick point, swing speed and plane, etc as well as the actual loft on the club.

So my advice would be to try a few different options or book a custom fitting appointment. I think this is what measuring the launch angle for different specs will sort out. I'm sure there are some on here who will know what the optimum launch angle is.

If in doubt, conventional wisdom would suggest you go for higher loft for the reasons given above. Even if you're not getting optimum distance you should be more accurate and when you're starting out it's nice to be hitting fairways and not be hacking out the rough all the time. You can always change as you improve and get to know your game better.

Having said that, although I'm only a an 11 h'capper, I have found through trial and error that 9 or 10 degrees with an R-Flex shaft is right for me.

 

[Smiffy]

Like I say, it's the shaft that is the important bit.
I play an 11 degree driver but still hit the ball low.
I like the confidence that looking down on 11 degrees gives me, but I also like the low trajectory that my shaft gives me. For me, it's the best of both worlds.
Get fitted. See how you hit the ball. If you hit it too high, either come down a bit with your loft or get a higher kick point/firmer shaft.
Hit it too low? Go up a bit with the loft, or get a low kickpoint/softer shaft fitted.

 

[Garesfield ACE]

Being a beginner I am using a Calloway Big Bertha 13 degree HT loft and I am well happy with it.I have only been using it around 2 months but have already been thinking/tempted to coming down a couple of degrees.But I am not going to get ahead of myself and am going to stick with it over the winter.

 

[lee_leggett]

I use a taylor made r7 limited driver with a 8.5 degree loft, since changing to this driver I have changed from a draw to a power fade with the big stick. I used a 10.5 degree taylor made burner, with a R flex shaft and it had a nice shape, but i dont have the control for a R flex.

I had a driver fitting and a 11.5 degree driver was advised, with a stiff shaft, as the game now is all about carry.

If you want a nice easy driver use a 10.5 degree +

if there are any old school golfers here 11.5 driver is nolonger a womens club, is a sensiable golfers club. (Yeah right)

 

[sev112]

Being only 5 ft 6 tall, and someone who only uses a half to 3/4 swing for all my shots, i'm not a big carry golfer.

But i've got an 8deg Callaway which is absolutely wonderful. My game is all about accuracy and irons and making boring pars (as my mates always remind me).
The 8 deg gives me a low flight, and because it's got a lovely (R) shaft in it, i get reasonable distance.

I know that i would be get potentially more distance with a 10 deg driver, and it has been suggested to me that with my slow swing speed, i could in fact benfit from a 13 deg driver !

But i run the risk of losing my accuracy .

'Spose it's what works with your indivdiual game

 

[Adrena1in]

Swing speed and age of player also have a lot of input here. My other half's dad's been playing 35 years, and only recently got fitted with a high-loft driver, (13 degrees I think), and some fancy multi-flex shaft, since he's in his 70s and doesn't have a fast swing speed. He reckons it's added 30 to 50 yards to his drives and taken a few shots off his round.

As for me, I'm fairly erratic with the driver, but now I have a stiff 9.5 degree Ping G5, (which you'd think would make me even *worse*), I'm now hitting it further and straighter than ever.