Does a higher degree loft decrease the distance on drives?

Question

I was looking at a 13.5 degree Adams Ovation 3 driver but the loft seems a little high. My club speed is anywhere between high 80's to mid 90's. I think the longest I have ever hit one was around 235 yards but usually somewhere around 200-215 yards is my norm.

Answer 1

Not necessarily.  If you have a slower swing speed like a senior or women, they recommend getting a higher loft.  It is also easier to hit which is decieving because you may hit it farther because it is easier to hit, but if you swing correctly it would not.

Best bet is to stick with a standar 10.5 degree unless you have a really fast and proper swing, then try a 9.5 to get a little more distance.

Answer 2

From my experience the higher loft, the shorter distance you are going to get due to the trajectory and added wind resisitence on a high hit ball.  I hit a 9.5 degree driver and usually get 285-300 on my drive.

Answer 3

Just the opposite (usually).   A higher loft will be easier to hit straighter, much in the same way you can hit a 9-iron straighter than a 3-iron.

Answer 4

The loft at impact is more important than the number on the club. That is to say, your swing speed plus impact position define your drive.

Generally, the faster your swing is the less loft is required to get the ball in the air and keep it up there. If you want a very, very general guideline, at 80-90 mph, you want a launch of probably 14*, 15* or even more. If your driver swing levels out nicely at impact, a 13.5* might put you right there in the ball park because a level impact will still produce some initial backspin and you will then see a higher launch than the driver's assigned loft.

The best way to find out for sure is a launch monitor fitting. It's about $40, or usually free if you buy a new driver at the same time. It's pretty fun to have a bunch of equipment at your disposal for a while. Good luck.

Answer 5

The ideal launch angle for maximum distance is 13-14 degrees.  In general, the lower the swing speed, the higher the loft you need. If you're hitting the ball too low, you'll lose a lot of yardage. Most people actually think they hit it a lot harder than they do, and are using drivers with far too little loft. Don't be afraid of those higher lofted clubs if that's what you need.

Like the other guy said, you need to get fitted on a launch monitor. Getting the correct trajectory comes from combining the proper loft with a proper shaft, not just one or the other, and nobody can tell you what you really need through the internet.

Answer 6

This is a specific question. It all depends on your swing. If you have a low club head speed, high degree loft driver may help you gain more distant. The theories are  also changing lots. It used to be that the lower the loft is the longer you should be able to drive the ball. About ten years ago you see top players using 7 degree driver, which is d**n hard to hit.

Then again, there's another theory that the higher loft driver get the ball in the air longer and hence more distant.

Like I said, depends on your swing. If you have club head speed of 90 miles up, it shouldn't be problem to hit any loft from 10 up. If you have 90 plus to 120, use anything.

Answer 7

Finding the right loft is all about finding the right balance of distance and trajectory.  13.5 is a little much even for those with higher handicaps, and its just as likely that you'll lose distance.  However, different drivers will never have the same trajectory even with the same loft.  If I were you I would worry less about what is written on the club and more about the way it performs.  The different configurations of a driver should be used only as a guideline with performance and personal preference being the deciding factors.