One might ask themself, “What does ‘offset’ mean?” Offset is the clubhead’s position as it relates to the position of the shaft. The more the clubhead is offset, the greater its leading edge and clubface will be positioned behind the hosel or the club’s shaft. The offset is that strong or slight bend you notice right by the hosel and shaft. Most clubs out there will have some offset. The more offset in the club, whether it’s an iron or driver/wood, will benefit the higher handicap golfer struggling to hit straighter shots.

The History of Offset

Offset started in putters but now has moved into drivers and irons. When irons were first made, there was no other way for the manufacturer to get the shaft connected to the iron head. As production, design, steel, and molding progressed, so did the ability to bend the shaft and produce an offset. Now, most manufacturers will come out with a line with three styles. For example, Callaway has the Mavrik line with the Max, Standard, or Pro. Each style progressively has less offset. This was brilliant marketing on their part because the newest product line can benefit every golfer. Every golfer, even the high handicap golfer, can access the newest club line coming out each season because manufacturers offer them in three styles. In addition, this isn’t limited to irons; it now exists in woods and drivers. Again, for example, Callaway does this with the Rogue ST MAX line in drivers. Multiple styles can benefit the high-handicap golfer down to single-digit handicappers.

What Can the “Right Club” Do for You?

Too many times, golfers sit at home watching the U.S. Open or other golf tournaments while commercials pop up on their screen. Everything sounds so good, looks so pretty, and seems like it fits every golfer, which isn’t true. If more golfers understood what offset means and the real benefits of using an offset club, they would be sold on using them.

A golf club with more offset in the design will help square the club up at impact and cut down on that dreaded slice. Squaring the golf club up at impact results in longer, straighter, and more accurate shots. Who doesn’t want that? Most clubs on the market have some level of offset, even the ones for the lower handicap golfer.

Can New Technology Really Make a Difference?

The answer is absolutely! Technology is a wonderful thing. Cars, clothes, computers, video games, cooking devices, and televisions have reaped the benefits of technology, so why should golf clubs be any different? They aren’t!

Golf clubs today are not like golf clubs of the past. Instead, they are lighter, softer, better looking, better feeling, use artificial intelligence, and are designed to help the average golfer enjoy the game more and shoot lower scores. Unfortunately, many golfers do not do their homework and investigate what is best for them (especially before buying clubs).

Does Offset Come in Drivers as Well as Irons?

The answer to that question is yes. Offset can be even more helpful in a driver for an individual who needs assistance in squaring the clubface up at impact. It can be even more useful for someone who fights a slice with their driver. When the clubs are longer (driver and woods), getting that club back to square at impact can also be challenging. The more offset in a driver can help the golfer hit more fairways off the tee and then, in turn, help them hit more greens in regulation. Wilson and Tour Edge are among the top manufacturers highlighting drivers with more offset in their driver design. Also, Callaway Rogue and TaylorMade Stealth drivers come in three styles. In the Callaway Rogue ST, the “Max” design is the most forgiving style, most offset, and more of a draw bias for the golfer out there fighting a slice. In the Stealth Driver, the HD (high draw) will be the most forgiving and most offset with a draw bias to help the golfer who is fighting that nasty slice.

What Is Progressive Offset?

Progressive offset means more offset (sometimes measured in inches and millimeters in other sets) in the longer clubs, progressively resulting in less offset in the shorter clubs. What is the reason behind this design? Mid to higher-handicap golfers tend to have more difficulty with longer irons, especially with accuracy. More offset is needed in the longer clubs due to their length. Typically, the longer the club, the more challenging it is for many golfers to hit it accurately.

The most forgiving sets on the market will have a progressive offset design, like the Callaway Rogue ST Max and Callaway Rogue ST Max OS (oversized), TaylorMade Stealth Iron Set, TaylorMade SIM2 Max, and the Cleveland Launcher XL and Halo irons.

Who Will Benefit Most From an Offset Club?

There are quite a few golfers who can benefit from using an offset club. Most of the time, mid to higher-handicap golfers have trouble getting the clubface back to square at impact. This can be caused by difficulties with grip, backswing, downswing, or impact position.

When the clubface is open at any of these positions and then stays that way when you strike the ball, this will ultimately result in a slice (when the ball spins to the right if you are a right-handed golfer or to the left if you are a left-handed golfer). The more offset in the clubface design, the more the club can help you naturally square that clubface up at impact resulting in straighter and more accurate approach shots.

What Are Other Benefits of an Offset Club?

Not only are offset clubs designed to assist the golfer with squaring the club up at impact but there is also an additional benefit of helping the golfer get the ball up in the air easier. Higher launch and more “air” time on golf shots can make a difference in numerous ways. First, this can mean softer landings on more greens. More greens in regulation mean lower scores.

Second, more launch and carry can keep you out of those dreaded hazards, bunkers, and water! Ever stand on a par 3 and have to hit the ball over a water hazard and think, “Oh my, this is going in the water for sure”?

That super forgiving, more offset iron with that increased ability to launch the ball in the air easier can mean the difference between hitting that green and landing in the water. The right golf club increases your inner confidence on the tougher shots. If you need help finding the right clubs for your game, reach out to me or one of my fellow Golf Experts here on Curated for free, personalized recommendations. We can help you decide if an offset club is for you, and assist in narrowing in on ideal options for you, depending on your price range, set makeup, and style of club. Everything is always easier when you have an Expert to answer your questions and offer suggestions.