Table of Contents
What Golf Clubs Should I Have In My Bag as a Beginner, Average, or a Pro Golfer?
The Ideal Set of 14 Golf Club for You
What golf club should I have in my bag? Is the question that pops up in the mind of every newbie (sometimes mediocre) golfer. But selecting the ideal set of 14 clubs is easier said than done.
A lot of golfers couldn’t decide the right combination of clubs that they need in their bag.
The reason being is selecting the right combination of golf clubs is like selecting your cricket team wherein you can have any combination of batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders but you can’t exceed 11 players. It depends highly on what works for you; and your strategy. Likewise, you can have any combination of clubs in golf, but you can’t go beyond 14 clubs.
As per the USGA rules, a golfer can have 14 clubs in his bag. This can be consists of:
- 3 Woods (driver, 3-wood, and 5-wood)
- 8 Irons (starting from 3 to 9)
- 4 Wedges( Pitching wedge, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, and Lob Wedge) and
- A Putter.
Standard Golf Club Set
A typical golf club set can have 12 clubs in total including 1-Driver 3 Wood and 5-Wood(3 kinds of woods in total), 1 Hybrid, 6 irons(4, 5,6, 7, 8, and 9), 1-pitching wedge, and 1-putter.
But remember, one can always increase the number of clubs and choose the right combination which suits him/her the best.
What are the Best Clubs to Have in Your Golf Bag?
Don’t be a ‘Copycat’! Before selecting the ideal golf club that would work for you, focus on your game and needs.
To customize your golf club bag you need to put your attention on certain points to pick the right combination of clubs that you should carry in your bag.
How to Choose Your Ideal Golf Clubs Set Wisely?
This section will walk you through the entire process of customizing your ideal golf clubs set. So, without wasting our time let’s answer this:
Are you a Lefty?
The first thing that you need to focus on is whether you are a left or right-handed golfer.
Left-handed players face trouble in hitting the ball with regular clubs that are made for right-handed players.
Fortunately, most golf equipment brands manufacture golf clubs that are specifically engineered for left-handed players.
What is Your Skill Level?
Playing Golf is a skill that develops over time and by regular practice. You would not be able to hit the ball with certain clubs efficiently by the clubs that are often used by pro golfers.
It has been proven in research that professional golfers can generate a better driving force than amateur golfers. For instance, hitting a ball with a hybrid is not a dime a dozen.
In fact, many pro golfers suggest beginners keep a distance from hybrids till they develop descent control over clubs.
To conclude, you should not bite off more than you can chew.
Talk to Experts
There is nothing wrong with asking others for help even if you are an expert. You would find some golfers better than you on the golf course, in the neighborhood, or on social media.
Break the constraints of ego and shyness. Reach out to them and discuss the problems that you are facing in your game. You can also take their advice on the combination of clubs that you may carry.
Focus on Your Performance
At the end of the day, you want to choose the best set of clubs to improve your performance. So, always keep an eye on the clubs that are giving you the best results and not on the one that Tiger Woods uses.
Do a Self Audit of Your Golf Bag
Are there some clubs in your bag that you never use? If yes, then it’s time to do an audit of your golf bag. Doing an audit is crucial.
This will remove the clubs that are unnecessarily filling up the pace in your bag. Plus, it will also allow you to add some more clubs to your arsenal that could potentially improve your game. Do the following steps:
- Remove the Unnecessary Clubs
- Remove the Duplicates
- Focus on the Shaft length
- Add or Remove Grips based on your comfort.
Golf Clubs Set for Beginners
Know, that golf is a highly personalized sport. What works for a pro golfer doesn’t really mean that it would work for a beginner as well. As a beginner, Instead of copying the scratch golfers, you should focus on your game and evaluate which clubs are giving you the best results. You don’t need to go too fancy. I recommend you to have:
- 2-Hybrids
- 3-Wood
- 4 Irons(5, 6, 7, 8, and 9)
- 3 Wedges( Pitching wedge, Lob wedge, and Sand wedge)
- Again, as I said earlier you can have more clubs if you wish.
You always need to have an eye on your performance and revise your golf bag in a week or two. This will help you improve your game persistently and become a better golfer.
Anything which you want to achieve requires effort, time, and patience. Consistency is the key to achieving excellence, whether it’s a sport, business art, or hobby whatsoever.
Similarly, regular practice and learning with patience will definitely make you a better golfer than the previous version of yourself.
What Golf Clubs Should I Have in My Bag As a Moderately Skilled Golfer
After, you have spent 1-2 years playing golf. You have developed some serious golfing skills and your handicap is more or less 15. Then, you will be considered as an average or moderately skilled golfer.
By the time you reach, average golfer’s level you learn to hit a ball by a driver. You also have better control over hybrids and prefer to use them instead of long irons. So, the most common golf club set for a moderately skilled golfer can be-
- a Driver, 3-Wood
- Sand Wedge
- Pitching Wedge
- Two Hybrids(4 and 5)
- 5 Irons(5, 6, 7, 8, and 9)and
- A Putter.
What Golf Clubs Do Pros Carry?
There are about 24.3 million golfers in the USA alone but not everyone is a Pro. Every beginner always has a curiosity to learn about the pros.
How many hours do they spend on the course for practice per day? Which brand’s clubs do they use more often? What is the ideal set of golf clubs they carry? And, so on…
So, for now, we will stick to our point of discussion and throw some light on the golf clubs set in a pro’s bag.
There is no fixed combination of clubs that pros must carry. Instead, it depends a lot on the condition and the golf course.
Most pros tend to rearrange their gold club bag as per the golf course. For example, if they see the greens are surrounded by thick rough they may like to add up an extra wedge to get through it.
One more important thing to note is that pros don’t tend to keep a long gap between the clubs. If the first club they have can cover 200 yards the second will be the club that can manage to hit up to 180-190 yards, the next club up to 170 yards, and so on.
On the other hand, they avoid carrying two clubs that can hit more or less the same distance and can be used alternatively.
14 Clubs That Pros Carry
Generally, the pros carry the following set in their golf bag:
- A Driver with a shaft 44 to 47 inches and 8 to 10.5 degree
- 3-Wood wit Loft 13 to 14 degree
- 5-Wood, 2-Iron or Hybrid of 17 to 18 degree
- 3-Iron or Hybrid of 21-22 degree loft
- 4 to 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, and a Lob Wedge and
- A Putter
Still, the topic is not clear? You may watch the following video to get a better understanding of the topic.
FAQs
What irons should I carry in my golf bag?
The majority of golfers carry 6,7, 8, and 9 irons. Beginners may like to go with 5 to 9 irons. Pro golfers like to have a full-fledged set of 4 to 9 irons. They often use 3-iron to hit the ball higher.
What Hybrids should I have in my bag?
It depends on the distance you are getting by hitting the balls with a 7-iron. Using 3, 4, and 5 hybrids is the most common practice among golfers. If you can hit a ball up to 150-160 yards using a 7-iron then don’t go above 5-iron and try using 3 and 4 hybrids. Similarly, if you can hit upto 170-yards using a 7-iron, then you can switch your 3-iron also with a hybrid.
Should I carry a 5-Wood or 3-Hybrid?
5-Wood is easier to hit off the tea as compared to 3-Hybrid because of the larger size of the head. But, 3-Hybrid is more versatile than 5-Wood and can help you to get out of the fairway and rough. So the verdict, If you are a beginner go with a 5-Wood if you are an average golfer or a pro then go with 3-Hybrid.
Can I carry 2 Putters in my bag?
You can carry even 14 putters in your bag. There is no restriction on the combination of clubs that you carry in your carry. You are allowed to have any combination of clubs if it is working for you. But, the maximum number of clubs that you can have is 14.
What loft should I have in my bag?
Generally, it is advisable to have a 4-degrees gap in the loft of your clubs. For example, you can have a set of wedges with lofts of 48, 52, 56, and 60-degree. This will help you to hit the ball to cover different distances and reach different heights.
Conclusion
To conclude, there is no fixed combination of clubs that you must use. At the end of the day, you want to go on the course in a bag that can give you the best results. Follow the tips explained in the guide that will help you answer the question of what golf clubs I should have in my bag? With that said, I hope this guide will prove to be helpful for you in improving your game. I am taking leave now and will be back with another informative and helpful article. We have also covered an article on the best disc golf bags, have a look!
Happy Golfing with Golferarena