Inside the golf Bag
There are typically 14 clubs in a golfer's bag according to the rules set by the governing bodies of golf, the USGA (United States Golf Association) and The R&A (The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews). This is to ensure a fair playing field and prevent golfers from carrying an excessive amount of equipment.
A typical 14-club golf bag will be filled with a combination of different club types, each designed for a specific purpose on the course. Here's a breakdown of the most common ones you'll find:
Driver (1): This is the longest club in the bag and is used for the tee shot on par 4 and par 5 holes. It has the largest clubhead to maximize distance off the tee.
Fairway Woods (1-3): These clubs (often called 3-wood, 5-wood) have smaller heads than the driver but larger than irons. They are used for longer shots from the fairway (the area of short grass between the tee box and the green) or off the tee on shorter holes.
Hybrids (1-2): These combine features of both fairway woods and irons. They are easier to hit than fairway woods due to their iron-like shape but offer more forgiveness and distance than long irons.
Irons (4-9): Irons are numbered from 3-iron to pitching wedge (PW) and are used for a variety of shots of varying distances. Lower numbered irons (3-5) are longer and hit the ball lower, while higher numbered irons (7-PW) are shorter and launch the ball higher for more control.
Wedges (2-4): Wedges have lofts even higher than pitching wedges and are designed for specialized shots around the green. Common wedges include sand wedge (SW) for bunker shots, pitching wedge (PW) for chip shots around the green, and lob wedge (LW) for high-lofted shots with maximum stopping power.
Putter (1): The putter is the only club specifically designed for putting on the green. It has a flat face and is used to roll the ball towards the hole.
It's important to remember that this is a general guideline, and golfers may choose to carry more or fewer clubs of each type depending on their skill level and personal preference. Some beginners might start with a half set (7-8 clubs) to make the game less overwhelming, while advanced players may carry additional wedges or specialty irons.
Driver: The lowest lofted wood in the bag, used for long-distance shots off the tee.
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Driver Golf ClubFairway Wood: Similar to a driver but with a smaller clubhead and more loft for accuracy on longer approach shots.
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Fairway Wood Golf Club
Hybrid: A combination of a wood and iron, offering more forgiveness and playability than a long iron.
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Hybrid Golf Club
Iron: Irons are numbered 3 through wedge and are used for a variety of shots of varying distances.
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Iron Golf Club
Pitching Wedge (PW): The shortest iron in the standard set, used for approach shots from around 100 yards.
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Pitching Wedge Golf Club
Sand Wedge (SW): Designed with a wider sole to help you get out of sand bunkers more easily.
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Sand Wedge Golf Club
Lob Wedge (LW): An even more lofted wedge than a sand wedge, used for high, soft shots around the green.
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Lob Wedge Golf Club
Putter: The club used on the green to roll the ball into the hole.
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Putter Golf Club
Blade Putter: A traditional style of putter with a thin face for more feel and control.
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Blade Putter Golf Club
Mallet Putter: A more forgiving style of putter with a larger head for better alignment.
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Mallet Putter Golf Club
Cavity Back Irons: Irons with a hollowed-out back cavity for more forgiveness on mishits.
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Cavity Back Irons Golf Club
Muscle Back Irons: Irons with a solid back for better feel and control, but less forgiveness on mishits.
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Muscle Back Irons Golf Club
Graphite Shaft: A lightweight shaft made of graphite, common in drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids.
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Graphite Shaft Golf Club
Steel Shaft: A heavier shaft made of steel, common in irons and wedges.
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Steel Shaft Golf Club
Regular Flex: A shaft flex that is suitable for most average golfers.
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Regular Flex Golf Club
Stiff Flex: A shaft flex that is designed for golfers with a faster swing speed.
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Stiff Flex Golf Club
Senior Flex: A shaft flex that is designed for golfers with a slower swing speed.
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Senior Flex Golf Club
Oversize Clubhead: A larger clubhead that is designed for more forgiveness on mishits.
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Oversize Clubhead Golf Club
Undersized Clubhead: A smaller clubhead that is designed for better feel and control.
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Undersized Clubhead Golf Club
Offset Clubhead: A clubhead where the hosel is angled back from the face, designed to help golfers square the clubface at impact for more accuracy.
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Offset Clubhead Golf Club