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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.

1001502004

Par 4

400yd

5W

5-Wood

Off the tee

400yd
  1. 01400yd to go
    5W

    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 yd5W
  2. 02175yd to go
    5H

    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 yd5H
  3. 0395yd to go
    PW

    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 ydPW
  4. 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 ydPt

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.

Disclosure — some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we'd genuinely put in a beginner's bag.

The distance ladder

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

Each club covers a band of distance. Lined up, they form a ladder — and the gaps between rungs are exactly what you fill as you build your bag.

14

All

170–220 yd

Carry

9-Iron

Beginner-friendly

Driver
170–220 yd
3-Wood
160–210 yd
5-Wood
150–195 yd
4-Hybrid
140–185 yd
5-Hybrid
130–175 yd
6-Iron
120–160 yd
7-Iron
110–150 yd
8-Iron
100–135 yd
9-Iron
90–120 yd
Pitching Wedge
70–110 yd
Gap Wedge
60–95 yd
Sand Wedge
40–80 yd
Lob Wedge
20–70 yd

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.

14

Every club, in detail

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.

Beginner-friendly

9-Iron

Carry

90–120 yd

Dr

Woods

Driver

Tricky to learn

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

Loft
9–12°
Carry
170–220 yd
Club
Dr
Carry
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.
3W

Woods

3-Wood

Tricky to learn

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

Loft
15°
Carry
160–210 yd
Club
3W
Carry
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.
5W

Woods

5-Wood

Moderate

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

Loft
18°
Carry
150–195 yd
Club
5W
Carry
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.
4H

Hybrids

4-Hybrid

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
22°
Carry
140–185 yd
Club
4H
Carry
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.
5H

Hybrids

5-Hybrid

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
25°
Carry
130–175 yd
Club
5H
Carry
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.
6

Irons

6-Iron

Moderate

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

Loft
28°
Carry
120–160 yd
Club
6i
Carry
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

Irons

7-Iron

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
32°
Carry
110–150 yd
Club
7i
Carry
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

Irons

8-Iron

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
36°
Carry
100–135 yd
Club
8i
Carry
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

Irons

9-Iron

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
40°
Carry
90–120 yd
Club
9i
Carry
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.
PW

Wedges

Pitching Wedge

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
45°
Carry
70–110 yd
Club
PW
Carry
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.
GW

Wedges

Gap Wedge

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
50°
Carry
60–95 yd
Club
GW
Carry
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.
SW

Wedges

Sand Wedge

Moderate

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

Loft
56°
Carry
40–80 yd
Club
SW
Carry
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.
LW

Wedges

Lob Wedge

Tricky to learn

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

Loft
60°
Carry
20–70 yd
Club
LW
Carry
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

Putter

Beginner-friendly

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

Loft
3°
Carry
0–30 yd
Club
Pt
Carry
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.