How to use the loft finder
Pick Club → Loft and choose a club to see its standard loft in degrees. Or switch to Loft → Club, type a loft, and the tool tells you which club it most closely matches. Use the Traditional / Modern toggle to switch between the classic reference lofts and the stronger lofts common on today's game-improvement clubs.
How golf club lofts work
Loft is the angle of the clubface relative to a vertical plane, measured in degrees. A lower loft (like a driver at around 10.5°) sends the ball on a lower, longer trajectory, while a higher loft (like a lob wedge at around 60°) launches it high and short. Every club in a set is built to a slightly different loft so that each one covers a specific distance, creating an even "gap" from one club to the next.
As loft increases through the set — from long irons to wedges — the ball flies higher and shorter. That is why knowing your lofts matters: it tells you how your clubs are spaced, whether you have any distance gaps, and how one club compares with another.
Traditional vs modern lofts
Over the last couple of decades many manufacturers have "strengthened" their irons — giving each numbered iron a lower loft than it used to have. A traditional 7-iron was about 35°; a modern game-improvement 7-iron is often around 30°. Stronger lofts help the ball travel farther, which is why a modern 7-iron can fly a similar distance to an older 6-iron. It also means a "7-iron" from one era or brand is not necessarily the same club as another.
This is exactly why the tool offers both standards, and why the lofts here are reference figures rather than exact specs for your particular set.
Standard loft chart
The table below lists commonly cited traditional and modern lofts. Woods and hybrids are broadly the same across both; the differences show up in the irons and wedges.
Frequently asked questions
What is the loft of a golf club?
Loft is the angle of the clubface, measured in degrees. It largely determines how high and how far the ball flies — lower loft means lower and longer, higher loft means higher and shorter.
What is the standard loft of a 7-iron?
Traditionally about 35°. Many modern game-improvement 7-irons are stronger, around 30°. Use the Traditional / Modern toggle above to compare.
Why are modern irons stronger (lower loft)?
Manufacturers lower the lofts so each numbered iron flies farther, which helps marketing on "distance." Higher launch technology lets them do this while still keeping the ball in the air.
What loft is a pitching wedge?
Traditionally about 47°, but modern sets often use around 44°. Because pitching-wedge lofts have dropped, many golfers now add a gap (approach) wedge to fill the space to the sand wedge.
What's the difference between gap, sand and lob wedges?
They're simply higher-lofted wedges: a gap wedge is roughly 50–52°, a sand wedge about 54–56°, and a lob wedge around 58–60°. Each adds height and reduces distance for shots around the green.
Do lofts vary between manufacturers?
Yes. Two clubs with the same number can differ by several degrees between brands and models. That's why this tool uses industry-standard reference lofts rather than any single manufacturer's specs.
Can a club's loft be changed?
Many irons can be bent a degree or two by a fitter, and most modern drivers and fairway woods have adjustable hosels. Always have adjustments done by a professional.
What loft is a 3-wood or 5-wood?
A 3-wood is usually about 15° and a 5-wood about 18°. Fairway wood lofts have stayed fairly consistent over the years.