05:01
Faizan
If you are comparing a 9.5 degree golf club to a 10.5 degree club, then you are probably curious about what makes these two drivers different. The numbers refer to the degree of loft in the clubface. You may not be able to notice much difference just by looking at the club, but the loft can have a significant effect on the trajectory you hit your drive and the distance you get from the club.
Effect of Loft
In general, the more loft on your driver, the higher you will launch your shot off the tee and the more spin you will impart on the ball. In tests with leading brands, club fitting specialists at Hot Stix -- a firm that specializes in matching golfers to the right equipment -- found that 1 degree difference in loft changed the launch angle of a shot between .5 and 1.4 degrees and affected spin by 350 revolutions per minute. Loft, launch angle and spin rate will determine how high your shot flies, how long it stays in the air and how much it rolls when it hits the ground. Having the proper loft in your driver can mean 22 total yards of distance, the Hot Stix study found.
Loft and Clubhead Speed
Champions Tour player Tom Lehman said on "Golf Channel Academy" that weekend golfers need 10.5 degrees or more of loft in their drivers. Lehman says most causal golfers don’t generate enough clubhead speed to get an effective amount of carry from a low-lofted driver. Furthermore, Lehman says using lesser amounts of loft may encourage you to try to help the ball in the air. You might hang back on your rear foot in order to swing up on the ball. Hanging back costs power, and swinging up on the ball can cause thin and topped shots. PGA Tour player Bubba Watson, one of the longest hitters in golf, says when his wife switched from a 9 degree driver to one with more loft, her drives carried further but still had the same amount of roll.
Adjustable Loft
Many drivers on the market at the time of publication feature adjustable lofts. With one of these clubs, you can add 3 or 4 degrees to your driver by removing a screw and adjusting the clubhead at the hosel, the point where the head meets the shaft. With some adjustable clubs, you can also modify the face angle and the lie of the club. With an adjustable driver, you can make changes to your club depending on your swing and the playing conditions. For example, if you are hooking or slicing the ball, adding loft can reduce side spin. If you are playing in windy conditions, reducing loft can help you hit the ball lower.
Club Fitting
The best way to determine whether you should use a 9.5 or 10.5 degree driver is to get a dynamic club fitting from an experienced club fitter or golf professional. During the fitting, you will hit golf balls with different clubs while the club fitter measures your results with a launch monitor, a computer connected to a radar device that charts clubhead speed, ball speed and spin. Not only will you get the loft you need, but also you will have a shaft, clubhead and grip fitted properly to your body and your game.
Effect of Loft
In general, the more loft on your driver, the higher you will launch your shot off the tee and the more spin you will impart on the ball. In tests with leading brands, club fitting specialists at Hot Stix -- a firm that specializes in matching golfers to the right equipment -- found that 1 degree difference in loft changed the launch angle of a shot between .5 and 1.4 degrees and affected spin by 350 revolutions per minute. Loft, launch angle and spin rate will determine how high your shot flies, how long it stays in the air and how much it rolls when it hits the ground. Having the proper loft in your driver can mean 22 total yards of distance, the Hot Stix study found.
Loft and Clubhead Speed
Champions Tour player Tom Lehman said on "Golf Channel Academy" that weekend golfers need 10.5 degrees or more of loft in their drivers. Lehman says most causal golfers don’t generate enough clubhead speed to get an effective amount of carry from a low-lofted driver. Furthermore, Lehman says using lesser amounts of loft may encourage you to try to help the ball in the air. You might hang back on your rear foot in order to swing up on the ball. Hanging back costs power, and swinging up on the ball can cause thin and topped shots. PGA Tour player Bubba Watson, one of the longest hitters in golf, says when his wife switched from a 9 degree driver to one with more loft, her drives carried further but still had the same amount of roll.
Adjustable Loft
Many drivers on the market at the time of publication feature adjustable lofts. With one of these clubs, you can add 3 or 4 degrees to your driver by removing a screw and adjusting the clubhead at the hosel, the point where the head meets the shaft. With some adjustable clubs, you can also modify the face angle and the lie of the club. With an adjustable driver, you can make changes to your club depending on your swing and the playing conditions. For example, if you are hooking or slicing the ball, adding loft can reduce side spin. If you are playing in windy conditions, reducing loft can help you hit the ball lower.
Club Fitting
The best way to determine whether you should use a 9.5 or 10.5 degree driver is to get a dynamic club fitting from an experienced club fitter or golf professional. During the fitting, you will hit golf balls with different clubs while the club fitter measures your results with a launch monitor, a computer connected to a radar device that charts clubhead speed, ball speed and spin. Not only will you get the loft you need, but also you will have a shaft, clubhead and grip fitted properly to your body and your game.
Posted in: golf
