If you're new to golf and looking for a basic set of clubs to help you navigate your way around the maze of tee boxes, fairways, roughs, sand traps, water hazards and greens on a course, it's not as difficult as you might think. While myriad brands and models that feature a variety of materials and playing characteristics exist, golf clubs fall into just three categories: woods, irons and putters. Starting with this information, you can put together the right set for yourself.
Woods
Manufacturers formerly made woods with wooden heads, but they now use materials such as graphite or carbon fiber. Woods are the clubs you will use from most tee boxes or other long distances on even ground when you are far enough away from the green that your main concern is distance. The clubs have several of characteristics to help players maximize their abilities.
Less-skilled players will use woods with larger heads, more flexible shafts and a lighter weight to add speed, making up for the added weight of a larger head that offers more hitting area. More-skilled players able to generate greater power will want a stiffer shaft for more control and a smaller head to help maintain speed. Beginners, juniors and seniors may forgo using a harder-to-control driver for the control of a 3-wood, using a 5-wood and a 7-wood to give them more distance in the fairway.
Irons
Irons are clubs with thinner metal heads designed to help players as they get closer to the hole. Top players will use long irons from farther distances, while higher handicap players may start their iron set with a 5-iron or 6-iron, relying on their woods for more long-distance shots. Short irons are clubs you use for pitching and chipping from shorter distances. These clubs include the various wedges, which have a more open face to help you pop the ball up and onto the green, usually from within 100 yards or less. This includes the sand wedge, with features such as a wider sole, or club bottom, to help you play out of a difficult lie.
Putters
Putters come in two different varieties with two different heads. Traditional putters look like standard golf clubs with a similar length, while belly putters are longer, reaching up to chest-height and played with an upright, hands-apart stroke. Golfers who use belly putters feel they offer more control. Putters feature either wide heads, called mallets, or thinner heads, called blades. The mallet heads provide more mass, and therefore more stability during putts, while thinner blades offer slightly more speed. Both the type of putter and head size you use comes down to personal preference. No research has shown that one putter works better for a particular type of player.
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