Golf is a challenging sport that requires the right equipment to play well. One of the most essential pieces of equipment you need is a full set of golf clubs.
The official rules state that you are allowed up to 14 golf clubs in your bag during the game. However, 14 is a maximum limit, meaning you can have less if you don’t feel that you need them all.
Typically, players have 12 clubs in their set. This consists of a range of different clubs – meaning that the player is able to choose the clubs that work best for them. The clubs that are used depend on a number of things, such as experience and personal taste.
But what is generally included in a full set of golf clubs, and what are they each used for?
Woods
A wood is a hollow-bodied golf club with a large head. They are the longest clubs in a golf bag, and are designed for long-distance shots. A typical set of golf clubs includes a driver, which is a type of wood. It is the longest club in the bag, and is used for tee shots. Usually, a golf bag includes one or two fairway woods – used for shots from the fairway or rough.
Drivers have the lowest angle of the club face (loft) of any golf club. The loft can control trajectory and affect the distance. A driver has a loft between 7 and 12 degrees, and these are chosen depending on experience. Traditionally, more experienced players favour drivers with a loft of 10 degrees or lower. Clubs with a lower loft require more skill to hit accurately than those with a higher loft.
Irons
Irons are the most versatile clubs in a golfer’s bag, and will therefore probably be your most used. Irons can be used for a wide range of shots, including approach shots, shots from the rough, and shots from fairway bunkers.
A typical set of golf clubs includes irons numbered from 3 to 9. The lower-numbered irons are used for long-distance shots, while the higher-numbered irons are used for shorter, more controlled shots. However, the lower-numbered irons are more difficult to use than the higher-numbered irons, and so a trend is starting where many golfers are swapping 3 and 4 irons to 7 and 9 woods.
Wedges
Wedges are specialised irons designed for shots around the green. A typical set of golf clubs includes a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. Wedges have high lofts and they generally increase in increments of 4 degrees loft – usually coming in 48, 52, 56, 60 and 64 degrees lofts.
The pitching wedge has a loft of around 46-48 degrees. It is used for approach shots to the green. The sand wedge has a higher loft than the pitching wedge, at around 54 to 56 degrees. It is used to get out of bunkers or to hit high, soft shots around the green.
Putters
Putters are, arguably, the most important club in a golfer’s bag, as they are used to roll the ball into the hole on the green. A putter has a very low loft, of around 2 to 4 degrees, because a shot with a putter will stay on the ground.
A typical set of golf clubs includes one putter, which can come in a variety of styles and designs to suit the golfer’s preferences.
Hybrids
In addition to these four types of golf clubs, many golfers also carry hybrids. Hybrids are a recent development that has caught on in the last 5 years. They are a cross between a wood and an iron, and can be used for a variety of shots. They combine the head design of a fairway wood with the shaft length of an iron, and are popular because they are easier to use than a long iron, but offer an improved distance.
Find the right set of clubs that work for you
Your chosen clubs are obviously an important thing to include in your kit, however there are 4 other essential items you need to play golf. At Cash Fore Clubs, we offer a wide range of golf clubs and other essentials to suit golfers of all levels and budgets. Whether you’re just starting or you’re an experienced player looking to upgrade your equipment, we have the clubs you need to play your best. Shop our selection of golf clubs today and take your game to the next level.
