Hybrid or utility iron?
Golf is never a clean-cut easy game, and we often find ourselves in unfavourable lies. When disaster strikes, which club do you reach for to get your game back on track?
Equipment
What is your driver loft?
If you ask any player what their favourite club in the bag is, it won’t be long before someone mentions their golf driver.
There’s just something about getting the big stick out and sailing the ball down the fairway that feels amazing. One of the most enjoyable views in golf is when you’ve sent the ball flying far and straight, and you have the satisfaction of watching it come to rest neatly in the middle of the fairway. It’s a glorious feeling.
Do you ever stop to think how incredible it is that we can propel a small hard golf ball hundreds of yards? Striking the ball just right can largely be down to natural ability and practice, but it’s the tech inside the drivers that allow us to hit it as far as we do.
A golf ball will also travel a certain path through the air, and this is ultimately determined by your club’s loft. Today we’d like to cover the impact selecting a specific driver loft can have on the shape of your shot.
Why does driver loft matter?
So, what is loft and why does it matter?
By and large, the slower a golfer’s swing speed or club speed, the higher the loft needs to be to optimise carry, and forgiveness. Essentially, playing with the best driver loft for your game will give you the best result down the fairway.
Every golfer has a different swing, so the optimal degree of loft will vary from person to person. That being said, a good rule is the more loft you have, the more likely you are to get the ball nicely airborne off the tee.
If you have a slower swing speed, you’ll benefit from a high lofted golf driver. This additional loft will help your ball maintain flight, a great option for this kind of golfer would be a driver that has a loft of around 12-14˚.
Should you tend to power through the ball when you’re teeing off, a lower lofted golf driver would be better for your play style. Having a faster swing means you’ll generate more ball speed, which generally means you won’t need as much loft as a slower-swinged player. If you generate strong swing speed, an 8.5-10˚ lofted driver will be sufficient for your needs.
Wilson's latest drivers
The latest drivers from Wilson are packed with hardworking tech, and have multiple loft offerings to suit your approach to gaining distance off the tee.
Made using lightweight carbon panels on the crown and sole, the Dynapower Carbon driver has a low-and-forward center of gravity to give you plenty of launch when you’re teeing-off. This workable driver is excellent for adept players that enjoy shaping their shots when faced with challenging fairways. You can pick up this club in 8, 9, and 10.5˚ lofts.
In the Dynapower Titanium model, you’ll find a 16g weight that’s been pushed to the rear, offering lots of forgiveness. This club also features a slight draw bias that will help you stay on the fairway should your natural shot shape always position you on the right. A high-MOI driver that’s built for accurate striking, this club will really help you build up your striking consistency. The Titanium model comes in a varied 9, 10.5, and 13˚ loft options.
If you’re fairly new to the game and want to cut your handicap, the Launch Pad driver will certainly help you smash your goals. The driver is lightweight and has an inherent draw bias to help high-handicappers compensate with slicing the ball. Benefitting from top-notch golfing tech, the face has been designed using advanced computer modelling, and gives you very fast ball speeds off the tee. This club also comes in 9, 10.5, and 13˚ loft variations.
These drivers are simply fantastic, and while a lot of the tech involved can be a bit confusing, we’re here in the pro shop to give you a hand if you’re looking to pack your bag with a new driver.
How to find your perfect driver set-up
When you visit us in the pro shop, we’ll be able to get you sorted with your ideal driver through a custom fitting. A custom fitting is a process whereby we look at your ability, how you strike the ball, and then pair you with the clubs that will best compliment how you play.
We’ll be able to consider how you strike the ball, and determine your optimal driver spin rate through studying your angle of attack. We’ll work out the correct loft for your swing speed and get you set up with a club that will see you flying straight and far off the tee.
The thing is, if you don’t consider these factors and get your kit professionally tailored for you, you’ll likely not be getting the most out of your golf performance. We’d be delighted to get you sorted with a custom fitting and set you on the path to lower scores, we’re open and available in the pro shop.
