Having an understanding of which golf clubs have different lofts will help you make the right decisions on the course.
At times, you may need to hit the ball higher or lower depending on what situation you’re in.
And the loft of each club directly correlates to distance, so it’s important you know the loft of each club in your bag.
Let’s cover the lofts of the most common golf clubs out there!
Here's What We'll Cover
An Overview of Golf Club Lofts
- Driver: 9-11.5°
- 3-Wood: 15°
- 5-Wood: 18°
- 7-Wood: 21°
- 3-Hybrid: 20-21°
- 4-Hybrid: 22-23°
- 5-Hybrid: 24-27°
- 1 Iron: 15°
- 2 Iron: 18°
- 3 Iron: 21°
- 4 Iron: 24°
- 5 Iron: 27°
- 6 Iron: 30°
- 7 Iron: 34°
- 8 Iron: 38°
- 9 Iron: 42°
- Pitching Wedge: 46°
- Gap Wedge: 52°
- Sand Wedge: 56°
- Lob Wedge: 60°
- Putter: 3-4°
Wood Lofts
Woods generally are the least lofted clubs in your bag, making them a great choice off the tee for their distance.
Driver
The standard loft of a driver is anywhere from 9 to 11.5 degrees.
Aside from putters, drivers are the lowest lofted golf clubs in any golf bag.
And as you may imagine, this makes them the longest distance club too, used off the tee.
It’s important to note long-drive competitors may use a loft as low as 5 degrees for competitions to get the extra distance.
3-Wood
The standard loft of a 3-wood is the same as a 1-iron, coming in at around 15 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
Most golfers use a three wood if they don’t need the extra distance of a driver, since it’s an easier club to hit straight.
3-Woods can be used off the tee or on the fairway, depending on your situation.
5-Wood
The standard loft of a 5-wood is the same as a 2-iron, coming in at around 18 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A lot of golfers don’t carry a five wood these days, opting for hybrids instead.
But if you do have one in your bag, they can be used off the tee or from the fairway just like a three wood.
7-Wood
The standard loft of a 7-wood is the same as a 3-iron, coming in at around 21 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
Seven woods are carried far less often than a three or five wood, making them the rarest wood out there.
But if you do have one, they can come in handy when you need a bit more height than a three or five wood can provide.
Hybrid Lofts
Hybrids are exactly what the name implies: a hybrid between fairway woods, and irons that offer the best of both worlds.
3-Hybrid
The standard loft of a 3-hybrid is 20-21 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A three hybrid can be used in place of a three iron if you’re looking for more forgiveness.
While it won’t have as much height as a fairway wood, it may even go further than a fairway wood depending on your swing speed.
4-Hybrid
The standard loft of a 3-hybrid is 22-23 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A four hybrid can be used in place of a four iron if you’re looking for more forgiveness.
While it won’t have as much height as a fairway wood, it may even go further than a fairway wood depending on your swing speed.
5-Hybrid
The standard loft of a 5-hybrid is 24-27 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A five hybrid can be used in place of a five iron if you’re looking for more forgiveness.
While it won’t have as much height as a fairway wood, it may even go further than a fairway wood depending on your swing speed.
Iron Lofts
Irons are going to offer the most loft out of any golf club in your bag aside from your wedges, making them a great option for approach shots onto the green.
1 Iron
The standard loft of a 1 iron is 15 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A one iron is the least lofted golf iron, making it a solid choice for long distance shots off the tee.
But they can be difficult to hit because of their lack of loft, so they’re not recommended for high handicap golfers.
And since most golfers don’t carry a one iron these days, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to find.
2 Iron
The standard loft of a two iron is 18 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A two iron is going to offer a bit more height than a one iron, making it another solid choice for long distance shots off the tee.
But like a one iron, they can be difficult to hit because of their lack of loft, so they’re only recommended for scratch golfers.
3 Iron
The standard loft of a three iron is 21 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A three iron is going to offer even more height than a two iron, making it a good choice for golfers who are looking to get maximum distance.
Most standard golf sets start with a 3 iron, although some are starting with a 4 iron nowadays since hybrids have grown in popularity over the years.
4 Iron
The standard loft of a four iron is 24 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A four iron is going to offer even more height than a three iron, making it another good choice for golfers who are looking to get maximum distance.
If a golf set doesn’t come with a 3 iron, this should be the longest iron that you have in your bag.
5 Iron
The standard loft of a five iron is 27 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A five iron is going to offer a good balance of height while still going far, making it a solid option for mid to long range approach shots.
It’s a staple in every golf bag and shouldn’t be swapped out for any reason whatsoever.
6 Iron
The standard loft of a six iron is 30 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A six iron is going to offer less height than a five iron but will still go a solid distance, making it another premium option for mid range approach shots.
It’s another staple golf club that every golfer should have in their bag.
7 Iron
The standard loft of a seven iron is 34 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A seven iron is often considered the most versatile club in the bag, and for good reason.
You have a nice balance of height and distance, while also being able to use it around the green for bump and run chips.
This would be your best option if a golfer ever had to choose one club to play an entire round.
8 Iron
The standard loft of an eight iron is 38 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
An eight iron is going to offer the second most loft of any iron, making it a good choice for shorter approach shots into greens.
It can also be used around the green for those delicate touch shots, making it a versatile club to have in your bag.
9 Iron
The standard loft of a nine iron is 42 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A nine iron is going to offer the most loft of any iron in your bag, making it a great choice for those super short approach shots.
When needed, it can also be used around the green for those chip shots, although you’re probably better off using a pitching wedge.
Wedge Lofts
Wedges are a special category of golf clubs that are designed for specific purposes.
They offer a ton of loft, which is why they’re often used for those tricky approach shots around the green.
Pitching Wedge (PW)
The standard loft of a pitching wedge is 46 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A pitching wedge is going to offer a ton of height, making it a great choice for those shorter approach shots.
It can also be used around the green for those delicate touch shots, making it one of the most versatile clubs in your bag.
Gap Wedge (GW)
The standard loft of a gap wedge is 52 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A gap wedge is going to offer even more height than a pitching wedge, making it another great choice for those shorter approach shots.
It’s often used at distances where a pitching wedge is going to hit it too far while a sand wedge won’t hit it far enough, which is why it’s called a “gap” wedge.
Sand Wedge (SW)
The standard loft of a sand wedge is 56 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A sand wedge is designed to help you get out of bunkers and tough situations, since it has a higher bounce than other wedges.
It can also be used around the green for those touch shots, but it’s not going to offer as clean of a stroke as a pitching wedge, gap wedge, or lob wedge.
Lob Wedge (LW)
The standard loft of a lob wedge is 60 degrees (this may vary depending on the brand and model).
A lob wedge is going to offer the most height out of any golf club, making it the perfect choice for those really short approach shots and bunker shots.
It’s often used to get over obstacles while landing softly and not rolling much at all.
Even if you don’t use it often, having this club in the bag is essential if you’re aiming for a low handicap.
Putter Lofts
Putter lofts are a little different than the other golf clubs, as they don’t have a standard loft.
The reason for this is because putters are designed to have very little loft, which helps the ball roll smoothly instead of bouncing or going in the air.
While there isn’t a standard loft, most putters will have a loft between three and four degrees.
Final thoughts
Now that you know the different lofts of each golf club, you can start to figure out which ones work best for your game.
If you’re just starting out, it’s a good idea to get a set of golf clubs that offer a variety of lofts so that you can experiment and see what works best for you.
As you get better, you can start investing in golf clubs with specific lofts designed for your game.
No matter the scenario, remember to make the most of your clubs.
