Clubhead
loft angle Clubhead
lie angle Clubhead
bulge (woods only) Clubhead
roll (woods only) Clubhead
sole angle (irons only) Clubhead
face angle (woods only) Clubhead
hosel offset Clubhead
material composition and design Shaft
flex Shaft
torque Shaft
weight Shaft
spine alignment Shaft
flex profile Shaft
material composition and design Grip
size Grip
weight Grip
material composition and design Club
length Club
Swingweight/Moment of Inertia Club
total weight Set
makeup
(Source: The Search
for the Perfect Club, Tom Wishon, 2005.)
Evolution of Men's Wood & Iron
Lofts - Industry Averages
CLUB
1960s-70s
(Degrees)
1980s
(Degrees)
Early 90s
(Degrees)
1997s +
(Degrees)
Today
1-Iron
17°
17°
16°
16-17°
2-Iron
20°
20°
19°
18-20°
3-Iron
24°
23°
22°
20-21°
4-Iron
28°
26°
25°
23-24°
5-Iron
32°
30°
28°
26-27°
6-Iron
36°
34°
32°
30-31°
7-Iron
40°
38°
36°
34-35°
8-Iron
44°
42°
40°
38-40°
9-Iron
48°
46°
44°
42-44°
PW
52°
50°
48°
46-48°
43-45°
SW
56°
56°
56°
55-56°
Driver
11°
11°
10°
9-10.5°
9.5-15+°
3-Wood
16°
15°
15°
13-15°
14-17°
5-Wood
22°
21°
19°
18-19°
18-21°
7-Wood
28°
27°
23°
21-23°
21-23°
The trend to lower lofts
was engineered to be able to claim "longer distance"
and to sell more clubs. (Source: The
Search for the Perfect Club, Tom Wishon, 2005)
The Effect of Launch Angle on Driver Distance
Swing
Speed (mph)
Driver
Loft (Degrees)
Launch
Angle
(Degrees)
Carry Distance
(Yards)
60
11
15 19
12.1°
15.2°
18.1°
106
117 122
70
11
15 19
12.1°
15.2°
18.1°
145
154 156
80
9
11 13
10.5°
12.1°
13.7°
174
181 185
90
9
11 13
10.5°
12.1°
13.7°
206
211 213
100
8
9 10
9.6°
10.5°
12.1°
231
234 236
110
7
8 9
8.8°
9.6°
10.5°
254
256 257
This table is based
on a swing angle of attack of +2.5 degrees, which means hitting
the ball on the upswing with the driver traveling upward
at an angle of 2.5 degrees. The average golfer will have a slight
upward angle of attack with the driver. For those golfers who
do not hit the ball
on the upswing, the optimum driver loft for maximum distance
will be a little higher than what is shown in the table. (Source: The
Search for the Perfect Club, Tom Wishon, 2005)
