Degree Loft of Golf Clubs — (Angle Charts and Guides + Advice)

• Lob wedge: 58-62° 
• Sand wedge: 54-56°
• Gap wedge: 50°
• Pitching wedge: 46° 
• 9 iron: 42°
• 8 iron: 38°
• 7 iron: 34°
• 6 iron: 30°
• 5 iron: 27°
• 4 iron: 24°
• 3 iron: 21°
• 2 iron: 18°
• 1 iron: 16°
• 5 hybrid: 26°
• 4 hybrid: 23°
• 3 hybrid: 20°
• 2 hybrid: 18°
• 7 wood: 22°
• 5 wood: 19°
• 4 wood: 17°
• 3 wood: 15°
• Driver: 9-12.5°

The Angles of Golf Clubs

The angles of different golf clubs are what separates them from one another. The angle is measured in degrees and is commonly referred to as degrees of loft. The higher the loft, the bigger the club is tilted away from the ground. The loft angle determines the launch angle, which is mainly responsible for the apex and distance of your golf shot. 

However, the exact loft of a particular club, such as a 7 iron, will differ greatly between models and manufacturers.

In recent years, club manufacturers have strengthened the loft on their clubs quite significantly in order to claim that they deliver longer distances, while they in reality just changed their 8 iron into an 7 iron. The lofts of the clubs are evenly distributed among each other, which is why most golfers experience similar distance gains between each club. 

For example, most golfers who hit their 9 iron 120 yards will hit their 8 iron 130 and 7 iron 140. But that’s not always the case, since every golfer has a unique swing that fits some clubs better than others – especially when it comes to the longer clubs in the bag.

Golf Club Loft Chart

Wedge Lofts

Wedges have the highest loft of all golf clubs, since they’re made for delivering a high apex with a high spin rate.

The wedge with the highest loft is the lob wedge with a loft of 60-62°, and the lowest lofted wedge is the pitching wedge at 46 degrees of loft.

The gap wedge is a great in-between, since it’s easier to hit than a lob wedge but delivers more loft than a pitching wedge.

Iron Lofts

The golf irons are based on their different loft characteristics. The highest lofted iron is the 9 iron at 42°, but some golfers count the pitching wedge as another iron since it’s usually a part of the set.

The long irons in most golfers’ bags are the 3 iron and 4 iron, with 21 and 24 degrees of loft. There are even lower lofted irons, like the 1 iron, with a staggeringly low loft of 16°. 

Hybrid Lofts

Hybrids are meant to be a more forgiving alternative to the long irons, but they have very similar lofts.

The highest lofted hybrid is the 5 hybrid, with almost the same loft as the 5 iron, sitting at 26°. The 2 hybrid has the lowest loft of all the hybrids, at just 18°.

Wood Lofts

Fairway woods are significantly lower lofted than the same numbered iron or hybrid. This is because they’re meant to deliver a lower and more penetrating ball flight that makes the ball carry and roll longer.

The 7 wood is the most beginner friendly at 22° of loft, with the 15° 3 wood being longer hitting but more challenging. The driver is the lowest lofted wood, with the typical driver loft at 9-12.5°.

Putter Loft

A common misconception about golf equipment is that putters have no loft.

They may be called flatsticks, but putters generally have a slight loft of 3-4°. This definitely isn’t much, but it can impact your putting depending on your putting stroke.

Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com

Lofts are a crucial part of golf since all your equipment revolves around them. A higher loft means a higher apex with more spin and vice versa. That’s why golf wedges are great into greens, while long irons require significantly more skill. Thank you for reading this article from TellMeMoreGolf.com.

Patrick Corley

From a golf scholarship to a Southern California University, to a private golf coaching career and an instructor position at a nonprofit organization, I’m here to help you get better at golf! With my 50+ years of golf experience; I bring you Tell Me More Golf. A golf coaching website that helps your game with instructional golfing content that’s ultimately geared toward making you a better golfer and having more fun!

Our golf instructor team brings it all to you, so enjoy!

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