Is a 9 degree driver hard to hit?
Daniel Foster
Updated on May 08, 2026
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.
Should I hit 9-degree driver?
A 9-degree driver will be best for golfers who have an upward angle of attack on the golf ball. Hitting the ball on an upward angle with a lower lofted driver will increase distance and lower spin. The way to get the most distance out of your driver is to use less loft and make contact on an upward angle.
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.
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 a 9.5 degree driver good?
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.
42 related questions foundWhich is better 9-degree or 10.5 degree driver?
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.
What degree driver hits the farthest?
So here is what he found. The low loft of a golf driver is very surprising from the perspective of physics. Everyone in freshman physics learns that the optimal launch angle for a projectile - the angle that makes a ball fly the farthest - is 45 degrees.
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 degree driver is best for beginners?
Most golf drivers for beginners come in 9.5º, 10.5º and 12º options. The ideal loft is dependent on your swing speed and shot shape. 10.5º and 12º golf drivers are usually best for beginner golfers as the added backspin only loses a small amount of distance, but keeps your drives much straighter.
Who should use an 8.5 degree driver?
Anywhere between 8.5-10° will usually suffice. 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.
What driver does Cameron Smith use?
A highly technical player known for his metronomic touch with the putter, his golf bag is full of clubs that pay testament to his versatility and tact. Smith opts for Titleist clubs in the main, playing with a Titleist driver, 3-wood and 7-wood as well as the new Titleist Vokey Design SM9 wedges.
What angle driver do pros use?
Professional golfers tend to play with a driver that has about 9.5 degrees of loft. Of course, there are some golfers who find 10.5 or 8.5 to be more effective, but you will generally see most players end up in the 9 to 9.5 range. The loft on the driver makes it easier to launch.
How can I tell my swing speed?
Divide the ball speed by 1.5 to get the estimated swing speed for your drive. Alternatively, you can divide the carry distance by 2.3 to estimate the swing speed at impact, but the result will not be as accurate.
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!
What's the easiest driver to hit?
Best Drivers for Beginners and High Handicappers 2022
- Ping G425 SFT driver.
- TaylorMade SIM2 MAX-D driver.
- Callaway Epic Max driver.
- PXG 0211 driver.
- Cobra F-Max Airspeed driver.
- Wilson Launch Pad driver.
- Callaway Big Bertha B21.
- Cobra Radspeed XD driver.
What is the easiest driver to hit 2021?
5 of the MOST FORGIVING new drivers money can buy in 2021
- PING G245 MAX DRIVER. ...
- COBRA RADSPEED XB DRIVER. ...
- TAYLORMADE SIM2 DRIVER. ...
- CALLAWAY EPIC MAX DRIVER. ...
- SRIXON ZX7 DRIVER.
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 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 driver does Justin Thomas use?
Driver. Thomas switched to the Titleist TSi3 driver shortly after it was released in 2020 and used the same Mitsubishi Diamana ZF shaft for nearly three years. The TSi3 drivers come with a five-setting movable weight in the back of the head to help players and fitters create a draw or fade bias.
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.
Does tee height affect driving distance?
Does Tee Height Effect Driver Distance? The height of your tee effects your swing path into impact, especially with the driver. This, in turn, will have an influence on the spin that the ball will have on it. Teeing the ball up can help vastly reduce the spin on your drives and so increase distance.
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.
How do I increase my swing speed on my driver?
5 Best Golf Swing Tips To Increase Your Swing Speed Quickly
- Physical fitness: Your overall strength and the range of motion will significantly affect your goal swing speed. ...
- Club fitting: ...
- Focus on rotation: ...
- Use your wrist as a Lever: ...
- Hit it free: ...
- Put some lag: ...
- Use speed training tools:
Are lower degree driver harder to hit?
As a general rule, It is a lot harder to hit a lower loft driver. Drivers are one of the most challenging clubs in your bag to use; the lower the club's loft, the less forgiveness the club gives you, making it a lot harder to hit.