TrackMan's driver averages for men run from 14.8° of spin loft for a scratch golfer to 18.3° for the average golfer, with attack angle going from -0.9° to -1.8°. Women run from 17.1° to 20.1°. The PGA Tour average is 14.7° and the LPGA average is 15.0°. Spin loft is dynamic loft minus attack angle, and the checker below does that subtraction for you.
The ChartDriver spin loft and attack angle by handicap
| Golfer | Driver spin loft | Driver attack angle |
|---|---|---|
| Men, scratch or better | 14.8° | -0.9° |
| Men, 5 handicap | 15.8° | -1.1° |
| Men, 10 handicap | 17.3° | -1.2° |
| Men, average golfer (14.5 handicap) | 18.3° | -1.8° |
| Men, bogey golfer | 18.2° | -2.1° |
| Women, scratch or better | 17.1° | -0.9° |
| Women, 5 handicap | 18.4° | -1.8° |
| Women, 10 handicap | 18.6° | -1.7° |
| Women, 15 handicap | 20.1° | -2.3° |
| PGA Tour | 14.7° | -0.9° |
| LPGA Tour | 15.0° | +2.8° |
Source: TrackMan, "Spin Loft" and "Attack Angle" blog pages (TrackMan Combine averages for amateurs, tour averages).
A few rows run the other way from what you might expect, and they are printed as TrackMan published them. The men's bogey golfer (18.2°) is a touch under the average golfer (18.3°). The women's 10 handicap attack angle (-1.7°) is a touch shallower than the 5 handicap (-1.8°). The LPGA driver attack angle is the only one in the table that is positive.
Irons and the optimizer's assumptions
| Club and source | Spin loft | Attack angle |
|---|---|---|
| 6-iron, PGA Tour | 24.3° | -3.7° |
| 6-iron, LPGA Tour | 25.9° | -2.3° |
| Optimizer, driver (94 mph club speed) | 15.6° | 0° |
| Optimizer, 6-iron (80 mph club speed) | 25.5° | -3.2° |
| Optimizer, pitching wedge (72 mph club speed) | 40.6° | -3.9° |
Source: TrackMan, "Spin Loft" and "Attack Angle" blog pages (tour averages and standard TrackMan Optimizer assumptions).
The CheckerWork out your spin loft
Enter the dynamic loft and attack angle from your launch monitor. Use a minus sign for a downward attack angle, such as -2.
Enter both numbers to see your spin loft.
TrackMan calls dynamic loft minus attack angle an approximation. It is generally very close, and it gets less exact as face-to-path moves away from zero. The rows compared above are driver rows.
Using itHow to use the chart and the checker
Take dynamic loft and attack angle from the same swings on your launch monitor, then subtract the attack angle from the dynamic loft. A dynamic loft of 15 with an attack angle of -3 gives 18 degrees of spin loft. Then look down the Driver spin loft column for the row your number sits closest to.
The checker places your result between the two nearest rows for men, women and tour players. The little scale under the result shows the same thing, with a dot for every row in the chart and your result as the tall marker.
Read the rows as averages for each group, not as targets. Your numbers can sit anywhere around them.
For ball speed, launch and spin by handicap, see the golf ball speed chart. To think about what loft to put in the bag, see what driver loft should I use. If your driver has an adjustable hosel, the adjustable driver settings chart shows what each setting changes.
Watch forCommon mix-ups
Using the loft stamped on the club. The formula uses dynamic loft, the loft at impact, which is not the number on the head.
Dropping the minus sign. Subtracting a negative attack angle adds to the loft. Dynamic loft 11.4 with an attack angle of -0.2 comes to 11.6, not 11.2.
Comparing an iron to the driver rows. The handicap rows are driver only. TrackMan's 6-iron numbers are tour averages: 24.3° for the PGA Tour and 25.9° for the LPGA.
Expecting an exact match with the monitor. TrackMan says the subtraction is a close approximation, so its own spin loft reading can differ by a little. In TrackMan's shot optimizer example, dynamic loft 11.4 and attack angle -0.2 are shown with a spin loft of 11.8.
Reading the chart as a ladder. The averages do not rise in a perfectly straight line from one handicap to the next, as the odd rows above show.
FAQQuick answers
What is spin loft?
TrackMan describes spin loft as approximately the angle between dynamic loft and attack angle. It is the number the checker above works out.
How do you calculate spin loft?
Subtract attack angle from dynamic loft. TrackMan says this gives a close approximation, and that spin loft is generally very close to dynamic loft minus attack angle. With a downward (negative) attack angle you are adding to the loft.
What is the average driver attack angle?
In TrackMan's published numbers, men's averages run from -0.9° (scratch or better) to -2.1° (bogey golfer), and the PGA Tour average is -0.9°. Women run from -0.9° to -2.3°. The LPGA Tour average is +2.8°. TrackMan's optimizer assumes 0° for the driver.
What is the average driver spin loft?
For men, from 14.8° (scratch or better) to 18.3° (average golfer, 14.5 handicap). For women, from 17.1° (scratch or better) to 20.1° (15 handicap). The PGA Tour average is 14.7° and the LPGA average is 15.0°.
Does the checker match what my launch monitor shows?
Often close, not always identical. TrackMan calls the subtraction an approximation that gets less exact as face-to-path grows. If your monitor reports spin loft directly, use its number and use the checker for a quick cross-check.
Is there a 6-iron number?
TrackMan publishes 6-iron figures for tour players only: a spin loft of 24.3° and an attack angle of -3.7° for the PGA Tour, and 25.9° and -2.3° for the LPGA. TrackMan's optimizer assumes a spin loft of 25.5° for a 6-iron at 80 mph.