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When to Use What Golf Clubs

When to Use What Golf Clubs

When it comes down to choosing the right golf club, there are multiple factors to be considered. The beginners are often overwhelmed with this wide range of options because they don’t know which golf club to choose at what time. You might have checked the golf club distance spreadsheet, but it didn’t help you. Well, we get the drill because every beginner golfer has been through the same!

According to the golfing rules, golfers can only have 14 clubs in their bags, and extra equipment calls for penalties. The penalty for an extra club in the golf bag will be two strokes on a per hole basis, which a golfer cannot possibly ignore. This is why you need to be considerate about the right clubs in the golf club because you don’t want any hindrance in the shots and golfing performance.

When it comes down to the rules, golfers can carry 14 hybrids or golf clubs in the bag, but it doesn’t mean that you need to carry only one type of club. It is always better to keep a mix of these clubs in the bags for obvious reasons on the court. In other words, a streamlined combination of golf clubs is essential for ensuring top-notch gameplay.

In this article, we are sharing a complete guideline through which you will be able to make a combination of golf clubs for your golf bag. By the end of the article, you will understand how you can choose a certain golf club according to the situation. So, shall we start?

The Beginner Deal

As we have already mentioned that golf bags have 14 spots to fill for the golf clubs, and on top of everything, you need to add one driver and a putter as well. However, if you are an advanced player, you have the liberty to replace the driver with hybrid, but at the end of the day, it’s your call to make. Also, you need to ensure there is a 3-wood in your bag, which means three spots have been filled.

Now, you can add five irons inclusive of 6, 7, 8, and 9-wood. In addition, you need to add PW wedge as well, which means you have now completed eight spots for the golf bag. These eight clubs are essential to add, but the other six clubs are entirely your choice to make. In the following sections, we have shared those details as well to help you make the right decision!

The Long Clubs

As we have already mentioned that there are six spots left in the golf bag, you can add around three long clubs to the bag. The long irons include 4-iron, 5-iron, and 5-wood as well. This combination is apt for the beginner golfers. However, if you are the hybrid club user, you will need to opt for hybrids with similar lofts by ditching the 4-iron and 5-iron. But again, the decision will be yours!

In the majority of cases, you can replace the 5-wood with 18-degree hybrid, but this doesn’t mean that it’s the standard. You must always be considerate about experimenting with different clubs to make your own mix. Now that you have added three long clubs, there is space left for three spots.

Wedges

So, you need to add around two wedges, and you need to be sure of choosing the right wedge. But while you are on the quest to choose the wedge, you need to understand that there is no significant gap among the yardage. The final call will depend on the range and swing speed. For instance, if you opt for a wedge with 110 yards range, the second wedge must provide around 90 to 95 yards range.

If you are going to use the wedge, you can opt for a 52-degree wedge, and it’s entirely your choice. In simpler terms, the gap between the yardage must always be low between two wedges. Once you’ve chosen the wedges, you need to work your way around one spot that’s left in the golf club.

how many clubs in golf bag

Choosing The Last Club In The Golf Bag

If you’ve to make the final call for the last spot in the golf bag, you need to make a choice between the long club or the wedge. Making this final call will entirely depend on the golf course that you intend to play. If you are playing the long course, you can either opt for a fairway wood or a hybrid. With such clubs, the three shots will be easy to play. In contrast, if you play the short course, you need to accurate and precise around the green area.

Different Types Of Golf Clubs

We have already mentioned what you need to add in your golf bag for filling the 14 spots. However, we have left some choices to make for yourself, but if you want to choose, you need complete information about different types of golf clubs. In this section, we have added a range of different types of golf clubs. So, let’s have a look!

Woods

When to Use What Golf Clubs

When you are talking about the woods, drivers are the woods, and it’s the essential part of everyone’s golf bag. With these woods, you will be able to make long shots like a pro. If you are a beginner, you will be able to make the shots with a driver, but you will be good to go with woods or short irons. In contrast, if you are a beginner, you can choose 3-wood or 5-wood. As a beginner, you will need control and flexibility, but if you opt for 7-wood, it provides a higher level of control but covers a lesser distance.

Iron

When to Use What Golf Clubs

If you are the golfer who is looking for higher control over the game, you need to choose the irons as they are available in short, long, and mid ranges to cater to the diverse needs. The short irons include 2-iron and 3-iron while the mid irons include 4-iron, 5-iron, and 6-iron. In addition, 7-iron, 8-iron, and 9-iron belong to the long iron family.

However, the loft of the club will go higher if you are shifting from 2-iron to 9-iron. However, there are long and mid irons which are pretty suitable for the higher handicappers because the loft is high. On the other hand, the loft will increase, and also, it will directly impact the trajectory of the ball. The ball will roll slowly, helping in making the right choice for final shots. Also, 4-iron and 5-iron is an apt choice for the golfers who are looking for a higher distance.

Wedge

When to Use What Golf Clubs

There are different types of wedges. The pitching wedge is a suitable choice to make shots near the greens while the sand wedge is optimal for hitting the bunker shots. The sand wedge is equipped with huge flange, but also, there is a lob wedge as well. The lob wedge is responsible for providing high trajectory for shots, and also, there will be zero sand traps.

Hybrids

These are more of the replacement equipment because they are primarily designed to replace the long irons. The hybrids provide accuracy in the shots and also helps in gaining distance when playing on the fairway. The clubs also provide the spin rate, and even more, the ball rolling will be pretty less. If you are the high handicapper, you can ditch the 3-iron, 4-iron, and 5-iron and choose the hybrid club. Also, you can also replace your wedges with hybrids to ensure there is no sand trap.

Putters

golf woods

If you are looking for short-range shots, the putter is the right choice, but if you are trying to hit the hole, the balls will roll effectively on the ground. However, the putters can only be used on the greens.

Making a choice Based On Length

While you are trying to choose which golf club you need to use, you need to consider the club length as well because it is decided based on the shaft and height of the golfer. The shaft is the point where the club’s grip and head are connected. So, let’s see which length you need to use according to the height, so have a look!

  • If the golfer is shorter than 5.5feet, reduce the club’s length by half inch
  • If the golfer has a height ranging from 5.5feet to 6feet, choose the standard length of the club
  • If the golfer is more than 6feet, opt for a club that has one-inch extra length

Making a choice Based On Loft

While choosing the golf club, the loft will directly impact the decision as well. If you are a beginner, you can opt for higher lofts because they offer higher distance and accuracy. However, the low lofts offer difficulty in controlling the golf club and lead to a higher spin rate. If you are a professional golfer, you need to use the high lofts because spin will reduce, and distance is increased.

The Bottom Line

If you are ready to hit the court with balls, you need to choose the right type of clubs. In this article, we have managed to come up with an extensive guideline through which you will be able to make a final call for the right golf club. So, start swinging with the right golf club!

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Liam Drake, an avid golfer and seasoned outdoor enthusiast, brings his passion for the greens to his golfing blog. With years of experience swinging clubs and exploring courses around the world, Liam shares his insights, tips, and personal stories to inspire and guide fellow golf lovers. Whether it's breaking down the latest gear, navigating challenging courses, or just sharing a memorable round, Liam's blog is a treasure trove for anyone who shares his love for the game.

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