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Golf Equipment 101: What is Loft?
By Keith Stewart, PGA
Published on
Checking the loft in the club fitting area at PGA Frisco Campus on August 17, 2022 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by The Mamones LLC/PGA of America)
This December, we’re going to have some fun. Each week, we’re going to talk about a distinct characteristic of the golf club. The goal is to educate and entertain, so you know just how each of them can help make you a better player.
Our focus this week is on loft. Loft in golf is a funny thing. Everyone seems to always either be looking for a little more or a little bit less of it. The loft of a golf club is the angle created between the clubface and the ground. The more loft a golf club has the higher the ball will launch. In many ways, loft is your friend. It allows you to get the ball in the air easily.
Club lofts range from around 9 degrees in your driver up to 60 degrees or more in your wedges. Each of your clubs should have a different loft. And if they do not, then any duplicates should be switched out of your bag. If you have questions about the right club lofts for your game be sure to connect with a PGA Coach in your area.
Golf Clubs during the second round for the 2022 PGA Works Collegiate Championship at The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale on May 3, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hailey Garrett/PGA of America)
Understanding how loft works and its relationship to flight and roll is crucial to playing your best.
- Don’t add loft to your shots. Amateur golfers love to let the club shaft lean backward during impact. Our goal should be to have that shaft leaning slightly forward when we strike the ball off the ground. Getting that “forward lean” comes from two key elements. Your weight needs to be on your lead foot and the handle cannot stop moving.
- What to do when the ball is on a tee? The handle will not get in front of the ball with the driver. Do your best to keep it in line with the clubhead. Most players love to add loft to the driver to help get the ball up in the air. Rather than scoop, follow through. The more speed you create, the more lift on the ball. So just like when the ball is on the ground, keep swinging through.
Jordan Spieth hits his tee shot during the first round of the 2022 PGA Championship held at Southern Hills Country Club on May 19, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America)
- Height negates roll. The higher you hit the ball, the less it will roll once it hits the ground. Most golfers never consider what happens after the ball lands. When you develop a plan for your next shot, make sure you consider how loft will not only affect the flight, but the roll as well. This is especially crucial when it comes to the short game and approach shots.
- Pay attention on the hills. Hitting an uphill shot will add loft. Take an extra club for those shots. Conversely, a downhill approach will decrease loft and aid in hitting the shot further. Use less club in those situations.
Nelly Korda hits a shot during the final round for the 2021 KPMG Women's Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club on June 27, 2021 in Johns Creek, Georgia. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
If you apply these simple principles, it will make a big difference in your contact. Not to mention, each of those PGA Coaching keys include a course management component. Equipment has a huge influence on performance. Make sure you are using each of your clubs correctly and your game will get decidedly better.
