How Many Clubs Are in a Complete Set of Golf Clubs?

For beginner golfers, one of the most important things to do before getting out on the golf course is making sure you have the proper equipment. Golf equipment consists of several different things: a full set of golf clubs, golf balls and tees.

Today, we’re going to focus specifically on golf clubs, the number of clubs in a set of golf clubs, and the different types of club heads in it.

How Many Clubs are in a Complete Set of Golf Clubs?

USGA rules of golf declare that a player may carry up to 14 golf clubs in his bag, but beginning golfers, experienced golfers and PGA Tour professional golfers may each have their own preferences that differentiate exactly what they carry in their golf bag compared to other golfers. Varying skill levels also contributes to why one golfer’s complete set may look different than another’s.

That being said, there are some guidelines to follow when putting together a set of clubs. Traditionally, golfers carry a driver, a couple of fairway woods, some irons, specialty irons called wedges, and of course, a putter.

Driver and Fairway Woods

The driver is the longest club in the golf bag, used with the greatest amount of swing speed to create maximum ball flight in a golf game. It also has the lowest loft, which makes it a difficult club to master. Some drivers promote particular kinds of tee shots, like a draw.

Many golfers carry a driver, but some prefer to hit a three wood off the tee.

The three wood and other woods can be used for long and straight fairway shots. Advanced players may carry a 3 and 5 wood, while high handicappers may opt for a 5, 7 and 9 wood, which have higher lofts and are easier to hit.

Set of Irons

The traditional complete set of golf irons includes the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 iron. Recently, many manufacturers have changed the loft of these irons so that they can provide more distance.

This means that the loft of each individual iron may be changed to a lower loft, which is harder to hit. Many golfers opt to eliminate the 3 and 4 iron and replace them with hybrid golf clubs.

Hybrids

Hybrid clubs are the golf clubs that have become favorites with beginners and advanced players alike, because they are designed to provide the distance and accuracy of long irons, but they are easier to use. The design of a hybrid offers a larger clubface like a wood, combined with a shorter shaft like an iron. The center of gravity is moved toward the back and the bottom of the club, making it easier to launch the ball up into the air. Hybrids typically come in lofts of 16 to 26 degrees.

Your lowest numbered hybrid should get a distance of approximately 10 yards shorter than your highest numbered fairway wood. Players might replace a 3 and 4 iron with hybrids from 3 to 6.

Wedges

Wedges are high-loft specialty irons designed for a specific purpose. A complete set of golf clubs typically includes at least two wedges, usually the pitching wedge and sand wedge. The pitching wedge is used close to the green, and the sand wedge is used out of fairway bunkers and sand traps around the green.

In addition, some players carry a gap wedge with a loft between that of a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. For close, lofted shots to get over a hazard near the hole, players might use a lob wedge.

Putters

No set of golf clubs is complete without a putter for use on the green.The putter is designed for shots that are a few yards or closer to the hole.

A shot with a putter will stay on the ground. Golfers can choose from a number of design features, including newer putters with long shafts. The best putter is the putter that you are comfortable and successful with.