Which Golf Clubs to Use When: Everything You Need to Know about Golf Clubs
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Golf is a game of many rules, but the most important rule to remember is that you need to have the right golf clubs. In this blog post, we will be talking about what kinds of golf clubs there are and which ones you should use for different situations. We’ll also cover when it’s appropriate to switch from one type of club to another as well as how often you should replace your clubs.
What are the different kinds of golf clubs?
There are two main types of golf clubs: woods and irons. Woods have a larger head, making them best for hitting the ball from long distances with greater accuracy (usually to hit the green). Irons are smaller-headed in comparison but they’re better at getting out of tight spots when you need more precision. There’s also a hybrid club which is a cross between the two.
Irons vs. woods vs hybrids
- Irons are the most commonly used type of golf club. They come in different lengths, and the longer ones tend to be more difficult to use due to increased swing length requirements. The irons typically range from #0 (a lob wedge) to a #PW on par with an iron set that would include a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, a lob wedge [1] and an approach club.
- Woods have been the traditional type of golf club for many years because they are more powerful than irons; but today there has been increasing use of hybrids which offer both power and control that can be difficult to come by with just one set of clubs or another.
- Hybrids [2] are the newest type of clubs on the market. There are many different types and length to choose from, but they all offer a mixture of power and accuracy with a large number featuring an offset head that make it easier for amateurs to get more loft out of their shots without having as high swing speeds. The most common hybrids are the traditional long-iron replacements.
Which is the easiest type of club for beginners?
The easiest type of clubs for beginners are irons or hybrids, which have a loft that helps to get higher shots out. They have less curvature on the face and so do not demand as much power in order to be able to hit them well. This makes the clubs more forgiving and easier to hit, which is why many beginners prefer these types.
How many golf clubs should I carry in my bag?
There are many golfers who use a large number of clubs in their bags and others who prefer to carry just the bare essentials. You will quickly learn which is best for you once you’ve been playing awhile. It’s important not to over pack your bag with too many extra clubs that may be unnecessary or add weight, but it does make sense to make sure that you have the clubs that are most suited for your game, as well.
If you’re a beginner or someone who doesn’t play often, it’s best to start with four golf clubs: driver (sometimes called woods), fairway wood, irons and putter. You may be tempted by all of those shiny new clubs, but it’s wise to wait.
If you’re more of an intermediate or advanced player who plays often on courses with a variety of terrain and conditions, consider carrying around nine clubs: driver, fairway wood, irons, wedges (both sand and lob) and putter. If you find yourself playing in a variety of conditions, the more clubs you have on hand, the better suited for different shots.
Driver (woods)
This type of club is designed to hit the ball a long distance. The swing is less precise than with other clubs, because it doesn’t matter if you don’t use perfect form when swinging this club. Commonly used for tee shots on par four and five holes that are at least 400 yards away from the hole.
What are the different types of woods?
Drivers come in a variety of designs, but they all have one thing in common: They are designed to hit the ball as far and straight as possible. There are three types of drivers: metal woods (usually made entirely from steel), graphite-shafted woods (made with an aluminum shaft) and wood hybrids that combine aspects of both wood and metal.
Metal woods are made of steel, with an aluminum or titanium head. They are the largest type of driver, weighing between 290-320 grams (11 to 13 ounces). Graphite-shafted woods usually weigh about 220 grams (about 8 ounces), while hybrids typically weigh in at 245g (9 ounces)
The metal-shafted driver is the most popular, but it does have disadvantages. The weight of a steel shaft can cause more fatigue on your body than lighter aluminum or graphite shafts. If you’re playing golf for 18 holes and using the same heavy club, that’s going to take its toll on your back muscles after awhile.
Fairway Wood: This club is quite the favorite among golfers, because it’s useful for shots from the fairway or rough. It should be used when you land in a “fairway lie”—that is, where your ball has landed on grass rather than on hard ground
The club head of a wood typically weighs between 220-260 grams (about 8 to 9 ounces), and the shaft is usually made of metal.
The longer the club, the more loft it has on its face, which helps get your ball in the air and farther down range. The most common length for a fairway wood is about 43 inches (109 centimeters), but there are also clubs available that measure 39 or even 41 inches (99 or 104 centimeters).
The loft on the club’s face is listed in degrees, typically ranging from 15-30. A higher number indicates more loft and therefore a greater tendency to send your ball farther down range. For example, while an 18-degree wood will be ideal for shorter shots that require less power or accuracy, you’ll want to use a club with about 23 degrees of loft for a longer shot.
Irons:
These clubs, which are actually made of metal, have a blade on one end that is used to strike the ball and a club head on the other for stability. The clubs are used for shots that are under 150 yards. One of the most common types of clubs, they are typically numbered from one to nine and come in four different lofts: pitching (most lofted), gap or utility irons (lower loft than pitching), sand wedge (straightest) and cleek (less loft). The more numbers a club has, the more loft it has.
The most common mistake people make with irons is not being careful to choose the right club for their shot; they should always assess how far away from the hole and what angle of approach they will have before choosing a club, as well as knowing where on the green they want the ball to land. It’s also important to know where the ball should land and how far it will fly, because the club’s loft affects that.
Gap irons are most appropriate for shots between 100-150 yards; sand wedges can be used on shots between 50-100 yards with a bunker or other situation involving deep ground nearby (especially if someone else is also playing on the course).
When golfers are uncertain about which club to use, they should keep in mind one important rule: “The higher the number on a club, the more loft it has.”
Wedges:
Next on our list of clubs are Wedges. These clubs are used for shots that are less than 100 yards. Wedges can be used on the fairway or from a sand trap, depending on your needs.
Wedges are used for a variety of shots, but the most important thing to keep in mind when using them is that they’re designed to get your ball closer to the hole – which means wedges can be helpful on shorter par fours.
The different types of wedges are golfer might use are:
Sand Wedge – usually has a loft of 55 degrees, and is used for shots from bunkers or the rough.
Approach Wedge – typically has around 56-60 degree loft that’s perfect to use on short par fours where you’re less than 100 yards away from the green.
Lob Wedge – typically has a loft of 60 degrees and is used for shots over bunkers or high grass.
Pitching Wedge – this club usually has around 56-60 degree loft which makes it perfect to get the ball out of deep rough, sand traps, or even before hazards like water.
Putter:
The Putter is the last club in your bag and it should only be used when you are on a green with your ball positioned such that it will not roll too much. The loft of this club ranges between 33-37 degrees, which makes this club perfect for those tricky shots where you need to get the ball over an obstacle or get it close to the hole.
Long Putter: This type of putter is usually at least three inches longer than most other clubs and has an even lower loft (between 25-30 degrees). You’ll see many professional players using these types of putters because they tend to be more accurate.
Short Putter: This is the opposite of a long putter and looks very similar to other clubs except that it will have an even higher loft than the average club (between 40-44 degrees). These types of putters are mostly used by those who don’t feel comfortable with their putting game or for shots from just off the green.
Conclusion
You’re now set to go out and play a round of golf, from what you learned in this blog post. Golf is really as easy (or difficult) as you want it to be. For the most part, all that anyone would need are clubs with varying degrees of loft on them for different shot situations, and a few balls. That’s it! The only way to get better at the game is to go out and play. The more that you put into it, the better your game will be!
If going to the golf course regularly is not that easy, then we have the best solution for you. Golf simulators!! You can see how much we love these machines to help us improve our game. If you love them as much as us, check out our favorite ones here. For beginners, we have basic techniques of how to hold a golf club to help you get the hang of golfing faster.
And with that said, we’ll leave you here today to start playing now.
Happy golfing y’all!
