A golf club guide for beginners

First and foremost, as every golfer should be familiar with, a golfer should not have more than 14 clubs in the bag, according to guidelines. The make-up of that magic number will vary.  Years ago, it was simpler.  There’d have been a driver, a couple of fairway woods, a set of irons tending to range from three to nine, a couple of wedges for the rough and the sand and, then, the putter.

Sounds a lot easier when you look at it like that doesn’t it? But things have changed considerably over the years, with the introductions of hybrids and different forms of wedges, plus the ever-evolving shafts and lofts.  Read on for an overview of each club.

THE DRIVER

There are some who won’t dare use one. Others will cream it straight down the middle of the fairway. One thing for sure, you tend to see a driver in the bag regardless of whether it is used or not.  No matter what sort of ability you are around the course, the driver is the one club every handicapper wants to have a bit of fun with.  Golfers dream of gaining extra distance from the tee – and there are plenty who never really master it.  Higher handicappers might look for a larger face featuring a larger sweet spot, while the better players might look for better accuracy through a stiff or extra-stiff shaft and 9 or 9.5 degree lofts. 

For the latest discounts on drivers visit: Shop Golf Drivers   

FAIRWAY WOODS

Many of those who don’t feel confident enough to hit driver look for alternatives from the tee and that is where the 3 wood would come in. That would leave the 5 and 7 woods for use from the fairway, ordinarily.  It would be a surprise to see all three woods included in the bag as well as the driver, but there will be golfers who like them all in there at the expense of an iron or two.

Find the best deals on fairway woods:  Shop Fairway Woods

IRONS AND WEDGES

The trusty iron. Club selection can make all the difference during a round of golf and the traditional set of seven irons in a golf bag and can be where a beginner really learns to play.  While it can be harder for the higher handicappers to strike a 3, 4 or 5 iron sweetly, many of those find it easier to hit one of those than a wood.  To help with a slow swing speed you might want to go for a wider, rounded bottom.  Then there is the work around the green, where the more experienced players might opt for a lob or gap wedge. You might not normally associate those with a traditional set of clubs.

For offers on iron sets and wedges visit:  Shop Golf Irons or Shop Golf Wedges

HYBRIDS

These are a cross between an iron and a fairway wood; it’s basically as the name suggests, a mixture of the two.  What’s the point? Well, they are designed to provide a more forgiving nature and distance of a wood while giving you the same swing as an iron. They have not been in the game too long, having only been introduced in the early to mid-90s. They have been designed to send the ball higher in the air with less effort and are typically used instead of long irons.  Those struggling to hit an iron shot are likely to try a hybrid.

Find the latest deals on hybrids at: Shop Golf Hybrids

PUTTERS

Ever-changing technology has highlighted that different putting strokes require different solutions to enhance the chances of lowering your scores.  There are various shapes, sizes and weights of putters, having developed from hardwood in the really early days to all kinds these days.  What you do need to consider when buying a putter is if the shaft is suitable for your stance and height. You might fancy trying a longer length putter, like a belly putter, if the standard ones feel uncomfortable.  There are a variety of putter heads and what to choose will depend on how comfortable the individual is using it.  A putter can instil confidence in your stroke but what it can’t do is fix inconsistency in your putting stroke.

Find the best prices on putters at: Shop Golf Putters

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