Equipment

Fourteen clubs. One clear job each.

A bag full of clubs is intimidating until you see where each one lives on the course. Fly down a hole and watch the right club appear at every shot — then dig into the full set below.

Walk the hole

Pick a hole and your level, then scroll — the map flies to each shot and names the club.

Hole

Your level

Brand new: New to golf? Leave the driver in the bag. Tee off with a fairway wood or hybrid — they're forgiving and keep you in play. Driver comes later, once your swing is solid.

Par 4

400yd

5-Wood

Off the tee

400yd

01400yd to go
Off the tee
5-Wood
Skip the driver here. A 5-wood (or hybrid) is far easier to hit straight — keep it in play and the hole stays simple.
18° · carries 150–195 yd
02175yd to go
The lay-up / approach
5-Hybrid
Long way home. A hybrid that leaves you a full wedge beats forcing a long iron at the green and finding a bunker.
25° · carries 130–175 yd
0395yd to go
Scoring zone
Pitching Wedge
Your favourite distance. Aim at the centre of the green, not the flag — two putts from the middle is a great result.
45° · carries 70–110 yd
04On the green
On the green
Putter
Roughly 40% of your shots happen here. Lag the first putt close, tap in, walk off with a smile.
3° · carries 0–30 yd

Meet the clubs

All fourteen at a glance — the full bag, from driver to putter.

Driver
3-Wood
5-Wood
4-Hybrid
5-Hybrid
6-Iron
7-Iron
8-Iron
9-Iron
Pitching Wedge
Gap Wedge
Sand Wedge
Lob Wedge
Putter

The big question

Should a beginner even use a driver?

Short answer: not yet. The driver is the hardest club in the bag — the longest shaft, the least loft, and the only club you hit slightly up on. Most coaches say leave it in the bag at first and tee off with a fairway wood or hybrid until your contact is consistent.

The trade-off is smaller than you'd think: off the tee a 3-wood costs a beginner only a little distance versus a driver, while finding far more fairways. Switch your level above to “Brand new” and watch the tee-shot recommendation change.

Sources: Practical Golf & Shot Scope (driver vs. 3-wood), Today's Golfer (hybrids vs. long irons).

Tee off with
A 5-wood or hybrid — easy to launch, easy to keep straight.
Replace long irons
A 4- or 5-hybrid beats a 3/4-iron for forgiveness and height.
Add the driver
Once your contact is reliable and the slice has calmed down.

The full set, at a glance

Realistic beginner carry distances — yours will differ, and that's the point. Knowing your own numbers is what turns a bag of clubs into a strategy.

Club	Loft	Carry	Where you use it
DriverWoods	9–12°	170–220 yd	Tee shot on longer holes — your distance club.
3-WoodWoods	15°	160–210 yd	Long shots off the tee or fairway when you need distance.
5-WoodWoods	18°	150–195 yd	Easier-to-hit fairway wood; replaces long irons.
4-HybridHybrids	22°	140–185 yd	Forgiving long-distance club from fairway or rough.
5-HybridHybrids	25°	130–175 yd	Friendly replacement for a hard-to-hit long iron.
6-IronIrons	28°	120–160 yd	Mid-range approach into the green.
7-IronIrons	32°	110–150 yd	The go-to learning iron; mid approach shots.
8-IronIrons	36°	100–135 yd	Shorter approach with more height and control.
9-IronIrons	40°	90–120 yd	Short approach; stops quicker on the green.
Pitching WedgeWedges	45°	70–110 yd	Short approaches and longer chips.
Gap WedgeWedges	50°	60–95 yd	Fills the gap between pitching and sand wedge.
Sand WedgeWedges	56°	40–80 yd	Bunkers and short, high pitches around the green.
Lob WedgeWedges	60°	20–70 yd	High, soft shots over trouble close to the green.
PutterPutter	3°	0–30 yd	On the green — used on roughly 40% of your shots.

Every club, in detail

What each club is for — and how to hit it.

Loft, distance, how hard it is to learn, when to reach for it, a tip, and the mistake beginners make most. Work category by category.

Woods

Your big distance clubs. Lowest loft, longest shafts — the most reach, and the hardest to hit cleanly.

Driver

9–12° · 170–220 yd

Tricky to learn

The biggest, longest club in the bag, built for maximum distance off the tee.

When to use: Tee shots on open par 4s and 5s when you want maximum distance.
Beginner tip: Tee it high so half the ball sits above the crown, and catch it slightly on the upswing.
Watch out: Swinging out of your shoes — extra effort adds a slice, not distance.

3-Wood

15° · 160–210 yd

Tricky to learn

A fairway wood for long shots off the tee or, with a clean lie, the turf.

When to use: A safer, more accurate tee shot than driver, or a long second on a par 5.
Beginner tip: Sweep it off the ground with a smooth tempo; the loft gets it airborne for you.
Watch out: Trying to scoop or help it up — that thins or tops the shot.

5-Wood

18° · 150–195 yd

Moderate

A higher-lofted, more forgiving fairway wood — easier to launch than a 3-wood.

When to use: Long approaches and tee shots when you want height and a soft landing.
Beginner tip: Play it like a long iron with a gentle sweeping strike, ball just forward of centre.
Watch out: Standing too far from the ball and reaching, which leads to toe strikes.

Hybrids

The beginner's best friend: forgiving long clubs that replace tricky long irons.

4-Hybrid

22° · 140–185 yd

Beginner-friendly

A forgiving long club that replaces hard-to-hit long irons — a beginner essential.

When to use: Long approaches, awkward lies, thick rough, even tight tee shots.
Beginner tip: Hit slightly down on it like an iron and let the wide sole do the work.
Watch out: Trying to sweep it like a wood instead of striking down.

5-Hybrid

25° · 130–175 yd

Beginner-friendly

An even more forgiving hybrid; one of the easiest long clubs to hit well.

When to use: Anywhere you'd dread pulling a 4- or 5-iron.
Beginner tip: Make a smooth, iron-like swing and trust it — it's built to forgive mishits.
Watch out: Decelerating into the ball; commit and accelerate through.

Irons

Your bread-and-butter approach clubs. Numbered low (long) to high (short and high).

6-Iron

28° · 120–160 yd

Moderate

A mid-iron for controlled approach distance and a penetrating flight.

When to use: Mid-range approach shots into the green from the fairway.
Beginner tip: Ball just ahead of centre; strike down and through, brushing the turf after the ball.
Watch out: Scooping at it to lift the ball — the loft does the lifting.

7-Iron

32° · 110–150 yd

Beginner-friendly

The classic learning iron — the club most lessons (and most ranges) start with.

When to use: Mid approaches, and your default club for learning the swing.
Beginner tip: If you only groove one iron, make it this one; it sets the feel for the rest.
Watch out: Gripping too tightly and steering the ball instead of swinging freely.

8-Iron

36° · 100–135 yd

Beginner-friendly

A shorter, higher iron that trades distance for accuracy and stopping power.

When to use: Shorter approaches when you want the ball to land soft and sit down.
Beginner tip: Trust the extra loft and make a compact, balanced swing.
Watch out: Swinging too hard for the distance and ballooning it offline.

9-Iron

40° · 90–120 yd

Beginner-friendly

A high, short iron that flies steeply and stops quickly on the green.

When to use: Short approaches and longer chip-and-runs around the green.
Beginner tip: Aim for the centre of the green and let it land soft.
Watch out: Adding force instead of relying on a smooth, repeatable tempo.

Wedges

The scoring clubs. High loft for short, high, soft shots — and getting out of sand.

Pitching Wedge

45° · 70–110 yd

Beginner-friendly

Your main scoring club from short range, and a reliable chipper.

When to use: Short approaches and longer chips from just off the green.
Beginner tip: Learn your full, half, and quarter swings — distance control wins holes.
Watch out: Always swinging full; partial swings are where scoring lives.

Gap Wedge

50° · 60–95 yd

Beginner-friendly

Fills the awkward distance gap between your pitching and sand wedges.

When to use: In-between shots where a pitching wedge is too much and a sand wedge too little.
Beginner tip: Brilliant for half-pitches and bump-and-runs around the green.
Watch out: Buying one before you actually know where your wedge gaps are.

Sand Wedge

56° · 40–80 yd

Moderate

A high-lofted wedge with a wide sole designed to glide through sand.

When to use: Greenside bunkers, and short high pitches that need to stop quickly.
Beginner tip: In sand, hit the sand a little behind the ball and keep swinging through.
Watch out: Trying to pick the ball cleanly out of the sand instead of splashing it out.

Lob Wedge

60° · 20–70 yd

Tricky to learn

The highest-lofted wedge, for short shots that climb fast and land soft.

When to use: Short shots over a bunker or trouble that need to stop almost on landing.
Beginner tip: Open the face slightly and keep accelerating — never quit on it.
Watch out: Reaching for it to look fancy when a simple chip is the smarter play.

Putter

Used on roughly 40% of your shots. The only club whose job is to roll, not fly.

Putter

3° · 0–30 yd

Beginner-friendly

The club you'll use most — for rolling the ball along the green into the hole.

When to use: Every shot on the green, and sometimes from the fringe just off it.
Beginner tip: Master speed first, line second — good pace turns three-putts into twos.
Watch out: Obsessing over the line while ignoring how hard you're hitting it.

Beyond the clubs

The rest of the kit — and what to skip.

Balls, bag, shoes, glove, tees and the handy extras. Honest advice on what a beginner actually needs on day one — and what can happily wait.

Golf balls

Don't buy premium “tour” balls yet — you'll lose plenty. Soft, low-compression two-piece balls are cheaper, fly straight, and are perfect while you learn.

The bag

A light carry/stand bag is all you need if you'll walk. Cart bags are heavier and aimed at riders. Look for comfy dual straps and a stand that pops out.

Shoes

Optional to start. Spikeless golf shoes add grip and comfort, but clean trainers are fine on most public courses until you're hooked.

A glove

One glove on your lead hand (left for right-handers) improves grip and prevents blisters. Replace it once it goes shiny and slick.

Tees

Cheap, and you'll lose them — buy a bag. Longer tees for the driver, shorter wooden ones for irons off the tee.

Handy extras

A pitch-repair tool, a ball marker, a small towel, a few plasters, sunscreen and a water bottle. None essential, all appreciated.

My Bag

Build your bag & see your gaps →

Save the clubs you own and visualise your distance gaps.

Gear Hub

What to buy & how to buy used →

Honest, slightly opinionated picks without getting burned.