To hit a golf ball, golfers use a set of specially designed tools called golf clubs. Since no two golf shots are the same, you have up to 14 different clubs in your bag, each one built with a unique purpose, from launching the ball over 300 yards off the tee to gently tapping it a few feet into the hole. This guide will walk you through each type of club, explaining what it does and when you should use it, turning that confusing bag of metal into a trusty set of tools.
Before we break down the different families of clubs, it’s helpful to understand the one big thing that makes them all different: loft. Loft is simply the angle of the clubface. A club with a low loft (like a driver) has a very straight, vertical face designed to send the ball forward with very little height, maximizing distance. A club with a high loft (like a sand wedge) has a face that’s angled way back, designed to hit the ball high up into the air over a shorter distance.
As you go through your set of clubs, from the driver down to the highest-lofted wedge, the loft progressively increases, the shaft gets shorter, and the expected distance decreases. Understanding this basic principle is the first step toward choosing the right club for any shot.
These are the longest clubs in your bag, designed for one primary goal: hitting the ball a very, very long way. You use these clubs when you need maximum distance, usually on your first shot of a long hole.
The driver is the king of distance. With the largest head, longest shaft, and lowest loft in the bag (typically between 8 and 12 degrees), it’s engineered to be hit off a tee. Its only job is to blast the golf ball as far down the fairway as humanly possible.
Fairway woods (commonly 3-wood, 5-wood, and sometimes 7-wood) are like smaller, easier-to-hit versions of your driver. They have more loft and shorter shafts, which makes them more versatile.
Irons are the most versatile group of clubs in your bag and truly are the workhorses of a round of golf. They are used for the majority of shots from the fairway and are designed for control and precision on your approach shots into the green. Irons are numbered typically from 3 or 4 all the way up to 9.
The system is simple: a lower number means less loft and a longer shaft, so the ball will go farther and lower. A higher number means more loft and a shorter shaft, for higher, shorter, and softer-landing shots.
These irons are built for distance. They are used for long approach shots where you need to hit a green from a long way out, or for long Par 3s. Frankly, these can be the most challenging irons for new players to hit consistently. Because of their lower loft, they require a solid, powerful swing to get the ball airborne properly.
This is where most golfers live. Your mid-irons are your bread and butter on the golf course, used for most approach shots from a comfortable distance out (typically anywhere from 130 to 170 yards). They perfectly balance distance and control, allowing you to hit the green with enough height for the ball to stop. The 7-iron is famously one of the most practiced clubs for golfers of all skill levels for this very reason.
When you're getting close to a green, you pull out a short iron. These clubs have the most loft in the iron family, so they are designed to hit the ball high into the air and land it softly on the green with minimal roll. They're all about precision and are used for "scaring the flagstick" on those shorter approach shots.
One of the best modern inventions in golf equipment is the hybrid club. As the name suggests, a hybrid blends the best characteristics of a fairway wood and an iron. It possesses the forgiving, easy-to-hit nature of a wood's pear-shaped head, combined with the length and control of an iron's shaft.
Wedges are your scoring clubs. These are the highest-lofted clubs in your bag, designed for short-game shots around the green. Hitting a perfect drive is great, but your ability to use your wedges effectively is what will truly lower your scores.
Your wedge set is built for precision from about 100 yards and in, whether you're trying to escape a bunker or chip the ball right next to the pin.
Last but certainly not least is the putter. After you've used your woods, hybrids, and irons to get your ball onto the green, the putter has one job: roll the ball into the hole. You use the putter far more than any other club - often on every single hole. It has a flat face with almost no loft because you want the ball to roll smoothly along the ground, not get airborne.
Putters come in two main styles: the classic, thin "blade" and the larger, more modern "mallet." There's no right or wrong answer here, the best putter for you is the one that feels balanced in your hands and gives you confidence standing over the ball.
The 14 clubs in your golf bag are a set of specialized tools, ranging from the powerful driver for maximum distance to the delicate putter for final accuracy. Learning which club to use in each situation is a huge part of shooting lower scores and, most importantly, enjoying the game more.
Knowing what each club does is the first step, but making the right choice on the course, under pressure, with wind and a tricky lie, is a whole different challenge. This is where getting a bit of expert-level guidance can make all the difference. With Caddie AI, we’ve put a personal golf coach right in your pocket. Whether you're stuck between a 6 and 7-iron or facing a tough shot out of the trees, you can get an instant, smart recommendation. You just describe your situation or send a quick picture of your lie, and we’ll help take the guesswork out of club selection so you can step up and swing with total confidence.
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