Understanding Your Clubs

In this section we will discuss the basic function and purpose of the different clubs in the bag. You need a club to begin each hole, advance the ball from out on the course towards the green and then get it on the green and into the hole. The game of golf allows players up to 14 clubs in a player’s bag. Most players do not need that many clubs to begin to learn the game.

Irons

Irons are played mainly for green approach shots. They range from the 9 iron to the 3 or 4 iron. Each club has approximately 8-10 yards between the next club. It’s important to note that anything more than a wedge is a full swing and has a predictable distance based on the player’s club speed and strength. Each player may hit clubs different yardages. It’s important to learn how far your baseline speed will hit a ball then you can build a plan and adjust according to your own personal numbers.

Wedges

Wedges range from the pitching wedge (46 – 50) degrees all the way to the lob wedge (58 – 64 degrees). Wedges are designed to get a ball on the green and closer to the hole. We coach people to believe that when they have a wedge in their hands they are going to give themselves a chance for a one-putt. Unlike full swing iron shots, wedges are often played from less than full swings. This requires a player to not only aim their shots, but adjust for how much swing they need to play to the proper distance to the target.

Woods

Woods are played from much longer distances and they are not as precise or as accurate as irons or wedges. Again, it’s important to note that some players may play a wood from shorter distances than other players may hit irons. It doesn’t matter what it takes, but it does matter to know how fast you swing to better understand how far you are capable to hit each club. Sometimes the landing area is too narrow for people to risk less accurate shots so they will lay up and hit a shorter club for control to keep their ball out of trouble. We call this risk management. This is weighing the risk of the shot vs. the reward. Woods can be used to advance the golf ball from long distances and get into position to get the ball in the hole in the next 2 shots.

Putter

There is one club in the bag that can dramatically and consistently influence your score and that is the putter. Learning to putt well and read the greens is a crucial skill to learn in order to master the game of golf. Great putting can mask many average to poor skills, but if you are a poor putter you cannot score well in this game. Learn to control distance, learn to aim the face, learn to build a repeatable motion, learn to read the greens and become a confident putter. Read em, roll em, hole em!