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.
Do I want a 9.5 or 10.5 driver?
The ideal driver loft depends on your swing speed and the attack angle. Average players that swing the club less than 95 MPH will likely find that a 10.5-degree driver performs the best. Better players who can control their drives and want the most distance will lean more towards a 9-degree driver.
What's the difference between a 9.5 and 10.5 driver?
In general, 9.5 degree drivers produce less backspin, so slices and hooks are more common. On the other hand, 10.5 degree drivers usually create a small amount of backspin which helps to generate a straighter ball flight.
Is a 10.5 degree driver more forgiving?
We would venture to say that the vast majority of amateur and beginner golfers will benefit a lot more from the extra loft of the 10.5 degree driver than using a 9.5 degree and this comes down to forgiveness.
Who should use a 9.5 degree 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.
33 related questions foundIs a 10.5 driver good?
The 10.5-degree driver is the best choice for most golfers. If your swing speed is very fast, the 9-degree will help you get the best ball flight and launch. Remember that the lower the loft on a club, the harder it is going to be to hit consistently and to hit well.
Is it harder to hit a 9-degree driver?
Is A 9-Degree Driver Harder To Hit. Golfers with slower swing speeds may find the 9-degree driver too difficult to hit consistently and achieve maximum distance. However, golfers with high swing speed will benefit from the lower loft.
Does a 9 degree driver go further?
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.
What degree driver does Tiger Woods use?
RELATED: Tiger Woods hopes to walk the walk at Masters
When Woods showed up at the 2021 PNC Championship, he had a new TaylorMade Stealth Plus 9-degree driver in the bag, equipped with his familiar Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60TX driver.
What loft is Tiger Woods driver?
Woods' driver on Friday appeared to be 1.5 degrees open, giving the club a loft of 8.25 degrees total, while the club's sliding weight port was moved towards a draw setting.
What loft driver should a high handicap use?
A higher handicap player is going to do best with the 12 degree driver. With this club in their hand, the golfer can get plenty of ball speed, distance, and ball flight as well. IF a faster swinging player were to attempt to use the 12 degree driver, they might struggle with getting the control they need.
What loft driver do 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.
Does more loft reduce slice?
Although many slicers want to hit the ball lower, remember the additional loft provides backspin that will reduce the amount a golf ball slices through the air.
What degree driver does Rory McIlroy use?
McIlroy has decided to join Tiger Woods by sticking the new TaylorMade Stealth Plus Driver - a brand new carbonwood from the company - straight in his bag. The four-time major champion is using the new red-faced driver in 9 degrees with a Fujikura Ventus Black 6-X shaft.
What degree driver does Dustin Johnson use?
When Johnson showed up on Monday to the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, he had two drivers in the bag that he was testing. Both were 10.5-degree TaylorMade Stealth Plus drivers equipped with LA Golf DJ-Series prototype shafts.
What driver shaft does Rory McIlroy use?
We believe he has it with 8.25 degrees of loft and it is fitted with Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X shaft.
What is the best driver to stop a slice?
Best Drivers For Slicers - Best Anti Slice Drivers
- Ping G425 SFT Driver. Most Forgiving Anti-Slice Driver. ...
- Callaway Big Bertha B21 Driver. ...
- TaylorMade Stealth HD Driver. ...
- Honma T//World GS Driver. ...
- Callaway Epic Max Driver. ...
- Cobra LTDx Max Driver. ...
- Titleist TSi1 Driver. ...
- Tour Edge Hot Launch E521 Driver.
Why do I hit driver off the heel?
Heel hits with the driver typically result in a slice and loss of distance. Coming over the top with an outside to inside swing path is probably the most common reason for a heel hit with the driver. The club head cuts across the target line during the outside to inside swing path.
What shaft is best for a slice?
Unlike the pros, you should look for shafts with weaker tip sections that allow for more release of the club head as it comes into impact. A more active tip section will generally allow for a faster rate of closure, which is beneficial to golfers suffering from a slice.
Do any pros use 10.5 loft?
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 does Justin Thomas use?
The most significant change Thomas has made in his driver recently is he switched from a 9-degree head to a 10-degree head. However, by adjusting the SureFit hosel into the D-1 setting, its actual loft is decreased back down to 9 degrees.
What driver do long drivers use?
Most long drivers use a driver with 4-5 degrees of loft! While the average golfer is between 9-10.5 degrees. Even the guys on the PGA Tour don't usually go below seven degrees (except Bryson, of course). Having a much lower loft than normal helps reduce spin and increase distance.
Should a high handicapper use a 9 degree driver?
Choose a loft to try based on your assessed club-head speed. If it is between 95 and 104 mph, a 10- or 11-degree loft will be appropriate. If it is between 105 and 115 mph, a loft between 7 and 9 degrees should be considered. Golfers with club-head speeds below 85 mph should use a loft angle between 14 and 20 degrees.
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 is the easiest golf driver to hit straight?
Cobra Air X Straight Neck Driver
The Cobra Air X is one of the lightest drivers on this list and ideal for beginners. Or, individuals who don't have as much natural swing speed as they would like. This club is so light at only 277 grams, it'll make adding extra distance to your drives easy!
