Choosing the right golf club for each shot is an art that balances distance, accuracy, and course conditions.
The secret lies in the loft – the angle of the clubface that determines both the trajectory and distance of your ball. By understanding the standard degree gaps between clubs, you can make more informed choices, leading to lower scores and more enjoyable rounds. While custom sets may vary, the standard degree gaps between clubs are designed to offer a consistent increase in distance as you move from one club to the next. Here’s a breakdown.
While these standards offer a guideline, the most effective set-up is deeply personal. Factors such as swing speed, playing style, and course conditions might lead you to adjust these gaps. Some players benefit from tighter gaps in their scoring clubs (wedges), while others might prioritise distance in their long game.
Drivers to Woods
While drivers typically don’t follow the same degree gap rule due to their unique purpose of maximising distance, the transition from drivers (about 9-13 degrees) to woods (15-23 degrees for 3-woods and 5-woods) illustrates the initial variance in loft.
Irons
The heart of your golf bag, irons typically follow a consistent 4-degree gap from one to the next. Starting from a 4-iron (which might be 24 degrees), each subsequent iron (5, 6, 7, etc.) increases by approximately 4 degrees.
Woods to Irons
Transitioning from woods to irons, you’ll generally see a 3-4 degree increase in loft per club. For instance, a 5-wood might be around 18 degrees, whereas a 3-iron could be around 21 degrees.
Wedges
Wedges have shorter gaps in degrees to provide more precision near the green. Starting from a pitching wedge (around 48 degrees), gap wedges, sand wedges, and lob wedges increase by 4 degrees each, culminating in lob wedges that can reach up to 60 degrees or more for delicate, high-arching shots close to the green.