Golf clubs are manufactured to give golfers a number of different options while out on the golf course. Whether it’s a driver to propel the ball hundreds of yards or a putter designed to hit the ball only a few feet or inches, different clubs have different purposes. Knowing which clubs do what can help you decide what kind of shot to take during your round and improve your score.
Woods
Named for the type of material first used to construct them in the early days of golf, woods today are mostly made of such materials as graphite. Golfers use them to drive the ball long distances, such as off the tee or in the middle of the fairway when the hole is several hundred yards away. The loft on the clubface of a wood is lower than any other club, a design that helps the ball travel farther and straighter.
Irons
Irons have a flat, angled face designed to lift the ball in the air for midrange shots. Their shafts are several inches shorter than a wood, causing the player to stand closer to the ball, which increases accuracy but decreases the distance on shots. Similar to woods, irons are so named because they were once forged from the metal iron. Most bags include a set of seven to nine irons, with the lower numbers used to hit longer distances and the higher numbers used for more lofted shots.
Wedges
For shorter shots that require more accurate placement, such as an approach to the green, players use wedges. A pitching wedge is the most commonly used approach wedge, and its club angle helps create a loft on the ball that allows it to land softly on the green. Loft wedges create an even more exaggerated loft, helping the player get out of tough situations, such as a ball well below the hole. Sand wedges are so-named for their use in sand bunkers, where the player must scoop the ball out of the sand rather than hitting it directly.
Hybrids
Hybrid clubs, as their name implies, are a mix between a wood and an iron, and they are mainly used by players who struggle to hit longer irons and in situations where a longer shot requiring more precision than a wood is needed.
Putter
The putter is the least technological of all the golf clubs. It has a flat face, designed to make the ball roll along the surface of the green with no spin or loft. Manufacturers design putters so that the center of gravity is placed directly behind the ball, giving the player the best chance to hit a solid shot. Other clubs have centers of gravity in different areas of the club to aid in proper club face alignment with the ball.
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