Beginners Guide To The Different Golf Club Types

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After 20 years living on a golf course, you’d think I would know the different golf club types. It wasn’t until recently when I started playing golf where I learned the purpose of the various clubs. If you’re a beginner like me, let’s get to know what each of the golf clubs are for and when to use them.

Woods, Irons, and Hybrids are the 3 material types of golf clubs. Although Wedges and Putters are types of clubs, for this article I’m treating them as sub-types because of their intended purpose.

Woods, Irons, and Hybrids

Woods are golf clubs whose club heads were initially made of wood. Today there are also made of metal like steel or titanium alloy and still go by the name of woods. A woods golf club has a fat club head and the club’s main purpose is for hitting the golf ball off the tee or down the fairway.

Irons are golf clubs which have flat club heads that are made of metal. Besides hitting the golf ball off the tee or down the fairway, an irons most useful purpose is to get the golf ball into the air and over obstacles like trees or lift the ball out of grass.

Hybrid golf clubs have metal club heads that combine the best features of woods and irons. Their combined features make them more forgiving to amateur players. Hybrids usually replace the 2-5 irons.

Club Head Numbers

Aside from specialty golf clubs like wedges and putters, golf club heads are numbered 1 through 11. The lower the number, the taller the golf club, the club head face has a steeper sloping angle, and the golf ball travels farther. The higher the club head number gets, the golf club gets shorter, the club head face has a lesser sloping angle so the golf ball goes steeper into the air, and the golf ball flies less distance.

Of the same club head number, woods are taller than irons and hybrids, has a steeper club face angle, and hits the golf ball farther.

Typically golf professionals use a 1 wood, also known as a driver, on their tee shot to hit the golf ball as far as they can down the fairway. For recreational players, it’s best to use higher numbered clubs because they’re shorter and much easier to control your golf swing.

Wedges and Putters

Wedges are irons that are used for lifting your golf ball out of grass, sand traps, and over obstacles like bunkers. There are 4 types of wedges: pitching, sand, gap, and loft. Each has its purpose based on the situation you’re in. But in the order I have listed, the club face angle gets less steep and the golf ball flies higher into the air at a steeper angle.

You might use a pitching wedge to get the ball out of the grass next to the green. You don’t need a lot of lift, just enough to get over the grass and onto the green. On the other hand, if your golf ball is in a deep bunker next to the green, you would use a loft wedge to lift the ball at a sharp angle upward and over the bunker onto the green.

The putter is primarily used when your golf ball is on the green and you’re shooting for the hole. The putter has 3 styles of club heads: traditional blade, heel-toe, or mallet. For beginners, the mallet is the preferred putter because its design makes it easier to hit the ball with greater success.

If you’re thinking of taking up golf and haven’t purchased golf clubs, it’s best to start with beginners or starter golf club sets. These clubs provide the proper balance for you to learn and enjoy golf.

David Johnson is getting to know the joys of golfing and learning how to improve his golf handicap.