by JM Lane

Created on: June 30, 2007   Last Updated: July 03, 2007

In golf there are numerous numbers of clubs to use on the course. For the beginner it is quite daunting and confusing, especially when you're aiming to gradually build up your bag of clubs which are the most practical ones to start with (unless you have enough money just to buy a full set lucky you!)

You can separate golf clubs into four categories Woods, Irons, Putters, Wedges and hybrid clubs.

Woods are mainly used for a long drive to the green. Called woods because that was what they used to be made of.
It is a good idea to start off with 3 and 5 woods. Another one I personally like is the big stick' - driver also known as the 1 wood, which is one of the toughest to master although a lot of fun to practice hitting tee shots on the driving range with. Be warned though a good shot using the driver is difficult to pull off successfully on the fairway.

Next up are the irons called because they are made of metal unlike the woods they are more precise. The irons are shaped more like a blade and each comes with a different thickness the size of club affect the height and distance the ball can travel. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 irons have long distance precision. Middle irons include 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 irons and are ideal for a medium distance of 100 to 200 yards. Short irons are designed for less than that distance and include pitching wedge (PW) sand wedge (SW) and lob wedge (LW).
Wedges are irons but specialized for certain tasks they are designed for accuracy and can prove vital in a game. For beginners the main to start off with is the pitching wedge this will be more than appropriate for sand shots.

When starting up with irons a beginners bag is recommend to include odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) or even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8) though this is just a guide.

Next we have the putter, an important club because it is the most used out of all the clubs. There are three sorts' traditional, heel-toe or mallet club head. Size and shapes vary there is no right or wrong choice it is up to you to decide which you feel most comfortable with. They are designed for use on the putting green or very close to the putting green.

Hybrids are specially designed golf clubs made so that balls are easier to hit to suit an individuals style and swing. It is a combination of woods and irons and designed to get that ball in the air and avoiding miss hit shots. They are designed to replace the long irons.

When you get your clubs you will find on average what sort of distance your clubs can do and you can apply this to the course for the most appropriate shot. What each person can get out of a club depends on their demographics and experience of golf.

There are two options when buying clubs you can either find cheap ones (second hand bargain stores) or you can get special measured ones to suit your swing, though this option can be quite expensive. I feel for beginners it is best just to see if you really like the game before spending too much money on clubs that may end up collecting dust in your garage.

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