How to Know What Clubs to Use in Golf

Standing on the fairway with 150 yards to the pin can feel like a multiple-choice question where every answer seems both right and wrong. Choosing the correct club is one of the most fundamental skills in golf, yet it stumps players of all levels. This guide will walk you through the exact process for choosing the right club for any situation, turning indecision into confident commitment.

Understanding Your Arsenal: A Tour of the Golf Bag

Before you can pick the right tool, you need to understand what each tool is designed to do. A standard set of 14 clubs is divided into categories, each built for a specific purpose.

Drivers and Fairway Woods

These are the long-range clubs in your bag, designed for distance off the tee.

• Driver: The longest club with the lowest loft (typically 8-12 degrees). Its only job is to hit the ball as far as possible down the fairway on par 4s and 5s. Most players should only use this off a tee.
• Fairway Woods (3-wood, 5-wood, etc.): Shorter and with more loft than a driver, they are more versatile. You can use them off the tee on shorter par 4s for more control, or off the fairway when you have a long way to the green. They are generally easier to hit than long irons.

Hybrids

A modern innovation, hybrids are a blend of fairway woods and irons. They have the compact head of an iron but the body shape of a wood, making them much more forgiving than long irons (like a 3, 4, or 5-iron). For most amateurs, hybrids are fantastic tools for hitting high, soft-landing shots from 170-220 yards out and are a lifesaver from the rough.

Irons

Irons are the backbone of your set, designed for precision shots into the green from the fairway. They are numbered from 3 or 4 up to 9. As the number on the club increases, the shaft gets shorter and the loft increases.

• Long Irons (3, 4, 5): Lower loft, designed for longer approach shots. They are harder to hit well, which is why hybrids have become so popular.
• Mid Irons (6, 7, 8): The most versatile clubs in your bag for approach shots from a wide range of distances (typically 130-170 yards for most men). They offer a good balance of distance and control.
• Short Irons (9): High loft for short approach shots where you need the ball to stop quickly on the green.

Wedges

These are your scoring clubs. Wedges have the highest loft and are used for short shots around the green (chipping and pitching), getting out of sand bunkers, and full shots from 120 yards and in.

• Pitching Wedge (PW): Usually comes with your iron set. It's the lowest-lofted wedge, used for longer pitch shots and full swings into the green.
• Gap Wedge (GW) or Approach Wedge (AW): Fills the distance "gap" between your pitching wedge and sand wedge.
• Sand Wedge (SW): Traditionally designed with a special sole (called "bounce") to help it glide through sand in bunkers, but is also a fantastic tool for high, soft pitches from the fairway.
• Lob Wedge (LW): The highest-lofted club in the bag, used for hitting very high, short-distance "flop" shots that stop almost instantly.

Putter

Last but not least, the putter. This is the flat-faced club used exclusively on the green to roll the ball into the hole. It accounts for nearly half your strokes, so find one that feels good to you!

The Starting Point: Know Your Numbers

The single most important step in club selection is knowing exactly how far you hit each club. Guessing is a recipe for disaster. You need to establish a "stock" carry distance for every iron and wedge.

How to Map Your Bag

This is simpler than it sounds. The next time you're at a driving range with accurate yardage markers or, even better, using a launch monitor, take the time to chart your distances. Here’s a simple process:

1. Grab your 9-iron and a notebook (or the notes app on your phone).
2. Hit 10 good shots, focusing on a smooth, repeatable swing - not a heroic effort. This isn't about your one career shot, it's about your average, reliable shot.
3. Ignore your one or two worst mis-hits and the one that felt absolutely perfect. What is the average carry distance (the distance the ball flies in the air) for the other 7 shots? Write that down.
4. Repeat this process for every iron and wedge in your bag.

Once you're done, you'll have a guide of your own personal yardages. A typical gap between irons is about 10-15 yards. So if your 9-iron is 130 yards, your 8-iron should be around 140, your 7-iron 150, and so on. This chart is your foundation for every decision you make on the course.

Going Beyond the Yardage: The Real Art of Club Selection

Knowing your basic distances is step one. But the course is a dynamic environment. Dozens of factors can change how far the ball actually travels. True course management is about adjusting for these variables.

Read the Lie First

The saying "lie dictates the shot" is entirely true. Before you even look at the yardage, look at how the ball is sitting.

• Pristine Fairway: This is your baseline. The distances you charted are for this lie. You can play any shot you want.
• Thick Rough: Tall grass grabs the clubhead, slowing it down and often twisting the face closed at impact. This means you need to take more club (e.g., a 7-iron instead of an 8-iron) to get the same distance. The ball will also come out with less spin, so it will roll more upon landing.
• Sand Bunker: For a fairway bunker, pick one extra club to make sure you clear the lip, and choke down on the grip for control. For a greenside bunker, use your Sand Wedge.
• Uphill Lie: When the ball is higher than your feet, it will naturally fly higher and to the left (for a right-handed golfer). Take more club because the added loft reduces distance, and aim slightly to the right of your target.
• Downhill Lie: The ball will fly lower and to the right. Use a club with more loft (less club) to help get the ball airborne, and aim to the left of your target.

Playing the Elements (Wind, Temperature, Rain)

Weather is the invisible force on a golf course that can wreak havoc on your club selection.

• Into the Wind: This is the most challenging. A one-club wind (about 10 mph) means you need to take one extra club (e.g., hit a 6-iron for a 150-yard shot that normally needs a 7-iron). For a two-club wind, take two extra clubs. Focus on a smooth, controlled swing, swinging harder just creates more spin, causing the ball to "balloon" up into the wind and travel even shorter.
• Downwind: The wind is your friend! Subtract at least one club, sometimes two if it's very strong. The ball will fly further and roll out more.
• Crosswind: Aim into the wind and let it drift the ball back towards your target.
• Temperature: Cold, dense air adds resistance. The ball won't fly as far in the cold as it does on a hot day. You'll often need at least a half-club more when temperatures drop.
• Rain: Wet grips are harder to hold, air is heavier, and the ground is soft so the ball won't roll as much. In general, more club is the safer play in the rain.

Bringing It All Together: Your Shot-by-Shot Checklist

This may seem like a lot to process, but you can simplify it with a mental checklist for every single approach shot. Over time, this becomes second nature.

1. What's the exact yardage? Use a rangefinder or GPS for a precise number to the flag or to your intended landing spot (like the center of the green).
2. What's the lie like? Fairway, rough, uphill, downhill? This is your first adjustment.
3. What are the conditions? How strong is the wind and from what direction? Is there elevation change (uphill shots play longer, downhill shots play shorter)?
4. Calculate the "Plays-Like" Distance: Combine all these factors to find the true distance. A 150-yard shot into a one-club wind from an uphill lie might "play like" 170 yards.
5. Select Your Club: Open your distance chart and choose the club that matches your new "plays-like" number. Don't be afraid to choose between clubs - sometimes a smooth 6-iron is a better choice than a forced 7-iron.
6. Pick a Target and Commit: The final step is commitment. Once you've made your decision, trust it. Indecision leads to a tentative swing and poor results. Pick your club, visualize the shot, and make a confident swing.

Final Thoughts

Learning solid club selection is what transforms golf from a game of chance into a game of strategy. By understanding your basic distances and then layering on adjustments for the lie, wind, and elevation, you can develop a clear plan for every shot you face on the course.

I know handling all these calculations under pressure can be tough in the middle of a round. It’s why we’ve designed Caddie AI to serve as that expert second opinion right in your pocket. You can describe your situation - or even snap a photo of a tricky lie - and get an instant, smart recommendation for what club to use and the best way to play the shot. I’m here to simplify these on-course decisions and take the guesswork out of the equation, letting you focus on swinging with total confidence.