What are golf club loft tables?

A golf club loft table is a chart that correlates a specific golf club with its measurement of "loft," the angle of the face of the club relative to the vertical plane supporting the golf ball. Loft dictates the arc, height and trajectory the ball travels once hit.

Loft tables typically list the type of golf club by material, such as wood, iron or hybrid, and the number assigned to it, such as a 9 iron or 3 wood. Listed for each club is a range of loft, measured in degrees, that can be expected upon impact with the ball. Higher numbers give higher loft, resulting in shorter and higher trajectory.