When you are learning to play golf, the first thing that you need to keep in mind is what kind of club you must use. In many ways, the club determines the direction of your play. There are different kinds of clubs, and different kinds of shots. In a basic golf game, you are allowed to keep fourteen clubs with you. Twelve of these are the ones every golfer typically keeps on hand.
- Three woods (named as 1-driver, 3 and 5)
- Eight irons (numbered as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and a PW)
- One Putter
There is space for two more. You would do well to add a special wood and one more iron of your choice. Some golfers may add an additional wood or iron, or hybrid club.
Golfers normally use woods on long shots. The wood clubs make good choices for long distance shots, even up to 450 yards, because they have lower angles of tilt at the face. This can bring high grounded shots. The 1-driver is the wood club with the lowest angle, and hence it is the most preferred. However, some golfers are now determining that higher angles can produce better long distance shots and with better accuracy. For this reason, you must decide your club according to what works best for your individual skills and strength. Most professional golfers advise using a higher angle wood for the first shot off the tee, then selecting the club of your preference for the next shot. For beginners, the higher woods are better.
Irons must be used when the distance from the green is less than 200 yards. There is a very simple equation to use here when determining which iron to use. The closer you get to the green, the higher the number iron you will use. Irons are conveniently numbered in an ascending order. You can simply assess the distance and then select the iron that you think would fit the bill.
For beginners, playing with a 3 and 4 iron may prove difficult because they are harder to hit with accuracy. There are high chances that the shots may go awry. Beginning golfers find themselves most comfortable in the 7 to 9 range of irons. Some beginners' golf club sets do not have 3 and 4 irons at all, but contain doubles of the 7 and 8 irons.
When you are near the green, a particular type of iron called as the wedge can be used. Professionals often use them, but beginners can also learn how to use the wedge to effectively increase the control and accuracy they have over the shot.
Putters are used when you are trying to get the ball directly into the hole is as few shots as possible. Putters are precision clubs and should not be used unless you are in the green. It is advisable to test out several different putters to find the one you are most comfortable.
