5 Types Of Golf Clubs And Their Uses (Beginner’s Guide)

A max of 14 golf clubs can go into a golf bag. So it can be pretty daunting for beginners trying to figure out the different golf clubs and their uses. So, what are the different types of golf clubs, and what are their benefitsfits?

The different types of golf clubs golfers use while out on the golf course are woods (which include the driver), putters, wedges, irons, and hybrids. Each of these has a unique design that allows golfers to perform optimally in different situations.

Here is what to know about the different types of golf clubs.

What Are The Different Types Of Golf Clubs?

There are different types of golf clubs that players use on the golf course. Each has its own unique use and helps golfers get the full experience on the course. Here are the different golf clubs newbies should be aware of.

1. Woods (Including Drivers)

The clubs that typically are much bigger than the others are known as the woods. The biggest one with the biggest head is known as the driver. It is much longer than the other clubs.

This type of club is generally used by golfers when they hit from the tee and need distance to advance the ball down the fairway, usually on par 5 or par 4 holes.

“It is pretty difficult to hit a driver when you are a beginner.”

Golf Educate

Generally, a good coach will encourage a beginner to start teeing off with a 3 or 5 wood. As they are slightly smaller than the driver, you will lose some distance but gain accuracy. It’s quite possible to play golf without a driver.

The 3 and 5 woods also have more loft than a driver and can therefore be used on the fairway, whereas the driver is really restricted to the tee.

I tend to use my 3 wood from the tee still as I play primarily for position rather than a power/distance game with the driver.

2. Hybrids

Rescue clubs, sometimes referred to as hybrids today, are constructed using iron and wood technology. They are made with a club head that has mass like wood. As a result, the swing is more like you’re using an iron, but because of the lower center of gravity, it turns up more like wood.

One clear benefit of the hybrid is a higher COR. This is the golf club’s springlike effect and is known as the Coefficient of Restitution (COR). The face flexes when it makes contact with the ball before returning to its original shape.

Typically, hybrid clubs are designed to provide you with the advantages of both iron and wood. It aids in accelerating the ball, which increases distance. Hybrids are longer and have lighter shafts than irons.

As in the name, it is also a great club to use if you play into the rough, as it can ‘rescue’ the hole for you!

3. Irons

When it comes to the types of iron golf clubs, in the modern amateur game, they usually are numbered 3-9.

The heads are typically made of stainless steel. You can read more on this topic here, Are Golf Irons Made of Iron?

The 3 iron has the longest shaft and the head with the least loft. This club usually allows the average amateur golfer to hit the ball for about 200 yards.

The shafts decrease and the loft increases as the numbers increase up to the 9 iron. Thus the 9 iron generally allows the golfer to play a 100-yard shot. This decreases distance, but the increase in loft makes the ball gain more height and allows the golfer more accuracy as they play towards the green.

I would encourage a beginner to play with a 7 iron, then work up and down the irons and learn their yardage with each iron. This will allow you to play automatically toward the green from any position on the fairway.

If you want to know how many clubs you need, check out this article, Essential Guide To How Many Golf Clubs A Beginner Needs.

4. Wedges

These kinds of golf clubs are usually what most beginners find intimidating as they have numbers and writing. The numbers on wedges are simply degrees.

The writing is usually letters like P, A, L, and S. The wedge with 56 degrees has an S and is known as a sand wedge and has the most loft. The others are the pitching wedge with 45 degrees of loft, the approach wedge with 50, and the lob wedge with 60.

Read more: What Do Golf Club Numbers Mean?

However, keep in mind that some brands of golf clubs might have a G or a U. Still, the three wedges, regardless of their letter, are used by golfers when they want the ball to go really high in the sky. This is usually the case when the ball needs to be hit accurately toward the hole over hazards, such as sand or water.

The sand wedge is like its name implies – it’s the club of choice if a golfer does hit the ball into the sand!

5. Putters

Most people have seen a putter as it’s the standard club given to you if you’ve ever played mini/adventure golf at a fairground. The putter is a golf club you would use when you are on the green.

The green is the really fine grass that can be seen on the golf course surrounding the hole. The putter can also be used on the fringe or even just off the green. This, again, I would encourage a beginner to do.

There are many different putters, such as the popular TaylorMade Spider from Amazon. It is your most important club as it is the only one used on every hole, and you cannot go wrong with the Spider selection of putters.

Hours of practice are required to become proficient with a putter, but it is well worth it when you sink a 12-foot put to birdie the last in front of the clubhouse full of watching critical members!

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are 5 different kinds of essential golf clubs that golfers use on the course. Now that you are aware of these different types of golf clubs, you can decide which is best for you when getting started.

When I have a good round, I probably only use my 3 wood, hybrid, 7 + 8 iron, and of course, my putter for about 90% of my shots, but see what works for you.