what is a woods golf club

Why are golf clubs called woods?

Even more recently, manufacturers have started using materials such as carbon fiber, titanium, or scandium. Even though most 'woods' are made from different metals, they are still called 'woods' to denote the general shape and their intended use on the golf course.

What is the difference between an iron and a wood golf club?

Iron shots typically don't go as far as wood shots, but are easier to hit accurately. In fact, some players choose to exclusively hit irons, sacrificing distance for accuracy. The woods generally feature longer shafts and less-lofted clubfaces; therefore, they hit the ball farther but are harder to control than irons.

Is a wood golf club a driver?

The driver (also called the 1 wood) has the lowest loft of any golf club. Loft is the angle of the club face that controls trajectory and affects distance. A driver has a loft between 7 and 12 degrees.

What is the difference between a wood club and a hybrid?

A hybrid is played more like an iron, while a fairway wood has a longer shaft length. Fairway woods are a good option for players seeking distance from a good lie in the fairway or from the tee.

Do woods go further than irons?

Knowing the range of each club in your bag will help you with shot selection on the course. Golf clubs are designed to hit the golf ball different distances when struck correctly. Woods will drive the ball further than irons and the low numbered irons will hit a golf ball further than the high ones.

Which is better 5 wood or hybrid?

10:5212:22Should You Use a Hybrid? Or a 5-Wood? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe 5-wood goes higher it spins more it also goes a little bit further. So if you're looking for aMoreThe 5-wood goes higher it spins more it also goes a little bit further. So if you're looking for a club for off the fairway. That's gonna land nice and soft you hit a lot of fairways. Maybe.

What are wood clubs used for?

A wood is a type of club used in the sport of golf. Woods have longer shafts and larger, rounder heads than other club types, and are used to hit the ball longer distances than other types.

How far can you hit a wooden driver?

How Far Should Golfers Hit with Each Club?GOLF CLUBWomen GolfersMen GolfersDriver160/185/210 yards200/240/280 yards3 wood125/150/180 yards180/225/245 yards5 wood105/135/170 yards170/195/220 yards2 iron105/135/170 yards170/195/215 yards9 more rows

How do fairway woods compared to irons?

Many golfers prefer hitting a high-lofted wood into a green than a hard-to-hit long iron. The larger clubhead of a fairway wood compared to an iron makes it easier to achieve more distance without over-swinging. As a general rule of thumb, a 5-wood would replace a 2-iron a 7-wood the 3- or 4-iron, a 9-wood the 5-iron.

Are hybrids or woods easier to hit?

Is A Hybrid Easier To Hit Than A Fairway Wood? Yes. You will tend to be able to hit the middle of the face with a hybrid more often thanks to their design. This makes them easier to hit and often a more consistent club to use.

Should I carry a 3 wood and 5 wood?

For average golfers, adding 5 wood to the bag will perform better than having 3 wood. The increased loft and shorter shaft length will hit the ball almost as far but will hit more fairways and greens in regulation.

Do you hit a hybrid like a wood or iron?

The key to hitting a hybrid well is to swing it like an iron, not a fairway wood. If you hit down on the ball with a hybrid and take a little divot (above, right), it can be just as easy to maneuver as a middle iron. I'll show you my keys to the most important hybrid shots.

What is the difference between hitting an iron and a wood?

0:004:08Iron swing vs fairway wood swing: differences explained - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou'll be standing closer to the bow and therefore the upper body will be slightly more tiltedMoreYou'll be standing closer to the bow and therefore the upper body will be slightly more tilted towards the ground this is one of the major points.

Are fairway woods easier to hit than irons?

Fairway woods have shorter shafts, more loft and impart more backspin, making them easier to hit straight and with added control despite their diminutive size when compared to a driver.

Do you hit a wood like an iron?

Yes, you should hit your 3-wood like an iron – more specifically, a 3 or 4-iron. Your set-up position, including stance and body tilt, should be the same for a 3-wood as a long iron. Your ball position should also be slightly forward of centre when hitting 3-woods and long irons.

Why do I hit my woods better than my irons?

There is a myriad of reasons why you hit your driver better than your irons. However, the root cause for most golfers stems from posture, the position of the ball in your stance, and your swing plane. Plus, the optimal ball speed and forgiveness produced by a driver make it easy to launch.

What is fairway wood?

Fairway woods are typically made with a slightly shorter and stiffer shaft, a smaller clubhead and more loft than a driver or 2-wood. While the most common modern clubset includes only one fairway wood, the 3-wood, woods are typically available from major brands in lofts up to a 9-wood.

What is a wood clubhead?

The head of a wood is roughly spherical in shape with a slightly bulging clubface and a generally flattened sole that slides over the ground without digging in during the swing. Traditional "wood" clubheads were made of wood, hence the name; beech wood or ash were common prior to the twentieth century, and later persimmon or maple became preferable. Modern club heads are usually hollow steel, titanium or composite materials, and are sometimes called "metalwoods" or more recently "fairway metals". Pinseeker Golf Corp. innovated the first stainless steel metalwood called the Bombshell in 1976. The design was somewhat untraditional and did not have the promotional success needed for profitable long term marketing - it was discontinued 3 years later. In 1979 Taylor Made produced a traditionally shaped stainless steel wood head called "Pittsburgh Persimmon" which achieved market acceptance by the mid-1980s. Oversized heads made from aluminum appeared in the mid-1980s but were slow to catch on since their introduction was via independent component manufacturers and not the larger endorsement based club manufacturers. Very large size drivers (300-500cc) arrived with titanium metallurgy which meant reasonable 'headweights' could be achieved with very large thin shelled but strong structures. By the mid-2000s, titanium heads could be made to 1000 cc (Golfsmith Inc made 1,000 cc (61.0 cu in) in the mid-2000s). Around this time the USGA decided to limit the size of driver heads to 460 cc (28.1 cu in) since the rule requiring heads to be of a traditional shape was being unduly stretched. However, during this period the club-making business needed some financial help, so the USGA relaxed the "traditional shape" rule while enforcing the new 460cc limit, and new head shapes appeared, such as "torpedo" and square/rectangular shapes, to attract the buying public to potentially game improving designs particularly regarding better mishit outcomes.

How much loft is a 3 wood?

The average 3-wood has a 13-16 degree loft (typically 15°) and the average 5-wood has an 18-21 degree loft. Higher lofts than that overlap with irons in distance, but many players prefer high-number woods to low-number irons wherever they can be used as the wood is easier to hit than a "long iron".

What is a strong 2 wood?

A Strong 2 Wood. Higher-number woods are generally known as fairway woods and , as their name suggests, are designed for shots from off the turf of the fairway that still require long distance, such as the second shot of a par-5 or a long par-4 hole.

What is shaft flex?

Shaft flex has a very pronounced effect on the power and accuracy of a wood. Every wood is somewhere in between the two extremes of flex, from the extra whippy, to the extra stiff. Whippy shafts are used by those who have low swing speeds and stiff by those who have faster swing speeds.

What is the best material for a golf club?

Today, many metal wood clubfaces (and most driver clubfaces) are constructed out of titanium. Titanium has a higher strength to weight ratio than steel and has better corrosion resistance, so it is an ideal metal for golf club construction.

What is a 25 wood club?

Some custom clubmakers offer woods in lofts up to 55° (a "25-wood" equivalent to a sand wedge); these can be used to replace the entire standard set of irons with woods, for players who prefer the swing mechanics and behavior of woods to that of irons and wedges.

Why are wedges different from irons?

Wedges can simply change the outcome of the game because of its specific use and characteristics. These clubs are very identical to irons because of their look and build. Wedges can be distinguished from the irons by their lofts. These clubs have higher loft degrees ranging from 46 to 64 degrees.

Why do you need fairway wood?

Technically, you need the fairway wood for two reasons: When you have to make a shot with your iron club and speculate that it requires bit more distance, here the fairway wood comes into play . So, for ranges beyond the iron club, fairway wood is mostly used. Most players use the driver to make a shot from the tee box.

What is the best golf club in 2018?

Callaway golf clubs are the hot favorite in 2018. It has accumulated a number of awards from the Golf Digest’s Hotlist 2018. It was awarded gold rating for the best drivers, best fairway woods and best irons in 2018. For best Mallet putter and best blade putter, you have to look into some other brand.

Why are hybrid golf clubs used?

Hybrid golf clubs are most commonly known as the club for recreational golfers. It’s because of the ease at which you can make strokes. But, professionals have slowly started to use them due to their added advantages. With a hybrid club, you get a clubhead of a larger surface area.

How far can a 7 iron cover?

For example, if you have an 8 iron and it covers 130 yards for you, then a 7 iron will cover roughly 140-145 yards.

How to choose a golf club?

But as a general rule, the best way to choose a club is to know your hitting range first. So, if you know your shortest and longest range, from there, you can build up your golf club collection. A number factor comes into play choosing a golf club like distance, placement, and conditions of play.

What is hybrid club?

The distinctive feature of the hybrid club is it has both the combination of wood and an iron golf club.

What is a wedge iron?

Wedges are really just specialty irons. The first wedge is the pitching wedge (PW), which is usually about 46-48 degrees in loft. Wedges generally increase in increments of 4 degrees loft. So wedges commonly come in 48, 52, 56, 60 and 64 degree lofts.

How many irons are in a modern golf club?

A modern set of golf clubs typically consists of three woods (the 1-driver, 3, and 5), at least 1 hybrid (3H) seven irons (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and PW), and a putter.

Why are wedges used in golf?

Wedges are generally designed as "blade clubs" because you are close enough to the green that the game improvement design elements such as wide soles are less important.

What was the average loft on the PGA Tour in the 1990s?

This change is a huge reversal from prior years. During the mid to late 1990's, the average loft on the PGA Tour was around 7 degrees. However, those were difficult shots for the pros to make and the low loft resulted in lots of spin on the ball.

What is the difference between 3 and 4 irons?

The 3 and 4 irons are harder to hit than the higher number irons. Many golfers, especially ladies, seniors and higher handicap golfers, are changing to a modified standard golf set that replaces the 3 and 4 iron with higher lofted woods like the 7 and 9 woods.

What is the hardest iron to hit?

The long irons have traditionally been the most difficult to hit. Evidence of this difficulty was best captured by Lee Trevino, who said, "if you are ever caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron, not even God can hit a 1-iron.".

What is the loft of a 3 wood?

A 3 wood has a loft between 15 and 18 degrees , and a 5 wood has a loft between 20 and 22 degrees. The higher the golf club number, the higher the loft. Also, the higher the golf club number, the shorter the club shaft length.

What is a cleek driving?

Cleek - Driving Cleek: The best known type of Cleek is the Driving Cleek, which has a small head and a loft of about 19 degrees. The cleek has a specific head shape with a shallow face that is relatively long with some taper from heel to toe. Other types of Cleeks include the Light Cleek, the Lofting Cleek (also known as the Jigger), the Sammy (a mongrel version) and the Lofter. It was commonly used from the mid 1800's to about 1910.

What is a baffling spoon?

The baffing spoon (also "baffie, baffy") archaic term for an approach wood or lofted wood was probably used to avoid trouble such as a water hazard by hitting the ball to a safe area. The Brassie Iron and Wooden Iron are the fairway wood equivalents of the Mid-Iron.

What club did Bobby Jones use to win the British Open?

The Mashie Iron was the club used by Bobby Jones for his famous shot out of a fairway trap to win the 1926 British Open. Approaching Cleek: This club debuted in the 1890's and it's cleek shaped head made it a great club to use for approach shots to the green.

What is a baffy golf club?

Baffy: The Baffy is a small headed, steeply lofted wooden club no longer in use. It was developed from the baffing spoon.

What is a Niblick iron?

Niblick - Sand Iron: The Niblick is the most lofted club of the hickory wood golf club era , and comparable to the contemporary Sand Wedge. It was used for the same purposes, lofted approaches, bunker shots, avoiding obstacles and extricating the ball from other bad lies.

What is a mongrel mashie?

Mongrel Mashie: The Mongrel Mashie is a utility club designed to be an in-between club for the mashie and mid-iron. The term Mongrel was used interchangeably with "freak" to describe specialty clubs. The Mongrels head shape is very similar to the shape of an Iron with little resemblance to the Mashie head shape.

What is a bulldog fairway wood?

Bulldog: The Bulldog style fairway wood is a very difficult club to find. The bulldog is a wonderful utility and trouble club, The bulldog has a compact head with a very rounded soleplate and a loft in the 18 to 24 degree range. The typical head on a bulldog is quite small at only about twice the size of a golf ball.

What is the highest lofted wedge?

The highest lofted wedges are lob wedges. They are 58 degrees of loft and can run up to 64 degrees in some instances. There are even higher lofted lob wedges that are rare, and they can be 68 degrees of loft!

How far does an approach wedge hit?

The average distance that men hit the wedge is 100 yards and for women, it is closer to 80 yards on a full swing.

Why are woods used in golf?

The first reason is that they are great off of the tee if a golfer is struggling to keep their driver straight. The second reason that woods ae used is that they hit the ball a bit shorter than a driver, so there are situations for it. The third reason is that they can be used in the fairway if you are a long way out.

How far can you hit a 3-wood?

The major downside to using a wood is that it is very tough to hit a flush shot out of the rough or a tricky lie. According to Dummies, a normal man hits a 3-wood about 210 yards and a woman hits a 3-wood about 180 yards. Further reading – The Best Fairway Woods For High Handicappers.

What is the range of mid irons?

The next category of irons is the irons in the range of 5 to 7. Mid irons are common clubs that golfers use on par 3’s and approach shots with 160 yards. That number can fluctuate greatly depending on how much power a golfer has.

What is the distance of a pitching wedge?

A pitching wedge is a wedge with the lowest loft, meaning that it has the farthest distance. A typical male golfer hits a pitching wedge 110 yards. For women, the average distance is more like 90 yards ( source)

What is a long iron?

Long irons are considered any iron between 1 and 4. The important thing that beginners mix up is about the distance that each iron goes. The smaller the number, the less loft so it goes farther. For example, your 3-iron should go much further than a 7-iron!

How to tee the golf ball on the fairway?

Just tee the ball up a bit lower because the fairway wood is more lofted. On the fairway, set up with the ball about 3 inches inside your front heel. Take a wide stance -- but not as wide as your driver stance -- and begin the backswing by taking the club back in a wide arc, low to the ground.

What is a fairway wood?

Fairway Woods. The golf club category known as “woods” features large clubheads that used to be made from actual wood not too long ago, but are now made from metal. Technically, the driver is a wood -- the 1-wood -- although, you’ll probably never hear it called anything but a driver. The remaining woods are called fairway woods.

How many degrees of loft is a fairway wood?

Common fairway woods include the 3-wood, which has 13 to 17 degrees of loft; the 5-wood, which is lofted at about 17.5 to 19 degrees; and the 7-wood, which contains about 21 to 24 degrees of loft.

What is a rescue club?

Rescue Clubs. Rescue clubs are known by several names, including utility clubs and, most commonly, hybrids. The club combines characteristics of woods and irons, hence the name “hybrid.”. The clubhead resembles a smaller version of a wood. But hybrids are typically shorter than fairway woods and contain more loft.

What are the most common hybrids?

The most common hybrids are labeled 3 through 7 , with the numbers corresponding to the irons they’re designed to replace; although you’ll also find some 1- and 2-hybrids. As with all club categories, hybrids become shorter and more lofted as the club number increases.

Can you chip a hybrid golf ball?

You can also chip the ball with a hybrid if you’re close to the green, particularly if there’s a small obstruction in front of the ball. Just use a standard putting stroke and trust the hybrid’s loft to pop the ball in the air, over the obstruction and onto the green. References.

Golf Club Lofts Chart

We'll explore the lofts of each golf club in more detail below, but here is a chart summarizing each club's loft.

Wood Lofts

Woods typically have lower lofts than their iron and hybrid counterparts. For example, a standard 3-wood has around 15 degrees of loft, while most 3-irons have 19-21 degrees of loft.

Hybrid Lofts

Like irons, hybrids have more loft than their wood counterparts. Most 3-hybrids have 19 degrees of loft, while the most common 3-wood loft is 15 degrees.

Putter Loft

Unless you're Bryson Dechambeau, chances are a putter is the lowest lofted club in your bag. A traditional putter loft is 3 to 4 degrees.

Golf Clubs Loft Comparison Table

The table below compares lofts of irons, woods, hybrids, and drivers. We've gathered data from top manufacturers like TaylorMade, Cobra, Callaway, and Mizuno.

Why do golfers use 4 woods?

Many golfers have a 4 wood in their bags specifically to address the gaps in the distance on course. For everyday golfers, the 4 wood carries greater significance. If you want to hit a shot off 225 yards, then 4 wood is a good choice. It is a better fit in contrast to other clubs from distance gap points.

How far can a 4 wood golfer hit?

There are three types of golfers on the course and the distance covered by the 4 wood varies with each hitter. A short hitter can cover 175 yards on the course with a 4 wood. A mid hitter can hit a shot that goes off 200 yards. A long hitter can also cover the same distance of 200 yards as the mid hitter.

How long is a 4 wood?

The length of the 4 wood is 43 inches. The 4 wood also comes under the category of a fairway wood. Golfers use a fairway wood on the fairway as it is easier to control and can be shot in the air without using the standard tee. The 4 wood is also considered to be the hardest one to find among all the fairway woods.

What is a 4 wood golf club?

The 4-wood is a golf club that has 16 degrees of loft. A 4 wood is not as popular as the 3 wood and 5 wood, but still has a lot of features that can boost your golf game. Compared to the 3 wood which has a loft of 13 degrees, the 4-wood club has a higher loft of 16 degrees. The higher degree of loft on the 4 Wood makes it swinging easier ...

How far can you cover with 4 wood?

The 4 wood works smoothly off the deck and can easily cover about 225 yards. The greater distance off the tee is also due to the increased accuracy of the shot with the 4 wood. For example, on a course that’s 6630 yards long; using a long wood works fine. The 4 wood gives more attack par 5’s or maybe a few par 4’s.

What is the difference between 4 wood and 4 iron?

This means that it can result in high shots and can cover more distance on the course. The 4 iron mostly has a graphite shaft and greater soles to keep it from digging in the course. The 4 iron is more stable of the rough than the 4 wood.

How far can you hit a 4 wood and 2 iron?

The 4 wood and 2 iron can have a significant difference in the distance, depending on the shot played. The 4 wood can be hit over 230 yards, and the 2 iron can cover a maximum of 2 iron on courses. It depends on the accuracy of the shot to determine the distance covered.

How many acres does Tiger Woods have?

If truth be told though Tiger may not need to be a member of anywhere given the golfing setup he has at his house. Tiger has a 3.5 acre plot of land which has four greens with different contours, turfs, grass lengths and several bunkers. On a blog post in 2011 his website he said;

Where did Tiger Woods grow up?

Tiger grew up in Orange County, California, and because his father Earl was a member of the military he could play at the Navy course near the base in Los Alamitos. At a young age he also played several municipals in the area, like El Dorado Park, and a par-3 course called Heartwell Golf Course.

Where did Tiger Woods birdie his first hole?

It was on the 91-yard 3rd hole that Tiger made his first ever birdie. He was four months shy of his fifth birthday. In his early years Tiger also honed his skills at Recreation Park, Meadowlark Golf Club in Huntington and also Dad Miller Golf Course in Anaheim.

Did Tiger Woods play golf at Stanford?

Eventually Tiger attended Stanford University and therefore would likely have played the Stanford University Golf Course. It opened in 1930 and was designed by George C Thomas and Billy Bell Junior. It then got renovated in 2008 and then all the bunkers were rebuilt in 2018.

Overview

Drivers

Fairway woods

Design

Construction

External links