How To Choose The Best Beginner's Golf Clubs

Playing golf is a sport that relies on a great deal of skill. But as every golfer knows, having the right equipment is far more likely to help you get that hole in one.

With professional golfers using up to 14 different types of club, the absolute beginner to golf can be faced with a bewildering array of choices when it comes to choosing the right clubs. So in this guide, we’ll be outlining some of the most important equipment you will need to begin with.

Complete Novice

If you are just starting out in golf, then paying a lot of money for the best equipment isn’t a good idea. Wait until you have taken some lessons, before forking out on expensive clubs. It’s no good having the perfect driving club unless you know how to use it!

Basic Equipment

Starting out, you will need some clubs, tees, a golf bag and several golf balls.

Types of Club

Very basically, there are 5 types of clubs: putters, hybrids, woods, wedges and irons.

Woods are designed for long shots, irons for mid or short range shots, putters for putting, wedges for difficult shots such as from sand-bunkers, and hybrid clubs - a new flexible cross between irons and woods.

Variations in Golf Clubs

Clubs are numbered according to the angle of the face of the club, which will affect how far and at what angle the ball will travel. This angle on the club face is known as ‘loft’ and generally speaking, the lower the number of the club, the lower the loft, meaning that the ball will travel a greater distance, but requires greater skill. So a 3 iron for example, will be a lot harder to use effectively than a 9 wood, which will send the ball a greater distance at a higher loft.

Beginners Clubs

It’s important to remember that if you are a beginner, then you do not need a full set of clubs. The crucial thing is to first gain mastery and control. The better your swing the better your chance of success, so clubs with larger heads are best for beginners, as they are more forgiving of lack of technique. To ensure you have the right clubs, you can either buy a beginners club set, or buy individually. For a basic starter set, try a 10 degree loft driver, a mallet putter, a sand wedge, irons 6 and 8, a pitching wedge, and a fairway wood (most commonly used).

It’s important to try different clubs first, so remember that some types of clubs are far easier to use than others. Hybrids offer flexibility, and irons should have wide soles – look for an iron with a sole that measures about the width of two fingers (from front edge to back). A club with a larger head is more forgiving – such as the Titleist 913 D2 Driver, which has proved a good all-rounder for both beginners and pros.

Featured images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/images/results.aspx?qu=golf&ex=1#ai:MP900398861|

Rob Rudd is a keen amateur golfer who also enjoys writing when the opportunity arises.