What Does Offset Golf Club Mean?
What is an offset golf club? Offset refers to how the clubface is positioned in relation to the shaft. The leading edge of the clubface is positioned behind the hosel of the golf club.
The clubface of an offset golf club is not in line with the shaft, but is instead slightly pushed back. This makes the clubface appear a little behind the hosel.
Offset golf clubs are an integral part of their equipment, for most high and mid-handicappers. Interestingly, even some clubs intended for low-handicappers tend to have a little offset.
The amount of offset in a golf club depends on the manufacturer and for whom the golf club is intended.
High-handicappers will have golf clubs with more offset, while good golfers use clubs with minimum or no offset at all.
Iron clubs tend to have a more progressive offset. Such clubs with bigger shafts have more offset than shorter clubs.
What Does an Offset Golf Club Do?
Offset is a design feature that was originally implemented in golf clubs to help golfers enhance their gaming experience. It was introduced in putters so that players could get their hands in front of the ball when there is an impact.
What do offset golf clubs do? Offset iron clubs assist golfers in launching the ball higher than they’re usually capable of, while creating more spin by moving the center of gravity backwards.
Offset is aimed at helping average golfers who tend to slice a ball because they find it challenging to have a square position for their clubfaces during impact.
Why Use Offset Golf Clubs?
These are the reasons why you may want to use offset golf clubs:
- Get more swing out of your iron golf club because offset clubs deliver a better attack angle as your hands are positioned ahead of the clubhead.
- Reduce slices by moving the center of gravity of the clubhead away from the shaft as much as possible.
- Delay the ball by a split-second to square up the clubface at impact.
- Hit straighter and better shots when you don’t have the precise skills to play the game or time to develop them.
Offset Vs No Offset Golf Clubs
There are some noteworthy differences between offset and no offset golf clubs. I will list a few of them here for you to understand how they vary from each other.
- The shafts of offset golf clubs are slightly angled because of how the leading edge of the clubface is positioned. On the other hand, non-offset golf clubs come with very straight shafts right from the grip top to the hosel.
- Offset golf clubs offer downswing angles and guide the golfers in avoiding slices and hit fairway iron shots. Non-offset golf clubs do not help to overcome slices, and the golfer must take his corrective actions to prevent this.
- When you use offset golf clubs, your hands are positioned in front of the clubheads. However, when you play with non-offset golf clubs, you place your hands behind the clubheads.
- Offset golf clubs are best suited for beginners or amateurs whereas non-offset golf clubs are ideal for experienced or professional players.
Advantages of Offset Golf Clubs
There are several advantages of using offset golf clubs. Some of the advantages that these clubs have are:
- They allow putters to even out the stroke and produce accurate putts when the putts are pulled towards the left.
- They help in striking the ball correctly by rendering the appropriate angle of attack and hitting the ball straight into the air with a high launch for fairway iron shots.
- They keep slices at bay that are caused because of not able to rotate the club properly, especially if you use a wood club instead of an iron club.
- They give players extra time to square up the clubface for impact with more time for the downswing.
Disadvantages of Offset Golf Clubs
Just as there are advantages in using offset golf clubs, they have some disadvantages that you must be aware of:
Some disadvantages of offset golf clubs are:
- They may not allow a player to enhance his skills by preventing them from learning how to square their clubface.
- They can hinder a player’s efforts to improve his swing angles.
- These clubs may convert a cured slice to a bad hook because of the split-second delay caused when the player masters the art of squaring the clubhead.
- They do not have any specific benefit for a seasoned player.
Do Offset Golf Clubs Work?
Yes offset golf clubs do work to help beginner golfers hit the ball straighter. This type of club is best suited if you’re just beginning to learn the game.
This is not to say seasoned golfers cannot use an offset club. It’s just that beginners who fail to get the right swing angle and end up with slices will find them more helpful than pros.
Second opinions on offset golf clubs
- It is often assumed that using an offset golf club results in a draw. However, in a game with five players having handicaps ranging from 0to 15, hit the most offset iron with an angle of two degrees closer compared to when hitting with the next highest offset iron.
- This indicates that there were chances of small fades that could become straight shots. The straight shots could become draws and the draws themselves turn into hooks. Therefore, games played using offset golf clubs do not always end in a draw. The dispersion of a player tends to orient towards the left when using an offset golf club.
- Another myth is that an offset golf club can help to achieve a higher ball flight. While it may be true that the ball goes high with an offset club, it has been proven that an iron club with the least offset renders the highest launch angle and peak. Players usually prefer the iron club over all other offset golf clubs.
- A third misconception is that an offset golf club causes the face to close faster and result in hooks. This is only psychological. If the clubface is positioned properly behind the ball facing the target, the clubface of an offset golf club and a non-offset golf club will close at the same time.
Ultimately, the best way to know if an offset golf club will work for you is to try playing with one yourself!
How to Hit an Offset Golf Driver
Learning to use an offset driver can be tricky because of how different the golf club appears. You should approach the arriving shot just like how you would hit a perfect drive. I will give you some tips here, to ease your fears on using an offset driver.
First and foremost, get your position on the offset golf club right by following the points below:
- Position two targets that you would like to hit the ball to, at a distance of nearly 50 yards from each other in your driving range. This will serve as your fairway.
- Keep a few alignment sticks on the ground to make sure that you square your clubface in the center of the fairway.
- Place yourself so that your body line and the left of the target line are parallel to each other. Assume that the target line is the outer rail and the aim line is the inner rail.
- Position the ball inside the left heel if you’re a right-handed golfer so that it is easy to square the clubface. This position also allows you to aim the ball on an upswing better. If you’re left-handed, use your right heel.
- Stretch the club as much as you can and keep it as low as possible towards the ground. Also, move it back as much as you can after the shot. This downswing can help you to overcome a slice.
Tips to Grip an Offset Golf Club
The steps that are given here can help you master the art of establishing a firm grip on your offset golf club.
- Position the club’s sole on the ground and check if the bottom line on the face of the club forms a T shape along the target line. This is called squaring up the clubface towards the target line. You can verify this by keeping a ruler or measuring stick along the target line on the ground.
- Place your feet so that they’re parallel to the club-face setup.
- Keeps your left hand above the club; taking care not to change the position of the club-face. Your hand should be at least half an inch away from the grip butt. Make sure that you’re holding it with your fingers and not the palm. Also, check to see that you place your hands behind the ball.
- Place the little finger of your right hand in the space between the forefinger and the middle finger of the left hand.
- Interlock your left hand’s little finger with your right hand’s forefingers. You can alternatively place all your fingers on the grip such that the thumbs point downwards to the left or center of the shaft.
- Ensure that the V shape formed the forefinger and the thumb of both hands point towards the right shoulder.
If you have a golf club with a lot of offset, you can consider opening up the clubface a little.
How to Hit an Offset Golf Iron
Quite often, slicers tend to set up open stances that can range from anywhere between slight to severe.
Before you try to change your swinging style, you must try swinging the offset golf club like how you would do with an ordinary golf club. This is because offset clubs are designed to take into account your swinging flaws and straighten out the shots naturally.
The key to performing an ideal swing is to keep the leading edge of the clubhead against a trim and the clubface on the ground, such that it is a closed face. Then, position the ball in this stance and give it a steep hit.
If the above method does not work you can try out the following steps to position yourself for swinging an offset golf iron club (assuming you’re a right-handed golfer).
How to Hit an Offset Golf Iron:
- Keep your left and right feet on either side of the target line so that the left foot is forward and the right foot is behind.
- It’s important that the distance of both the feet from the target line is the same. This is a square setup that can assist you in getting the club back to the original square position after a shot.
- When you’re ready to swing at the ball, hit your club out on to the ground along the target line. Remember to keep it away from you as much as possible. Retain this position as long as you can, before you swing.
In a nutshell, you must ensure that your body is in the right position to maintain the correct action for your golf club throughout a swing. For this, you have to lean your body slightly to the left.
Next, you’ll need to move your knees, hips, body, shoulders, arms, and legs towards the ball. Remember to follow the same order.
When you do the above, the clubface becomes square as the ball comes closer. Hit the ball with full force and finish with a full follow-through.
Offset Ball Position
Now, that you’ve understood how to align your offset golf club and position yourself for the same, you should know where to position the ball for the perfect shot. This usually tends to differ based on the golf club you plan to use.
If you’re using a 7-iron club, you may consider keeping the ball close to the middle of your stance. Alternatively, the best position for the ball would be the middle of your stance if you opt for a 9-iron/PW club.
For an 8-iron club, positioning the ball almost at your back foot is a good idea. This position may also work for a 9-iron.
The ball must be placed a little ahead of the middle stance for a 6-iron and 4-iron golf club. It is better to place the ball even further ahead if you are using a 3H or a 3W golf club.
Where to Buy Offset Golf Clubs
There are quite a few places for both right-handed and left-handed golfers to check out for offset golf clubs.
If you’re an avid online shopper, Amazon is quite a good choice. eBay is another online store that offers a range of offset golf club drivers. You can check out various brands and compare the specifications of the different models to decide on the offset club that will work best for you.
Read More: How much do golf clubs cost
If you think you would like to try using a pre-owned golf club to see if it is worth buying a new one, Callaway is one store that can help you with this.
2nd Swing is another store that has both new and pre-owned offset golf clubs with multiple outlets.
Here are some models that you may want to look at to get started.
Juggernaut Powerplay Titanium Draw Non-Conforming Driver
This driver from Juggernaut has a 515cc club head and a senior flex graphite shaft.
The 515cc volume makes the head quite forgiving on off-center shots. The offset hosel enhances the ball flight and helps in generating maximum distance from the tee.
It has a 1-degree closed angle, a 10.5 inches loft, and a 45 inches shaft. Users have found this golf club easy and comfortable to use. With this golf club, they are also able to hit very straight shots.
AGXGOLF Ladies Magnum Flex Graphite Shaft
This right-handed AGXGOLF ladies golf club comes in petit, regular, and tall shaft lengths. The club has a 15-5 solid stainless steel construction with a graphite shaft. The slight offset helps in keeping the clubface square during impact.
The club is ideal for both picking the ball up on off the fairway shots and off-the-tee shots. Players like using this golf club and adding it to their collection.
Best Offset Golf Drivers
This is a list of the three best offset golf clubs that are available on Amazon.
- Cobra F-Max Offset Driver
- PGX Offset Golf Driver
- Cobra F-Max Superlite Driver
Cobra F-Max Offset Driver
The versatile Cobra offset driver has a graphite shaft with senior, regular, and stiff flex options. Separate drivers are available for right-handed and left-handed male golfers.
The lightweight design promotes maximum distance and clubhead speed for slow swings. The fixed back weight near the heel offers assurance of straight and forgiving shots.
The crown makes it easy to align the clubhead for straight tee shots while the forged titanium 6-4 face insert supports better distance and speed on off-center hits.
Pros:
- The driver is available in different degrees of offset plus various flex options making it ideal for golfers struggling with different shots.
- It helps in fixing slices and getting out of bad hooks equally well.
- The lightweight factor helps to achieve the right swing and distance very easily without having to hold on to the club tightly.
Cons:
- Some players have felt that the ball does not roll as much as they would like it to.
PGX Offset Golf Driver
This golf driver from Pine meadow Golf comes with a graphite shaft, 460cc clubhead, and a head cover to keep the head closed when you’re not using the golf club. The 460cc capacity provides maximum forgiveness.
The club has a 10.5° offset angle and incorporates anti-slice technology to square the clubface during an impact. In turn, this will help you get a straight driver.
The matte black finish driver is available for both right-handed and left-handed players.
Pros:
- The graphite shaft is of very high quality.
- The driver helps in getting rid of slices.
- The matte black finish along with the white and green colors gives the golf driver a sleek look.
Cons:
- The shaft is shorter than those of many other brands.
- The ball does not travel far because of a square face.
Cobra Golf Men’s 2019 F-Max Superlite Offset Golf Driver
The Cobra golf driver for men has an overall lightweight design for its clubhead, grip, and shaft.
The driver incorporates forged E9 face technology with a forged thin titanium face insert. The back/heel weighting allows the ball to fly high and straight. The crown alignment helps in setting up a square clubface.
Pros:
- The lightweight factor helps in getting the ball far and wide.
- The driver can be adjusted to portray an offset design or a straight neck design to meet the gaming demands of both amateurs and professionals.
- The driver is available in multiple configurations and flexes for both right-handed and left-handed golfers.
Read more: Why Your Driver Lie Angle Is So Important