| Loft is the vertical angle formed between the club | | | | points towards the left (for RH golfers). When struck |
| face and the hosel (where shaft and club head are | | | | 'normally' this would cause a hook, but for a slicer it |
| connected). A driver has usually the lowest loft of all | | | | may actually correct the open club face problem and |
| woods, ranging somewhere from 7 to 13 degrees. | | | | result in a straight shot down the target line. |
| The loft causes the ball to spin: once the ball touches | | | | Bulge and Roll: if you look closely at the club face of |
| the club face it will start to quickly roll up the face, | | | | any wood you will see that the face is not totally flat |
| causing it to rotate around its horizontal axis. This spin | | | | but slightly curved both horizontally and vertically. This |
| is good as it will make the ball fly further and make it | | | | is needed to give the face proper stability, and not |
| less susceptible to wind blowing from the side. The | | | | to cave in upon impact with a golf ball. The horizontal |
| higher the loft of the club the greater the spin and | | | | curvature is called 'bulge', and the vertical (you |
| the higher the trajectory of the ball flight, but the ball | | | | probably guessed that...) is called 'roll'. |
| will not roll very far. In contrast, a ball hit with a lower | | | | Bulge is no problem as long as you hit the ball with |
| lofted club will not fly very high by roll a lot more. | | | | the center of the club face. However, if you hit it at |
| Generally a beginner golfer is best served by a higher | | | | the toe of the club you would have basically an open |
| lofted club. | | | | club face as mentioned above. This is even more |
| Face Angle refers to the horizontal angle of the club | | | | exaggerated because the club head rotates around |
| face versus the target line: if the club face is exactly | | | | its vertical center-of-gravity axis whenever the ball is |
| perpendicular to the target line the face angle is | | | | hit off the toe (or heel for that matter). The effect |
| considered 'neutral'. This is the case for most drivers | | | | would again be to impart side spin on the ball, |
| woods and considered the default. The effect is that, | | | | resulting in a slice. On the other hand, if you hit the |
| upon square impact, the golf ball will fly along the | | | | ball on the heel of the club your shot would go left |
| intended target line. | | | | (for RH golfers) but will curve back towards the |
| However, some golfers, especially those who have a | | | | target line. If you experience inconsistency with your |
| tendency to regularly slice the ball, have difficulties to | | | | shots going left and right you may benefit from a |
| deliver the club face in an absolutely square | | | | driver/wood with a larger (flat and non-curved) |
| (perpendicular) position. Upon impact their club face | | | | sweet spot, i.e. the currently popular square drivers. |
| tends to be a bit open, which in turn causes the golf | | | | Roll, as mentioned, refers to the vertical curvature of |
| ball to slide or roll across the club face towards the | | | | the club face. The club face has already an angle (i.e. |
| toe of the club, thereby putting some side spin on | | | | some 9 to12 degrees of loft for a driver) which helps |
| the ball. This side spin makes the ball go off the | | | | to impart some desired spin onto the ball, thus helping |
| target line. The more open your club face is the | | | | it to get higher and farther than it would fly without |
| more spin the ball gets, and the worse your slice will | | | | spin. However, following in essence the same |
| be. | | | | principles as above you can imagine that a ball that is |
| In order to compensate for this open club face | | | | struck too high on the club face will have a high |
| problem you can either work on your swing or buy a | | | | trajectory but a short distance, while a ball struck |
| wood with a closed club face angle: when you put | | | | too low will become a 'worm burner'. |
| the club down at address the club face actually | | | | |