The loft the clubface actually delivers at impact, measured against the horizon — not the number stamped on the sole. Shaft lean, release timing, attack angle, and even shaft bend all change it: the PGA Tour average with a 6-iron is just 20.2° of dynamic loft from a club built with about 30°, because Tour players lean the shaft forward and compress the ball. Driver averages run 12.8° on the PGA Tour and 15.5° on the LPGA Tour. Too much dynamic loft sends the ball high and short; too little produces a low runner that's hard to judge. It's the delivered loft — the one the ball actually experiences.