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Golf Club Loft Chart: Every Club Explained

Loft is the single number that tells you the most about a golf club. This chart lists the standard loft of every club from driver to lob wedge — in both the traditional and modern versions — and explains what those numbers actually mean for your game.

What loft is, in one sentence

Loft is the angle of the clubface measured against a vertical line, in degrees. The lower the loft, the lower and further the ball tends to fly; the higher the loft, the higher and shorter it flies. Every club in a well-built set has a slightly different loft, which is what creates a predictable "gap" in distance from one club to the next.

The full loft chart

Below are commonly cited reference lofts. "Traditional" reflects the long-standing values many golfers grew up with; "modern" reflects the stronger lofts found on a lot of today's game-improvement irons. Woods and hybrids are broadly the same across both — the differences are concentrated in the irons and wedges.

How to read the chart

Notice how the loft climbs steadily as the club number rises. From a 7-iron to an 8-iron, for example, the loft increases by about four degrees, which usually translates to roughly ten to fifteen yards of distance difference. That even step is the whole point of a matched set: each club is designed to cover a specific slice of distance so you always have the right tool for the yardage.

You will also see overlap between categories. A 7-wood and a 3-iron sit at a similar loft, which is exactly why many golfers replace hard-to-hit long irons with more forgiving woods or hybrids of the same loft.

Why your clubs may not match the chart

These are reference figures, not a guarantee. Two clubs with the same number can differ by several degrees between brands, and lofts have drifted stronger over the years. If precise numbers matter to you — for fitting, gapping or comparing clubs — check the manufacturer's specification for your exact model, or have a fitter measure your clubs. The chart is the map; your own set is the territory.

Loft is not the only number that matters

Loft tells you the most about a club, but it works alongside other specifications. Lie angle affects the direction the ball starts, shaft length influences swing speed and consistency, and on wedges the bounce angle changes how the club interacts with turf and sand. When you compare two clubs of the same loft and they behave differently, these secondary numbers are usually why. For everyday decisions, though, loft remains the headline figure, because it is the main driver of how high and how far the ball flies.

Using the chart to build a set

A well-built set is really just a sensible ladder of lofts with no big steps and no repeats. Start at the driver and work down: driver, one or two fairway woods or hybrids, a run of irons, then your wedges. If you lay your clubs out by loft and the numbers climb in even steps of roughly three to six degrees, you have a balanced set. If you spot two clubs within a degree or two of each other, one of them is probably redundant, and if you find a large jump, you may have a distance you cannot cover.

Quick reference questions

What loft is a standard 7-iron? Traditionally about 35 degrees, or around 30 degrees in many modern sets. What loft is a pitching wedge? Roughly 44 to 47 degrees. What is a driver's loft? Usually 9 to 12 degrees, most commonly 10.5. You can confirm any of these instantly with the Loft Finder on the home page, and switch between traditional and modern values to see how much the irons have changed.

Reference information only. Lofts vary by manufacturer, model and fitting — always confirm your club's specification.