Selecting Golf Clubs

February 4, 2010

To start there’s only one rule to remember: You can’t carry more than 14 clubs in your bag at any one time.

• Determining your ability level
  • The low-handicap golfer
  • The mid-handicap golfer
  • The high-handicap golfer
• Determining a basic set
• Buying a child’s club set

Determining your ability level

Before buying a set of clubs, first determine your ability level.

The low-handicap golfer

A low-handicap player has a single-digit handicap, meaning he or she generally scores less than 10 strokes over par, or an 82 or less on a par-72 course.

• Woods
  • The low-handicap player should carry a driver and at least 1 fairway wood, most likely the 3-wood
• Irons
  • The low-handicap player will benefit from lower irons in his bag, because the three or four-iron is a difficult club to hit but can be very useful if it can be controlled
• Wedges
  • A minimum of 3 wedges–sand wedge, pitching wedge and either a lob wedge or approach wedge–in their bags, with a maximum 4-degree difference between each one

The mid-handicap golfer

The mid-handicap golfer plays “bogey golf,” meaning his or her score averages out to 1 over par on each hole, or somewhere in the 11-20 handicap range.

• Woods
  • In addition to the driver and a 3-wood and a 5-wood, consider adding a 7-wood or even a 9-wood. These fairway woods give much better control and consistency than the harder to hit long irons.
• Irons
  • Usually only a 3 through 9 are recommended, since the 2-iron is very difficult to hit consistently
• Wedges
  • Three different wedges are recommended- pitching wedge, sandwedge, and either a lob wedge or approach wedge

The high-handicap golfer

The high-handicap golfer is either a beginner or has not had the time to hone his game to reach the mid-handicap level. The high-handicapper usually shoots close to or over 100.

• Woods
  • You may not even want to have a driver in your bag. Instead, go with the 3-wood as your off-the-tee wood and add the easier-to-hit 7- and 9-wood.
• Wedges
  • Up to 3 wedges – pitching wedge, sand wedge, and either a lob wedge or approach wedges – should be carried

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Determining a basic set

While there are variations, golfers buying a basic set of clubs should include the following:

2 or 3 woods

• Either a driver and 2 fairway woods (a 3- and 5-wood are common)
• Consider adding a 3.5-, and 7-wood

Eight irons

• A set traditionally includes a 3 through 9-iron plus a pitching wedge
• Many golfers are now not carrying the longer 3- and 4- irons for an additional fairway wood

Wedges

• Sand wedge (55-57 degree loft)
• Choose between a lob wedge (60-64 degree loft) or a gap wedge (50-53 degree loft)

Putter

• Putters are usually sold separately from full sets to allow the golfer to choose his or her own style

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Buying a child’s club set

Children just learning the game have certain requirements.

• Children should not learn on an adult-sized set of clubs
• Children should not use a cut-off set of adult clubs because the shafts will be too stiff

Starter sets offer child-specific designs

• Undersized grips
  • Children have smaller hands and therefore need narrower grips
• Length
  • Starter sets are usually sized for children under 10, for pre-teens and then for teenagers
• Weight
  • Need to be light enough to be swung easily and balanced enough to simulate full-sized clubs
• Number of clubs
  • Most children’s starter sets have a reduced number of clubs, decreasing the club decisions they have to make while learning the game, as well as decreasing the weight of the golf bag
• Irons/Woods
  • The lowest iron is usually a 6-iron
  • The driver is now being replaced in starter sets by the easier-to-hit 3-or 5-wood
• Putter
  • Proper size is essential
  • Measure from slightly above the child’s waist to the ground to determine an approximate size. This should give you the approximate proper length of a child’s putter