The Open: Why Some Players Will Actually Add Loft to Their Drivers This Week

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND—If there is one thing you can count on equipment writers talking about at The Open Championship and during “links season,” it's the removal of higher lofted fairway woods, the addition of driving iron utilities, and players switching to lower bounce wedges—often with wider soles to help the club get through the heavier sand.

But, what if I told you that this week at Royal Portrush, site of the 153rd Open Championship, that some players might be doing the exact opposite of what you might expect with their drivers?

I’m talking about lofting up!

Yes, you read that right, and no, I'm not crazy, because depending on the weather, some players will loft up there driver slightly at Portrush, and it's for a specific reason.

You see, unlike a lot of other tournaments, rain (as long as it’s not crazy with lightning) will not stop play at The Open, and one thing rain introduces to the equation is moisture (obviously), and with moisture, between the face and the ball at impact you get less friction.

(Face texture on wedges helps to maintain spin)

Now, most golfers believe that friction only has a major impact on short irons and wedge shots, but when it comes to the driver, it's just as important. This is why companies like Ping add intentional face-roughness to their drivers to help reduce spin inconsistencies, because the last thing you want at 180mph ball speed is a funky and unpredictable spin rate and launch angle.

When you add the fact that the top players in the world live in a tight spin window on the lower-end of the ideal spectrum to maximize distance, and then introduce moisture, you have the potential for some pretty squirrelly ball flights.

By adding a touch of loft to their drivers with the help of the adjustable hosel, players can feel confident that they can hit lower flying stinger-type shots in the wind while also still producing enough spin to help keep the golf ball on line and in control in wet weather.

So next time you're about to play in the rain, although it might not be at The Open, lofting up your driver to reduce spin fluctuations could be your ticket to gaining an advantage and playing better golf with more control off the tee.