Delivered Loft vs. Angle of Attack – What Actually Gets the Ball in the Air
Part of my frustration early on was trying to hit the ball like an MLB player (I can dream)… while my swing looked like it belonged in a bad movie.
There was no arc.
No flow.
Just… chaos.
I knew it was a mechanics issue, but like most things in golf – it’s a lot easier to see it than it is to fix it.
And then my natural curiosity (or let’s be honest… sickness) kicked in.
I started going down the rabbit hole:
• Why do different clubs go different distances?
• What actually controls height?
• What does “angle of attack” really mean?
• And how does all of this tie back to my swing?
I wanted to understand the why – not just the what.
And that’s exactly why BTS exists.
To satisfy that curiosity… or obsession…
And to help us make Small Changes. Big Impact.
Settle in. Let’s talk golf.
There’s a piece of advice that’s been floating around forever:
“Hit down on the ball to make it go up.”
Sounds logical.
Feels aggressive.
And for beginners… it can feel like there’s a lot of room for error.
For a lot of golfers, it causes more harm than good.
Because here’s the truth:
The ball doesn’t care how steep you swing.
It cares about what the clubface looks like at impact.
Yeah… that one got me too.
The Big Shift Most Golfers Miss
We tend to focus on how the club is moving:
• Steep vs. shallow
• Down vs. up
• “Compressing” the ball
But the ball reacts primarily to something else:
Delivered loft
That’s the actual loft on the clubface at impact – not what’s stamped on the club.
What Is Delivered Loft (In Plain English)?
Your 7-iron might say 34° on it.
But at impact, you could be delivering:
• 38° (adding loft) → higher, softer, floaty
• 34° (neutral) → standard flight
• 28° (de-lofting) → lower, more penetrating
Same club.
Very different shots.
So Where Does Angle of Attack Fit In?
Angle of Attack (AoA) is simply:
• Negative (downward) with irons
• Positive (upward) with driver (ideally)
It does influence trajectory…
But it’s more of a supporting actor than the lead.
Think of it like this:
• Angle of Attack = how the club is traveling
• Delivered Loft = what the face is presenting
At impact, the face wins.
Why “Hit Down on It” Can Backfire
When golfers hear “hit down,” they often:
• Get too steep
• Drive the handle too far forward
• Lose control of the clubface
Result?
• Chunked shots
• Low bullets that don’t carry
• Inconsistent contact
Instead of clean compression… you get a mess.
What Actually Controls Delivered Loft?
This is where things get interesting – and useful.
1. Ball Position
• Back in stance → lowers delivered loft
• Forward in stance → adds loft
2. Shaft Lean (Hands at Impact)
• Hands ahead → reduces delivered loft (even though the ball can still launch high with lofted clubs)
• Hands neutral → standard flight
• Hands behind → adds loft
And this is the key:
You don’t need to “help” the ball into the air.
The loft on the club already does that.
3. Face Orientation
• Open face → more loft
• Closed face → less loft
The Real Goal
You’re not trying to “hit down.”
You’re trying to:
Deliver the right loft for the shot you want.
That’s really it.
• Need height and soft landing? → Use loft
• Need a penetrating flight? → De-loft
• Want consistency? → Control it, don’t manipulate it
Why This Matters for Your Game
Once you understand this, a lot starts to click:
• Why one shot balloons and the next comes out low
• Why “good swings” sometimes produce bad results
• Why better players control trajectory so easily
They’re not just swinging better.
They’re delivering the club better.
A Better Way to Think About It
Instead of:
“Hit down on it”
Try:
“Control the face at impact”
Because that’s where the shot is actually decided.
Where This Shows Up Most
You’ll notice this immediately in:
• Wedges (flight control, spin)
• Mid-irons (distance consistency)
• Punch shots (intentional de-lofting)
This is where golf starts to feel less random…
…and a lot more repeatable.
The Next Shot
Your next shot doesn’t have to be perfect – just intentional.
Loosen up… then let the club do the work.
Real Talk. Play Better.
Effort builds results.
