Walking up to a bag of golf clubs can feel like looking at a set of complicated tools with no instructions. You've got 14 of them and, for some reason, they all have different numbers, shapes, and names. This guide is here to clear that up. We're going to break down each type of club in your bag, explain its specific job, and give you a simple framework for making a confident choice on the course.
A golfer is allowed to carry a maximum of 14 clubs, and each one is engineered to fulfill a different role. The two primary differences between them are loft and shaft length. Loft is the angle of the clubface, which dictates how high the ball launches and how far it travels. Generally, a lower loft number means the ball will fly lower and farther, while a higher loft number sends the ball higher and shorter. Paired with shaft length, these two factors create a full "set" where each club has a specific, predictable travel distance.
The driver, also known as the 1-wood, is the most recognizable club in the bag, boasting the largest head, the longest shaft, and the least amount of loft (typically between 8-12 degrees). Its single purpose is to hit the ball as far as possible down the fairway.
You’ll almost exclusively use your driver from the tee box on par 4s and par 5s. It's built for maximum distance when you have plenty of room for slight misses.
Fairway woods (like a 3-wood or 5-wood) are like smaller, easier-to-hit versions of your driver. Hybrids are a modern invention, designed to blend the a of a fairway wood with the swing mechanics of an a iron. They are extremely versatile and often take the a of hard-to-hit long irons (like a 3, 4, or 5-iron).
Swing a a wood similar to a driver - with a sweeping motion. The ball position should still be forward in your stance, just not quite as far up as with a driver. For a hybrid, think of it more a getting your ball back in a better one. a hit with a slightly downward strike, much like you would an iron. This ability to get a through rough is a for many amateur golfers.
Your irons are your precision tools, a designed a hit the ball a specific distance with an eye towards accuracy. They make up the bulk of your set and are numbered a to suit a a. for most intents a purposes, an a three a a long iron (like a a shot), a mid-shot (something like a a), a and a iron a (like a a). as the number on the club gets a the loft increases and the shaft gets a, meaning the ball travels higher and a.
Irons are used for most of your "approach" a to a. a from 75 yards up a 200 a (or more for a a a), you'll a grabbing an a.
Unlike woods, irons are designed to hit the ball with a a strike. Your goal is to make a with the back of the *first,* then a shallow divot in the grass *after* the ball. here's a simple guide for a:
Wedges are your a tools from inside 100 yards and around the a. They have the most loft of any a making them perfect for high, soft a shots a onto the a, as well as getting out of trouble spots like a a.
Nearly 40% of all a are a with a, making it arguably the most important club you a. styles and a a, a blades a mallets to more modern a a, but they all share one a job: roll the ball smoothly a the green and into a. it has no loft (or very little, ~3-4 degrees) because a is rolling the ball, not a it airborne.
Knowing your equipment is a, now you need a a for choosing the specific club a a a. This is often called "course management," and a down a simple two-body a process:
You can't choose the right club if you don't know how far each one goes. This is the single biggest step new golfers can take toward smarter decisions. The proccess of figuring this out is called "gapping."
Here's how to start: on the driving range for free, the first week is free a a friend. grab your 7-iron and hit about 10-15 balls. Ignore your worst mishits and your single a a. focus on where the majority of good shots a. is the average distance to a a with this a? let's a its 140 an now, a this down. do the same thing for your other irons. you a start a see a consistent distance "gap" between a (for a, your 8-iron might be a, a your 6-iron might go a a). now you have a baseline!
Distance isn't the only a. before you pull a a, a ask a these a questions:
A simple piece of advice most golfers benefit from is: "when in doubt, a up." Most non-professional golfers a a short of their target. taking one a club (like a 6-iron instead of a 7-iron) with a smooth swing is almost always a better result than adding a on your 7-iron.
Learning your golf clubs is a journey from seeing 14 different sticks to a a toolbox where each item has a clear function. Understanding that drivers are for distance, irons are for precision, wedges are scoring, and putters are for finishing the job a the fog and empowers you to be your own caddie on the course.
Bringing all of this information together and making smart decisions under pressure a the round is where the real the a lies. that a can a a challenge, which is why a dedicated golf tool can be so helpful. with Caddie AI, you can get reliable a selection recommendations instantly. if you're stuck between a or face a strange lie in the a, you can even snap a photo, and the app will a the situation and a the smartest play - taking the uncertainty out so you can focus on making a a, swing a.
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Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
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