Golf clubs are easily one of the most significant things to consider when buying golf equipment. It is all too easy to pick up a new club and go with it, but this can be an immense mistake if you lack enough information on your options. Here is a quick guide about the different types of golf clubs.
1. Drivers
A driver is the only club in the bag that you don’t use to hit a ball. Instead, its main purpose is simply hitting tee shots. Its long shaft and larger head make it such that your average-strength golfer can hit drives well past 300 yards (0.27 km) if their swing allows for it. The longer a drive goes, the less accurate it will be unless they have a high level of skill. If you find yourself regularly bombing drives over 200 yards (0.18 km) on a regular basis, a stiffer flex driver may be best for you as these typically provide more forgiveness due to a larger sweet spot, though this isn’t always true or necessary. A lighter-weight driver is ideal for those who want increased control over their shots while still gaining sufficient distance.
2. Putters
A putter is a club that is used for when you are standing over a ball with it on the ground, attempting to shoot at one of 4 holes in the ground (the hole). A modern putter has two main major components- the grip and head. The grip is like any other part of your club in that it provides for more control. The bottom of most heads often has an alignment aid that tells you whether you are lined up correctly; this can be very beneficial since putting involves precise lining up of shots. There are quite a few different types of materials out there when it comes to making heads. This putter is known as the easiest putter to hit with and people that are just starting to play can use them. That’s because you can stand over it an equal distance away from the hole no matter where the ball is.
3. Woods
This club is used for hitting the ball off of tee’s and generally for long distances too. The lofts on these clubs are less than other drivers, meaning they don’t drive the ball as far as drivers, but they provide more control since there is less loft on them. This choice between a 3-wood or a 2-wood mainly depends on your swing speed and how far you want to hit it. If you have a fast swing speed, go with a lower amount of wood, which will give you more distance with each shot. If you have a slow swing, go with the wood that has the highest number because these are easier to hit each shot.
4. Utility Clubs
These are used for shots when you need more control over distance or accuracy than other clubs will allow. They are also used to get out of difficult situations where “regular” clubs may not work well because of tight lies or other obstructions to the ball. Some utility irons have wide soles, which make it easy to stand close to bunkers and other obstacles while still being able to strike the ball solidly. Others have laser-milled faces which makes them very forgiving on off-center hits, meaning they can be struck slightly off center without too much loss in terms of distance and accuracy, which is very beneficial when you cannot exactly place the ball in the center of your stance.
5. Hybrids
These are becoming more and more common in club bags across the world. Generally speaking, they combine some of the best characteristics of both irons and fairway woods into one club that offers increased versatility and ease of use over other clubs at similar distances. They are generally used for tee shots on par 5’s and for approach shots into the green. Much like other clubs, hybrids come in all shapes and sizes; some look more like fairway woods, while others look more like irons. Generally, if you can tell what type of shot you should hit with it by looking at the clubhead, then you probably shouldn’t be hitting that particular club. This means that hybrids are incredibly versatile, which makes them extremely popular among amateur golfers who cannot make up their minds as to what club to use in a given situation.
These were just some types of golf clubs you can use to play golf with. Don’t stress if you don’t have these types of golf clubs because you can still play the game. Do some research on your own and see if there are any other types of clubs that are used that work for you better. Good luck!
