when to use a specific golf club

Golfers choose which club they’re going to use on a shot primarily based on the distance to the hole and the lie of the golf ball. A golf ball that’s in the rough, behind a tree, or in a bunker might require a specific club to help the golfer get out of that specific situation.

Full Answer

What type of golf clubs should I use?

Type of Golf Clubs

• 4.1 Driver. Used off the tee on long holes, the purpose of using a driver is to hit the ball as far as you can. ...
• 4.2 Woods. When considering what woods to purchase, your first consideration should be what you want to use it for.
• 4.3 Irons. Making up the bulk of your set, irons are numbered like woods. ...
• 4.4 Wedge. ...
• 4.5 Putter. ...
• 4.6 Hybrid. ...

What golf clubs are illegal?

• Very long distance non conforming golf balls
• Lots of roll
• Lower spinning golf ball
• The very highly reactive internal core

When should you consider custom golf clubs?

To help on this we’ve listed below five common places you can go for a custom fitting:

• Club professional – if you are a member of a golf club the first place to consider is your PGA club professional. ...
• Golf retailers – Another option for a golf fitting is with a golf retailer. ...
• Independent club fitters – A third option is to head along to a independent fitter who will specialise in custom fitting golf clubs. ...

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What do clubs do you use in golf?

• Driver = 23o yards
• 3 wood = 210 yards
• 2 iron = 190 yards (use 4 wood or hybrid)
• 3 iron = 180 yards (use 5 wood or hybrid)
• 4 iron = 170 yards
• 5 iron = 160 yards
• 6 iron = 150 yards
• 7 iron = 140 yards
• 8 iron = 130 yards
• 9 iron = 120 yards

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How do I choose the right golf clubs for my shots?

3:339:22Choose the right shot EVERYTIME - Use the Five L's - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut be able to go with a club that you feel more comfortable with. So first L to begin with. I'm onMoreBut be able to go with a club that you feel more comfortable with. So first L to begin with. I'm on the fairway. So I know I've got a great lie.

Should your golf swing be the same for all clubs?

A lot of people think woods and irons each require a unique swing. They wind up making unnecessary adjustments, confusing themselves, and complicating their swing technique. The truth is, the best golf swing for drivers and irons is essentially the same.

What golf club should I use in the rough?

However, the three most popular choices for hitting out of the rough are the hybrid golf club, a short iron, or a wedge. When you hit a golf shot out of the rough, you need to ensure that you have enough loft to be able to launch the ball in the air.

Which golf club should I replace first?

Generally speaking, wedges and your golf driver will be the first to go from a set of golf clubs. For instance, wedges need to be replaced because the grooves will wear out, and drivers can lose impact if you hit them frequently on the range and course.

Is the backswing for a driver the same as for an iron?

The main difference in a driver swing vs an iron swing is the way you attack the golf ball. Iron swings must drive down into the ball so that the loft of the club does the work to get the ball off the ground.

Should you swing harder with a driver?

Faster, Not Harder There certainly is a difference between swing faster and harder. Harder can often imply tension and speed can be lost. Faster can add club head speed and certainly distance assuming that center face contact and balance are still in tact.

What is the easiest golf club to hit?

On average the easiest golf club to hit is the 7-iron. 6-irons and 8-irons come close because these mid-iron clubs deliver high launch angles for all standards and their appearance gives confidence when players look down at them.

What clubs should a beginner use on a par 3 course?

Any number of these courses can be played with any number of clubs. In many cases, three or four will do: putter, wedge, perhaps a pair of mid-irons. You can clutch them in one hand like a quiver of arrows, and play creative shots when you don't have the just-right stick for the distance.

Can you use a hybrid in the rough?

One of the most versatile clubs in the bag is the hybrid. It's most frequently used as a replacement for the long irons, but it's very handy from the rough, on tight driving holes and long par 3s, and around the greens (as an alternative to chipping).

Are 30 year old golf clubs still good?

There is no evidence that golf clubs deteriorate over time. Well maintained clubs will last a lifetime. 10+ year old clubs should be checked for better options but clubs less than 5 years old do not need replacing except for wear and tear issues to which wedges and forged irons are most vulnerable.

Do golf irons lose distance over time?

What is this? Golf irons will wear out over time. The clubs that you most often will be the ones to wear out first. This is because they are getting hit the most.

When should you upgrade golf clubs for beginners?

You can upgrade your clubs at any time of the year. If you have a true beginner set of golf clubs, it makes sense to upgrade them when you start playing consistent golf and breaking 100.

Which golf club to use on the tee box?

For the majority of tee shots you will use a driver, sometimes marked with a 1 on it. This club is the longest club in the back and has loft somewhere between 8 and 12 degrees. The club is designed to hit the ball long. While it can be a difficult club to hit straight, it it worth practicing and getting better at.

Which golf club to use from 250 yards?

Unless you are a really long hitter, I would recommend learning to hit your 3 wood from shots of 250 yards or more from the fairway or rough. As you begin the game, there might be plenty of holes where you still have a lot of yardage left to the green. Learning to hit your 3 wood will be a major key in quickly lowering your score.

Which golf club to use from 200 yards?

If you are a longer hitter, you might be able to hit a hybrid club or a long iron. For the majority of beginner golfers, you will more than likely be hitting a 3 or 5 fairway wood. These clubs are designed to get the ball in the air and to hit the ball a solid distance. They are two of the longer golf clubs in your golf bag behind your driver.

Which golf club to use from 150 yards?

For the golfer with an average swing speed, they can expect to hit somewhere between a 5 iron and an 8 iron from 150 yards. The golf will want to play the ball just forward of his or her stance and hit the ball right before the club bottoms out and strikes the ground, taking a quality divot.

Which golf club to use from 100 yards?

For the golfer with an average swing they speed, they can expect to hit somewhere between an 8 iron and a sand wedge (56 degree). The golfer should learn to hit this shot and control his or her distances to be able to hit the green a high percentage of the time from 100 yards.

Which golf club to use from the fairway?

You will want to have a general idea of how far you hit each club. See section below on creating a shot chart. You simply want to match up the distance with the golf club that flies this far on average. From the fairway, you can expect to hit the ball your normal distance with each club.

Which golf club to use from the rough?

From the rough, you might want to consider taking an extra club than it normally takes to hit it the distance you are from the hole. The rough can cause the ball to not fly as far as normal due to the interference the longer grass can cause.

How to choose a golf club?

Choosing Golf Clubs Based on Length 1 Golfers shorter than 5 feet 5-inch should use a half-inch shorter than standard length. 2 Golfers from 5 feet 5-inch to 6 feet 1-inch should use standard length. 3 Golfers exceeding 6 feet 1-inch height should use longer than standard length club.

Why are hybrid golf clubs used?

Their design specification allows golfers to gain accuracy as well as distance in the fairway. The higher spin rate of these clubs provides accuracy as the ball rolls less on landing.

How many wedges for 3 spots left?

We will keep two wedges for the 3 spots left. Whatever wedge you choose, you must keep in mind that there is no large gap between the yardage of those two wedges.

How many clubs can you carry in a golf bag?

In golf, you can have only 14 clubs in your bag. Yes, that’s a rule and penalty for carrying an extra golf club will be two strokes per hole. You don’t want that. So, you need to plan ahead on what clubs to you need to have in your bag so that you can cover maximum shots with efficiency.

How many irons do you need to gain distance in golf?

With the increase of loft, the ball trajectory also increases with a low rate of ball roll when it lands on the ground. Experienced golfers use short irons and 4,5 irons to gain higher distance.

How many irons can you carry?

You can carry 14 irons or even 14 hybrids. No one is stopping you from that. But within the rule of carrying 14 clubs, you need to get your combinations right. A good way to know whether you have an optimal combination of golf clubs is to observe your gameplay.

What irons are best for a short shot?

The approach shorts are short shots needed every time to land the ball on the greens. Irons are best for these shots. More specifically 8 or 9 irons can do the job perfectly.

Instructions

Determine the actual distance (in yards) from your lie to the hole. Distance markers and the flag color are there to assist you with this. Be aware that distance markers are to the center of the green, not to the hole. If the flagstick appears to be at the front of the green (or up), subtract 10 yards from the distance-marker yardage.

Tips & Warnings

Whenever you have the choice, lower trajectory is usually safer than higher trajectory because you have more control. The "Texas Wedge" (using your putter to putt onto the green from off the green, when the turf you will putt across is free of obstacles and closely mown) is a good example.

About the Author

Herm Otto is an architect and was a university instructor for over 25 years. He is also an avid golfer who began golfing 10 years ago. As a Demand Studios writer, Otto writes golf and travel articles for GolfLink. He now resides in Arizona.

How to choose the correct golf club?

In order to choose the correct club, you need to take factors into consideration other than distance from the ball to the pin. If you notice a hazard or obstacle on your target line, you may decide to “lay up” and hit short to avoid trouble.

What is a set of golf clubs?

A set of clubs typically includes a driver, a couple of fairway woods, irons, a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. Specific clubs are designed for different situations. The driver, or the 1 wood, has a very low loft compared to other clubs and is designed for when you need to achieve long distance off the tee.

What is the loft angle of a golf club?

The loft angle should be from 10.5 degrees to 12 degrees or higher to help launch the ball into the air. New golfers should use a more flexible shaft.

How many clubs can a beginner golfer carry?

USGA rules allow the golfer to carry 14 clubs. For beginners, selecting the right club from this collection can be intimidating. There are some general guidelines that you can follow, although your experience may tell you to try something different. Even the pros sometimes have to take an educated guess when choosing between clubs and hope for ...

What is a hybrid golf club?

For the high handicap golfer, a 3 and 5 hybrid can replace the 3, 4 and even 5 iron. A hybrid places the weight to the back and bottom of the club, allowing for a higher launch angle.

Where to use a pitching wedge?

The pitching wedge is used close to the green , and the sand wedge is used out of a bunker near the green. A lob or gap wedge will provide a high trajectory to hit up and over a sand trap or other hazard near the green.

Which irons are easier to hit?

The more lofted irons such as the 6, 7, 8 and 9 irons are easier to hit for the high handicap golfer. These clubs can be used as you get closer to the green for pitch shots and chip shots. In general, the higher the loft of the club, the higher the trajectory of the ball, and the less roll you will get when the ball hits the ground.

What is a wood golf club?

The category of golf clubs called "woods" includes the driver and the fairway woods. (They are called woods even though their clubheads are no longer made of wood.) The woods are the clubs with the largest heads (typically hollow, extending a few inches from side-to-side and a few inches from front to back, with rounded lines) ...

How many different types of golf clubs are there?

There are several different types of golf clubs in a typical golfer's bag. In fact, today, there are five categories of clubs: woods (including the driver), irons, hybrids, wedges and putters.

What is wedge golf?

The wedges are the highest-lofted golf clubs. They are used for shorter approach shots into greens, for chips and pitches around greens, and for playing out of sand bunkers.

What is putter used for?

Putters are used for, well, putting . They are the clubs golfers use on the putting greens, for the last strokes played on a golf hole - for knocking the ball into the hole. There are more varieties of putters on the market than any other club. That may be because choosing a putter is a very personal process.

How long is a mallet putter?

Lengths: Standard-length putters, often referred to as "conventional putters," range from around 32 to 36 inches long, from one end to the other.

What is the difference between a heel toe and a mallet putter?

Heel-toe putters have the same general shape as blades , but with extra weight at the heel and toe to add perimeter weighting, and with other design tricks to help make the clubs more "forgiving" on mishits. Mallet putters have large clubheads that maximize that forgiveness of poor contact.

What are the names of old golf clubs?

Names of Old Golf Clubs. Golf clubs have changed quite a bit over the long history of the sport. There used to be clubs with names like mashie and niblick and jigger and spoon.

What factors determine which golf club to hit?

Though distance is probably the number one factor in deciding which golf club to hit, other factors include the type of lie or the condition of where you are hitting from.

What is a lower number golf club?

The lower the number, the longer the length of the club and the least amount of loft. Lower numbered golf clubs are designed to travel lower in the air with further distance than a higher numbered golf club. As a side note, many golfers (beginners and experienced) find hitting their 3 wood somewhat challenging.

What is putter used for?

Putters are used specifically on the green and offer the least amount of distance and no loft as they meant to “roll” the ball into the hole. A golfer carries one putter in their bag on any given round of golf.

Why are golf clubs called rescue clubs?

They are known to be more forgiving, and are designed to provide more loft and may be easier to hit than longer clubs with low loft.

What is an iron in golf?

Irons. Irons are golf clubs that have traditionally used a steel club face, thus the name. They most commonly range from 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, and 9. Most golfers don’t use the 1 or 2 irons any longer but these “long irons” can still be found in a few golf shops and golfer’s bags.

What is a wedge in golf?

Wedges are golf clubs that provide the least amount of distance (except for the putter) and the highest loft. They are used in what is referred to as the “short game” of golf. For the average golfer, this means about 100 yards or less from the green.

Where to use hybrids in golf?

Hybrids typically come in numbers ranging from 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Hybrids can be used anywhere on the golf course and are usually seen being used off the tee, in the fairway, in the rough and even in penalty areas. Some golfers carry 1 or 2 and some carry more in their bag. It all depends on the golfer.

How far can you drive a golf club?

Knowing your own club distances takes time and experience, but you can start on the driving range; most ranges have markers set at specific distances, such as 50, 100, 150 and 250 yards. Here's how: Start with your shortest club (sand wedge or pitching wedge) and aim at the nearest target.

Why pick the right club to hit a pitch?

Picking the right club to hit a pitch or chip shot from around the green will make it far easier to put the ball closer to the hole. In this case, you aren't worried so much about the overall distance that the club can hit the ball – rather, you are wanting to find the right loft to create an appropriate trajectory.

What is a tee shot?

Tee shots are set up shots. With the exception of the par threes, or maybe a short par four, you aren't trying to hit the ball on the green with your tee shot. Instead, you are trying to position your ball to make it easier to hit the green with your next shot. Always keep that in mind when selecting a club on the tee.

What happens when you get off the tee?

Once you are off the tee, you can move on to playing your way into the hole. Picking the right club off the tee is a skill that most golfers never develop. Instead of thinking their way around the course, using strategy to conquer each hole, most players choose to simply reach for the driver and swing away.

How does wind affect golf?

Any time the wind affects your golf ball, you lose control over the shot - so the best method you can use is to pick shots that minimize the influence of the breeze. Choosing the right club doesn't need to be complicated or time consuming, but you do need to have a logical pattern of thinking prior to each shot.

When is club selection not a factor?

The only time on the golf course when club selection isn't a factor is when you are on the putting green – as you better be reaching for your putter at that time. Anywhere else on the course, however, you will need to think critically and decide which club is going to give you the best chance at success.

Does a better swing help lower scores?

The thinking is simple – a better swing will lead to better shots, and better shots will lead to lower scores. Of course, an improved golf swing can help you shoot lower scores, so it is worth your time to work on your technique. However, golf is not about technique alone.