A beginners guide to golf clubs

Always fancied having a go at golf? Either because you’re a sports fanatic or you’ve never really enjoyed playing athletic sports like football, rugby or tennis? Now is your perfect opportunity to start looking at golf clubs and getting ready to hit the links (once lockdown restrictions have been lifted, of course!).

Having spent more time at home than ever before, the urge to shop online is greater than ever. But, before you start splashing out on unnecessary purchases, why not do some research and get clued up on golf?

The truth is, golfers need a fair amount of equipment if they are to play well – any tour professional will tell you that! But just how many golf clubs can you have in your bag? And how do you know what clubs to use when?

Here we attempt to clear up a little of the confusion and offer a few useful tips on choosing the best men’s golf clubs.

Types of golf clubs

Golfers are limited to carrying a maximum of 14 clubs in their golf bag during any round. Anyone caught carrying more than this will be penalised.

A typical set of golf clubs is comprised of woods, irons, putters and wedges. However, there are no rules on how many of each you can have – providing it doesn’t exceed 14 – and it will often differ depending on your handicap level.

To help you determine which you need for your golf bag, let’s take a look at the different types and their uses:

Woods

  • Fairway woods – usually made with a slightly shorter and stiffer shaft than a driver or 2-wood, fairway woods allow you to hit for distance. These are often used for the first stroke on par-4s or long par-3s.

To hit a fairway wood, you’ll want to take a wider stance to ensure stability as you build your swing.

  • Drivers – the longest clubs found in any golfer’s bag. Drivers send the ball as far as possible towards the green – usually for the first stroke from teeing ground on par-4s, par-5s and sometimes even very long par-3s.

These are best used with a tee and struck on the centre of the large sweet spot, positioned higher from the ground than other golf clubs (i.e. irons and wedges).

Irons

Irons are intended to hit the ball onto the green, from where it can be putted. As such, they are used for the first stroke on par-3s and approach shots to the green from par-4s and par-5s.

Long, mid and short, there is a vast range of irons to choose from. Most amateur players find short irons are easier to hit than the long irons because, as the loft increases, the shaft length decreases – making it simpler to control.

Hybrids

Also known as utility clubs, rescue clubs or rescues, hybrids are considered an excellent alternative to long irons and have been known to replace the 3-irons and 4-irons in high-handicap golfer’s bags.

These golf clubs are designed to bridge the gap between woods and irons by combining the strengths of each – achieving distance and accuracy on the fairway.

Wedges

High-loft speciality irons which are designed to send the ball onto the green from a short distance.

Beginners will often require a pitching wedge, which can be used close to the green, and a sand wedge that’s used out of a bunker. Some may even need a lob wedge which provides high trajectory to hit up and over a sand trap or hazard near the green.

Putters

Designed for shots that are a few yards or less to the hole, no men’s golf club set is complete without a putter.

Typically used on the green, the face of the club is flat and designed to get the ball rolling forwards rather than lifting it off the ground. And a top tip for putting is to try and keep the wrists as solid as possible – avoiding wrist hinge.

Buy men’s golf clubs online today

Should you do an online search for ‘men’s golf clubs’, you’ll discover a broad range of options – from individual clubs to complete package sets. The best thing you can do is take a little time to look at the different types of available to you and, if possible, speak to an expert to see what clubs they recommend.  There is no doubt if you find your self at a place like The Saticoy Club, an amazing Ventura County country club, you’ll want to make sure you have the best clubs for your style of play.

Clarkes’ Golf Centre is a leading golf superstore in St Helens, Merseyside and provides a fantastic range of men’s golf clubs from renowned brands, such as Callaway, TaylorMade and Wilson Staff to name just a few. Be sure to check them out today and, if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact them. They are always on hand to help and will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the most suitable golf clubs.