Golf Clubs Set: Let Your Game Choose Your Clubs Set
For over a long time, golf has been played with basically the same set
of clubs. The traditional golf set includes 3 woods (1, 3, 5), 11 irons
(2-9, PW, SW) and a putter. Does this configuration work for everyone?
Absolutely no! Now, it's time that you should take a fresh look at what
a golf club set can and should be. Rather than deciding on clubs based
on "traditional" way, why not choose golf clubs based on what YOUR golf
game requires.
Playing the game of golf involves various kinds of shots. Sometimes a
shot requires distance but other time requires accuracy. Some shots are
hit from a tee while some from short grass and at times from ungodly
places like rough, sand and dry dirt (hardpan). Each situation requires
a special club. Depending upon our abilities, some shots will be
relatively straightforward and some will be very tough.
For example, if a shot requires a 200 yard carry over water to a tight
pin on a small green, the right golf club for a beginner, intermediate
or advanced golfer will be entirely different. The beginner will need
all the help and forgiveness possible (they might even need 2 shots).
While the intermediate golfer may need a little less forgiveness but
still wants to be comfortable with their club. Finally, the advanced
player may want more subtle characteristics of feel and club head
response that a beginner can't even visualize. In the past, all three
types of different golfer were left with only a few choices but
thankfully there are many more options today.
Which Clubs Are Most Important?
As pointed out previously, golf requires numerous kinds of shots -
drives, long approach shots, short approach shots, pitches, chips, sand
shots, putts and a variety of so-called trouble shots. By far the most
frequent shot is a putt. For an average golfer, the putter is used more
than twice as much as any other club. If a golfer shoots a score of 100,
35% - 40% of those strokes will be putts. So based on shear numbers, the
putter is the most important club.
For most golfers, the driver is the next most often used - a possible 14
times from the tee, or roughly 12-20% of the time depending on ability
level and hole requirements. That first shot from the tee sets the tone
for the hole. A good drive makes the rest of the shots on that hole
easier. That makes it a very important club too.
For beginners who have a hard time hitting the green in a regulation
number of strokes, the wedges may be the second most used category of
clubs. Typically, a beginner may hit 1-4 greens. So they spend a lot of
strokes chipping up to the green (15-20%).
The remaining strokes in a round are spread among the rest of the set.
It is likely that no one club will be used more than a few times. So in
terms of frequency of use, the putter, driver and wedges are clearly
used the most frequently with the rest of the clubs bringing up the
rear.
On the other hand, the importance of a club has a lot to do with its
effect on your games. A club that has the potential to cause problems
(strokes) must be given added weight. The more difficult a club is to
hit the more likely that it may cause disaster. The driver, the long
irons, and fairway woods are the most likely culprits to cause that
errant shot that never is heard from again. Good bye ball.
It's no coincidence that these problem clubs are also the longest clubs
in the set. Most golfers would agree that the longer the club, the
harder to hit. As our abilities improve, however, we can begin to take
advantage of what the longer clubs offer (distance). But finding
forgiving versions of these clubs is a priority to help your games now.
Fortunately, there are many new possibilities with higher lofted
drivers, fairway woods and the new hybrid clubs.
Depending upon your level of skills, let's take a look at how a
golf set for a beginner,
intermediate and an
advanced golfer could be configured.
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