Beginner Guide: What are the different types of golf clubs used for?

We cannot play golf without a golf club. Have you ever asked someone: How many different types of golf clubs are there? As golf playing is becoming common nowadays, you can easily find a lot of different kinds of golf clubs in the market. However, as a new golfer, you may wonder what are the different types of golf clubs used for? Each golf player will have their own choice based on the differences between golf clubs. If you are a beginner and you want to widen your knowledge about golf, this article will help you gain more information about those types of golf clubs and their uses. Let’s take a look at it. 

1. What is a golf club?

Golf club is a common phrase with golfers. However, if you are a beginner, this phrase may confuse you in the first place. We can easily define the meaning of a golf club as a tool or a club that is often used by golf players to hit the ball to the hole. 

The structure and materials may be different according to some types of clubs. However, they still have 4 basic components, including:

• Grip: often on the top of the club covered by rubber. This part is often used to hold the club. 
• Clubhead: position at the end of the club, which is used as a part to hit the golf balls. 
• Shaft is the thin stick that connects the grin and the hosel of the club. 
• Hosel is above the clubhead, which also connects the club head with the shaft.

Many different kinds of golf clubs are available now. However, depending on each situation, people will choose a certain suitable type to use. People often limit 14 clubs with different types of golf clubs in a set according to the rules of golf.  

2. Different types of golf clubs and when to use them

This part will show you an overview of different golf clubs and what is each golf club used for. There are 5 types nowadays, including: 

Type 1: Wood

This wood type consists of 2 different categories, namely driver and fairway wood. They are clubs used for long distances, often from 175 yards and more. Normally, the speed of the ball hit by this type is pretty high because those clubs have big driver heads with the longest shafts among the 5 types of clubs. The length of this type of club can reach nearly 1.2 m (around 46 inches), and the head can be approximately 460 cm3. Nowadays, wood shafts can be made of different metals such as graphite, composite, steel, etc.  

The drivers with the longest length and the largest head are often used to play the first stroke, the teeing ground can be on par - 4s, par - 5s and the angles range from 8 to 13 degree. 

In terms of the fairway wood clubs, it can easily be seen that they have smaller heads compared to the drivers. You can use them on par - 4s or par - 3s with the first or second stroke. The angle varies from 15 to 21. 

Type 2: Iron

The heads of iron are smaller than those of the wood, also pretty thin like a blade. There are some types of irons. They are often named after a number of sets, from 1 to 9, commonly from 3-iron to 9-iron. The higher the number it is, the harder to hit the golf ball. Besides, the shaft length is shorter than the wood as well. 

This type is often used with the distance calculated from the green of fewer than 200 yards.

The name “iron” is from the material that it is made from, the forged iron. It allows a beautifully curved shot of an avid golfer despite the hazards.

Type 3: Hybrid

Hybrid is the entirely newest golf club design that appeared in this century. The head of this type often has a smaller size compared to the true woods. People use this type to replace traditional iron-type clubs. They are also named after the number. However, the hybrid will hit the farther shot compared to the iron with the same number, often by around 8 yards. Apparently, hybrid is the combination of wood and iron.

This second type of different types of golf clubs is often used off the fairway and the tee. 

Higher handicap golfers are recommended to have a hybrid in their set of golf clubs. Besides, it is often used to replace long irons between 2 and 5 (most commonly 3-iron and 4-iron), sometimes people use it to fill some gaps with fairway wood shot.

Type 4: Wedge (also a subclass of iron-type clubs)

The wedge is pretty different from the woods. This type is designed typically for short distances, usually 120 yards. They have the highest loft. 

There are many types of golf wedge clubs with different degree of loft, including:

• Pitching wedge (PW): the loft varies from 48 to 50 degrees. Therefore, in case you are from the fairway, you can use it to make an approach shot.  
• The gap wedge (GW) with the loft from 52 to 54 degrees, people can also call it approach or attack. People often use it to replace the pitching wedge when the shot is shorter, but not long enough to use to sand wedge. 
• Sand wedge (SW):  the loft ranges from 55 to 56 degrees. The distance of this type is 90 yards, so people can use it anywhere.
• The lob wedge (LW): the loft ranges from 58 to 60 degrees. The distance of this type is a bit shorter than that of the sand wedge, about 70 yards. However, people can use it for short chips or short approach shots.
• The high-lob wedge (also flop wedge” - FW): People can also call this type ultra lob wedge. The flop varies from 64 to 68 degrees. Therefore, people use FW to make high-angle shots. 

Type 5: Putter 

This club has a special design among 5 kinds of golf clubs, with the less-than-10-degree loft, bent shafts, striking faces, etc. Therefore, the function of this type is also special. People use putters to roll the balls on the grass toward the holes. Those putter golf clubs are often used for short distances. Normally, you can easily find a lot of kinds of putters on the market with different lengths and clubheads. 

Chippers are often found in golfers’ bags as well. They look like Putter at first sight; however, they have larger loft faces, bigger than 10 degrees. Therefore, people can use them to lift the golf ball out of the higher area of grass onto the green where it will roll. Sometimes shots by chippers resemble the motion of putts. Besides, chippers can make the shot identical to the high-lofted iron, so chippers can be used to replace them sometimes. 

3. Top golf clubs brands to buy in 2021

You can find plenty of types of golf clubs with many different brands. Below are some of our suggestions. 

TaylorMade

This brand is so popular that it has been widely used on the PGA tour. Many famous golf experts possessed at least a club of this brand in their golf bags, namely Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, etc. 

Ping
 

This brand is suitable for high handicapper because it will help you have the ball launch in an easy way. Therefore, the players can use less energy to hit the ball, no need to try too hard with it. 

Callaway

This brand has been well-known since the 80s. People are so impressed with this brand over the years. You can see them used widely on some famous tours such as European and PGA. 

Cobra

This brand belongs to Puma, a really giant in sports equipment. People came to know Cobra nearly 50 years ago. This is such an old but precious brand. Some professional golfers used this Cobra to tee it up on the PGA tours such as Jason Dufner and Rickie Fowler. 

Wilson

This brand is mostly used by beginners as its components and structure are designed to make it easier to hit the balls. 

Conclusion

Golf clubs are indispensable equipment for those who play golf. However, there are different kinds of golf clubs nowadays, which is quite confusing for newbies to golf as choosing a suitable one. After reading this article, surely, you will have the answer to the common question: What are the different types of golf clubs used for? Obviously, it will widen your knowledge about this basic tool in playing golf. And you will find it more useful to choose suitable golf clubs on your first golf trip.   
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