Equipment

What is your driver loft?


Sam Shaw

20 May 2024

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?

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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.

 

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke driver options

The latest drivers from Callaway’s Paradym Ai Smoke series are packed with tech, and have multiple loft offerings to suit your approach to gaining distance off the tee.
 

The Triple Diamond is the model of choice for the adept player that swings through the ball with tempo. This fantastic driver features a compact head with a neutral-to-fade bias, and a 14g weight in the clubhead that can be repositioned from the rear to the front to give you lower ball spin. This driver comes in 8.0, 9.0, and 10.5˚ lofts.

browse Ai Smoke Triple Diamond driver  >

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If you want to get more momentum off the tee, the Max driver will be the right tool for the job. This particular model features a large forgiving head shape that inspires confidence when you’re standing over the ball. It also has adjustable perimeter weighting that will give you considerable shot shape correction if you play with a regular fade or draw. This driver is available in 9.0, 10.5, and 12.0˚ lofts.

browse Ai Smoke Max driver  >

Should you have a slower than average swing speed, you’ll want to consider the Max Fast driver. This club features a lot of the great tech found in the Max driver, but its super lightweight construction allows you to propel through your strike to reach impressive ball speeds off the tee.

browse Ai Smoke Max Fast driver  >

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If striking the ball well and building up consistency is a key focus for you, the Max D driver will be right up your street. This club is built to have a high MOI that essentially means the face is very resistance to twisting on impact, so you’ll be making very accurate shots.

browse Ai Smoke Max D driver  >

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

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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.

Contact us today