The golf driver’s use is very simple: this is typically the club used to tee off because it allows the golfer to hit the ball a great distance.

For that reason, a driver is usually the first club that a golfer reaches for in the bag.

Sometimes it might be used on the fairway, but that’s very rare.

The wedges are used for short, high shots. Typically those shots that need to be made near the green or in a sand bunker. There are several different types of wedges that all are listed below. 

• Pitching wedge – you can use this wedge with a full swing to help get a higher shot and lift the ball over a tree or a bush. It can also be used on the sand if the golf ball is sitting on the surface.

• Sand wedge – this club is designed for getting the golf ball out of a sand bunker. Sand bunkers are sunken portions of the course, filled with sand. It can be very difficult to get your ball out if it lands in here. 

• Gap wedge – This wedge was designed to quite literally fill the gap between sand and pitching wedges. This means the gap wedge to hit a shot higher and shorter than that of a pitching wedge, but longer and lower than that of a sand wedge.

• Lob wedge – Lob wedges are angled as a L-shape and are most often used to put shots over hazards (water, bunkers, etc.) and/or obstructions. When the golf ball is hit with a lob wedge, it leaves the ground in an extremely high arc allowing it to clear whatever obstacle.

The 3-wood is to be used on the fairway (the closely mowed area of the course that falls between a tee and a green) and allows the ball to remain lower and travel further.

Typically the use of this club aids in accuracy. You can use this club to tee off.

The 5-wood has a higher loft than a 3-wood. Remember, the loft is what helps with determining the angle and trajectory of the shot.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that the higher the golf club number, the higher the loft and the shorter the club shaft.

The 5-wood is typically used in the second shot of play, hitting the ball from the fairway.

The putter’s function is to put the golf ball into the hole. This club is used on the green (the area of the course where the flagstick and hole are located).

Once the ball is close enough to the hole that you don’t have to completely slam it with a club, you would use the putter.

If you’ve ever played miniature golf, sometimes referred to as “putt-putt”, these are the clubs you use around the mini course. They are designed to deliver a smooth shot which usually rolls the ball right into the hole.

The iron clubs are usually used if you find yourself less than 200 yards away from the green.

A rule of thumb for golf irons is the closer you are to the green, the higher the number of the iron you’ll use. The higher numbers are easier to hit than the lower numbers, making them a favorite among senior golfers and women golfers.

The term “hybrid” simply means a cross between two things. With the hybrid club, you get a combination of a wood golf head design with an iron length shaft.

Some golfers will use a 4 hybrid instead of a 4-wood. Most hybrids match up with their wood or iron counterpart, but the most important thing to look for is the loft of the club.

The hybrid club will be easier to hit and performs well in terms of distance and accuracy.