Do any pros use a 10.5 degree driver?

At the WGC-HSBC Champions, Dustin Johnson took the title using a TaylorMade SLDR driver with 10.5 degrees loft. Although TaylorMade has recently been touting the benefits of "lofting up" with its new driver, it's actually been a trend on the PGA Tour for more than a decade.

What degree driver do the pros use?

Professional golfers tend to play with a driver that has about 9.5 degrees of loft. Of course, there are some golfers who find 10.5 or 8.5 to be more effective, but you will generally see most players end up in the 9 to 9.5 range. The loft on the driver makes it easier to launch.

Is a 10.5 golf club a driver?

The least-lofted golf club, other than a putter, is the driver. Drivers are typically lofted between 8 and 11 degrees, so drivers with lofts of 9.5 and 10.5 degrees are common. The higher-lofted driver is typically a better choice for an amateur player.

What degree driver hits the farthest?

The low loft of a golf driver is very surprising from the perspective of physics. Everyone in freshman physics learns that the optimal launch angle for a projectile - the angle that makes a ball fly the farthest - is 45 degrees.

What's the difference between 9.5 and 10.5 degree driver?

In theory, a 9.5 degree driver shot will travel lower at a greater speed with less backspin than a 10.5 degree driver when struck square. You must be sure that you have enough club head speed -- how fast the golf club is moving toward impact with the golf ball -- to warrant a lower lofted driver.

What Driver Loft Should You Play? Impact of Driver Loft On Distance And Accuracy

How far can you hit a 10.5 driver?

On average, golfers who use a 10.5-degree driver hit the ball 237 yards but can range between 210 and 280 yards. The reason the gap is so high is that each golfer swings the club at a different speed, they hit the ball at different attack angles, and they hit the face of the club in different spots.

Is a 10.5 driver more forgiving?

The primary benefit of the 10.5-degree driver is that it is more forgiving than a lower lofted driver. When you take loft away from a club, you make it harder to hit. Generally, the less loft a club has, the faster a player must swing the club to get the distance and launch results they need.

Do any pros use a 12 degree driver?

Think of the high lofted wedges and how easy they are to hit straight. It is not a direct comparison, but similar physics. A 12 Degree driver has slightly more loft than the average driver used by most amateurs and pros. In fact, many pros use drivers at or below the 10.5-degree mark.

What is the best degree driver for distance?

Participants in our tests achieved more distance when they used drivers with less than 10 degrees of loft. In fact, swings often got the most distance with driver lofts at 9 degrees or less.

Is 11.5 loft too much?

If you have a mid swing speed of 95-104 mph, a driver loft of between 10-11.5° will normally be a good starting point. If you hit down on the ball, you're likely to have high spin loft, so using less loft will actually reduce your backspin and should help you hit the ball further.

What loft driver do Tour pros use?

Most professionals on the PGA golf tour are using a driver with a loft between 9 and 10.5. The golfers will change the loft based on the shaft they have on their club and how the shaft impacts the ball flight as well. Most golfers on the professional circuit have a very fast swing speed.

Is a higher loft driver easier to hit?

The answer to our question is a higher lofted driver easier to hit is yes. What is this? If you are a slow swinging golfer who needs the added loft to help you consistently launch your ball high and far off the tee.

What degree driver does Tiger Woods use?

At the 2022 Masters, Tiger Woods used a TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ driver, a 15-degree TaylorMade SIM 3-wood and a 19-degree TaylorMade M3 5-wood. That has been Tiger's standard setup, along with his TaylorMade P·7TW irons (3-PW) since he joined TaylorMade in 2017.

What loft driver does Tiger Woods use?

The 15-time major winner did have a TaylorMade SIM driver in the bag but at the 2021 PNC Championship, he put in the new TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver (opens in new tab). It has a Mitsubishi Diamana shaft and has 8.25 degrees of loft.

What loft is Rory Mcilroy's driver?

Rory's driver is a 9º head, with the hosel adaptor set a notch lower so the loft plays more like 8.5º. The sliding sole weight is in a pretty neutral position, and the shaft is a Fujikura Ventus Black 6X tipped one inch (to make it play stiffer).

What loft is Dustin Johnson's driver?

Both were 10.5-degree TaylorMade Stealth Plus drivers equipped with LA Golf DJ-Series prototype shafts. On Tuesday ahead of the event, GolfWRX caught up with Johnson to see what's in the bag for 2022, and to get his thoughts on the new red-faced Stealth Plus “Carbonwood” driver.

What is the hottest driver on the market?

The top spot and best overall driver definitely belongs to the Callaway Rogue ST Max. As you would expect in the driver of the year, this driver is long and very forgiving. It has a great feel on contact and the sound is quite pleasant. The runner up for best overall driver is, of course, the Titleist TSi 2 driver.

How much does 1 degree of loft affect distance?

How Much Does 1 Degree of Loft Affect Distance? Given that you're at your maximum clubhead speed, just 1-degree change in the loft angle of a golf driver can affect your driving distance by 2-4 yards.

Is it easier to hit a 12 degree driver?

Is A 12 Degree Driver Easier To Hit? The additional loft of a 12-degree driver makes it an easier club to launch, ensuring you consistently get the ball airborne off the tee. If your swing is on the slower side, you will derive the most value from a 12-degree driver.

Does teeing the ball higher give you more distance?

“When you tee the ball higher, you have a better chance of swinging up on it and hitting the top part of the clubface, which launches the ball higher and with less distance-robbing spin,” says Foley. “Less spin means you have a better chance of getting some roll.”

Who makes a 14 degree driver?

TaylorMade 14-degree SLDR driver.

What is a good driver for an average golfer?

I'd recommend a 13 or 14-degree driver for the best results. The extra loft will launch the ball higher in the air, it'll put less sidespin on the ball, and you'll get more distance. Someone that has an average swing speed (80-95 MPH) should use a driver with a little bit less loft.

What driver does Justin Thomas use?

We review the equipment used by two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas. Justin Thomas uses the Titleist TSi3 driver.

Does a 9 degree driver go further?

At –4 AoA the 10.5 degree driver was 9 yards longer due to higher launch and higher spin. At +2 AoA the 9 degree driver was 14 yards longer due to decreased launch angle and reduced spin. At +4 AoA the 9 degree driver was 14 yards longer due to decreased launch angle and reduced spin.