There is a wide variety of golf clubs on the market, classified into several categories based on the type of shot they are used for. Woods, irons, hybrids, wedges, and putters are the types of clubs every good golfer should carry in their bag. Although the names can be misleading, in reality they are all made of steel or titanium and simply retain the name of the material from which they were historically manufactured.
In any case, regardless of the category they belong to, all clubs are made up of the same components. They all consist of a shaft that forms the body of the club, with a grip at one end and a head at the other, which is used to strike the ball.
All clubs in each category are numbered based on the loft of the head. As a general rule, the higher the number, the greater the loft, and the shorter the distance the ball will travel upon impact. Therefore, you must choose very carefully which type of club and which number to use for each shot, since each club is used in different circumstances and for different types of shots.
Although the differences between the categories are few, it is necessary to know when each one is used in order to always choose the right club:
- Woods: The greatest power and distance are achieved with woods or drivers, so they are used for the longest shots. Golfers typically carry three types of woods in their bag, usually numbers 1, 2, and 5.
- Irons: Irons are used primarily for mid-range or approach shots, and golfers usually carry about 9 or 10 of these clubs in their bag.
- Hybrids: Between the woods and the irons, we also find hybrids—intermediate clubs that combine the best of both types: the power of the wood and the precision of the iron. That’s why more and more professionals are using these types of clubs on the professional circuits.
- Wedges: Clubs with a steeper loft are called “wedges.” Within this category, there are several types depending on the loft angle of the clubhead, which are used depending on whether you want to clear a sand bunker, stop the ball from rolling, etc. Among the wedges, we find:
. Pitching wedge, with a loft of 45° to 48°.
. Gap wedge with a loft of 52°:
. Sand wedge with a loft of 56°:
. Lob wedge with a loft of 60°.
- Putter: There is also a final type of club called a putter, which is used to push—or sink—the ball into the hole on the green for the final shot.
Although the classification of clubs is fairly simple, the most complicated and difficult part is knowing how to take advantage of each club’s characteristics and get the most out of each one. It can be said that every golfer’s basic set would consist of a 1-, 2-, and 5-wood, a 3- or 9-iron, a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and a putter, although the rules allow for up to 14 clubs.
