Golf is considered a game of both art and science. It is the sport of precision, patience, and strategy. In your golf game, your closest companions are not people but your Golf clubs.
Are you a beginner who just started your golf journey and needs clarification about the Types of Golf clubs you should carry in your golf bag? Then this guide is for you.
As a professional golfer, I will introduce you to the Types of Golf clubs you should carry in your bag and also tell you about the uses of all Golf clubs.
Let’s dive into the game of Golf and discover the types of Golf clubs, their uses, and What golf club you need to carry with you at a golf course.
How Many Different Types of Golf Clubs Are There:
Before heading towards the Types Of Golf Clubs firstly I will tell you about How many different types of golf clubs are there. In standard golf clubs, the 14-club limit is set by golf governing entities like the United States Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St the-royal-and-ancient-golf-club.
A player can carry 14 clubs in their bags. Typically, these clubs are a combination of various types specially designed for playing specific shorts on the golf course. Golf clubs are categorized into five main types.
Let’s explore more about these clubs’ names, uses, and which type of club you need.
Golf club names and their uses:
There are several types of Golf clubs, each with its specific functionality and purpose on the golf course.
Woods Club
- The wood clubs are the clubs with the largest heads. They are used to hit long-distance shots. This type of club is called wood, but none of its parts is made of wood.
- Wood clubs are hollow with long shafts, which make them lightweight and easy to swing. The woods category is further classified as Drivers and Fairway woods.
Drivers:
Drivers come up from the Woods Club category. The drivers club, also known as Wood-1, helps you maximize distance off the tee. The driver’s club is longer than other clubs in a golf bag. It allows you to hit the ball as far as possible.
The drivers usually have long shafts, which helps in generating more clubhead speed and distance. They have loft generally ranging between 8 and 12 degrees, which means they have a low loft that results in launching the ball at a low angle. Drivers are usually made up of low-weight materials like composite material or titanium.
Driver clubs play a vital role in golfer bags. They can be used as a powerful tool for setting up a hole. The driver grabs the attention of golfers as it helps them to hit long-distance shots.
Fairway Woods:
Fairway woods are found alongside driver clubs in the wood category. Fairway woods are an important category of golf clubs as it is designed to be versatile. You can use fairway woods to hit different kinds of shots, but their prime function is to hit long-distance shots like from the fairway or the tee.
Fairway woods are designed with numbers; these numbers are used to indicate the club loft and relative distance. The most common fairway woods are 3-wood and 5-wood; 3-wood has a low loft, whereas 5-wood has a high loft, meaning that 3-wood typically produces longer shots than 5-wood.
Fairway wood heads are typically made up of material like stainless steel. They are consistent and durable in use.
Irons Club
- Irons are one of the most used clubs in your golf bag as it is versatile. You can hit any shot on the course using irons, from the tee box to the fairway. Irons came up with numbered sets ranging from 3-iron to 9-iron. The lower the iron number is, the longer shot you can hit.
- Irons have small club heads with thin club faces; this helps golfers control the flight path and the shape of their shot on the dot. Irons are shorter in size as compared to woods and hybrids.
- Irons are made from forged iron materials. They offer a unique duo of accuracy and distance, allowing golfers to tackle various scenarios and difficult situations.
Long Irons Vs. Short Irons:
Long and short, irons are sub-categories of Iron clubs in Golf. They both have different purposes for your golf game. They serve different roles in your game based on their loft and design. Here is the comparison table for Long and short irons that helps you understand the role of both easily.
Long Irons
- Long irons include Irons between 3-iron to 4-irons and some sets go up to 5-irons.
- Long irons have lower lofts. For 3-irons it ranges from 18 to 24 degrees or for 4-irons it is 24 to 27 degrees.
- As it is cleared from name long, Long irons are designed for longer shots.
- Long irons are difficult to hit for many golfers as they require a high skill level of game.
Short Irons
- Short irons include 8-irons and 9-iron.
- Short irons have higher lofts as compared to long irons; for 8-irons their loft ranges from 36 to 40 degrees and for 9-irons their loft is 41-45 degrees.
- Short irons are designed for short shots.
- Short irons are easy to hit for any golfer due to their higher lofts.
Golfers often carry long and short irons in their golf bags to deal with different situations on the golf course.
Hybrid Clubs
- Hybrid clubs are designed as a mixture of Wood and Iron clubs, but it is different from both clubs.
- They are designed to combine the characteristics of both wood and iron clubs. Hybrids are also known as utility clubs.
- The popularity of hybrids increased and has caught the attention of golfers in the past few years.
- Golfers can use hybrid clubs to hit different kinds of shots as they are versatile. Hybrids also came up with numbered sets like 2-hybrids and so on.
- The numbers on combinations indicate their loft and distance capability.Hybrid heads are longer than long irons. They have shorter shafts as compared to fairway woods.
- The shorts you can hit using hybrids include Long fairway shots and approach shots.
- Hybrids are generally easy to control, handle, and hit for golfers because of their shorter shafts and long heads. Some golfers use specialty hybrids to tackle any situation on the golf course.
Wedges Club
- Wedges are subsets of irons with high lofts. Wedges are designed to be precise and hit short-range shots near to green. Wedges are well known for their attic, which helps you to get the ball high in the air. Wedges also have a “bounce angle” on the sole, stopping the club from breaking the soil into the turf.
- Wedges also help the golfer spin and control their shots’ trajectory. The special shots you can hit by using wedges include; Chip shots, Bunker shots and Pitch shots.
- When it comes to hitting shots close to the green, wedges play an important role for golfers. Golfers often carry different combinations of wedges in their golf bags, as wedges come in different types.
Different types of wedges:
| Wedges | Lofts | Uses |
| Pitching Wedge | 44 TO 48 degrees. | Used for approach shots. |
| Gap Wedge | 50 TO 54 degrees. | It bridges the gap between PW and SW. Helps golfers to cover intermediate distances. |
| Sand wedge | 54 To 58 degrees. | Used for getting out of bunkers and for hitting high shots around the green. |
| Lob wedge | Often exceeds 58 degrees. | Used for a very short span of time, to hit high shots with minimal roll and also helps golfers to clear obstacles like bunkers. |
Putters
- As reflected in the name, Putters are used to put the ball into the hole. Putters come in different shapes and designs. They play a very significant role in a golfer’s performance. A putter’s key part is executing puts and controlling strokes made on the green. They are typically used to finish the hole.
- Putters have a flat, low-profile clubhead. This type of club head is designed to aim the rolling ball smoothly and accurately. The face inserts of putters are made of soft metal or polymers.
- The putter is a special type of golf club that is essential for the final stage of completing each hole. It has several types, which include: Blade putter, Counter-balanced Putters, Mallet Putters &Mid Mallet Putters.
- These are the clubs that golfers generally carry with them in their golf bags at golf courses. The combination and choices depend upon the conditions and shots they face and their preferences.
What Type Of Golf Club Do You Need?
Selecting the right clubs for your game plays a vital role in your performance. As, with the many types of golf clubs available, Choosing the right type of golf club means setting up a club that suits your skills. Here are some key points you should remember before selecting clubs for yourself.
- If you are a beginner, you need more forgiving clubs, while pro golfers need clubs that have greater precision.
- Please familiarize yourself with different golf clubs; it will help you make informed decisions for yourself.
- Analyze your club fitting to check which club is suitable for you.
- Make combinations of golf clubs using fairway woods, sets of irons, and wedges that suit your skills.
- Golf club selection is your personal choice, so take your time and make an informed decision that works for you in your games and improves your performance.
Final Thoughts on Types Of Golf Clubs:
In the world of Golf, understanding every type of golf club is very important for every player, whether a beginner or a pro. Each club has its role, from a driver to the precision of your putter; understanding each club is important for you.
Choosing the right combination for your golf bag is an art, and I am sure after reading this full article you are an artist of this art. Choose the right mix of golf clubs based on your skills, needs, and golf course strategy.
No matter at what stage of your golf journey, understanding the types of golf clubs offers endless opportunities for improvement, enjoyment, and chances to succeed more in your passion for the golf game.
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