Playing Equipment
The earliest golf clubs were made of tough wood with development of golf irons later. The R&A introduced its 14 golf club rule in 1939 and the modern convention for numbering we know today.
It is through golf club selection that the golf ball travels different distances.
The two main differences between golf clubs are 1) Length 2) Club head loft
Longer length golf clubs have less loft so give distance. Shorter length golf clubs with higher loft produce shorter higher shots.
Distances generally achieved between different golf clubs are irons 10-15 yards and woods 20 yards.
Typical golf club sets: Woods (1, 3 and/or 5), Hybrids (3, 4, or 5), Irons (6-SW or 5-SW) and Putter
Woods
A driver or 1-wood, a 3-wood and 5-wood with the driver giving more distance than a 5- wood they are used either off the tee or on the fairway.
Hybrid/Utility Clubs
These are a recent additions to the golf clubs combining both elements of a wood and a iron designed to replace long irons such as the 2,3,4 and 5-iron,
they can be used off the tee or on the fairway.
Irons
A 1-iron the longest in length and has less loft giving distance. A 9-iron the shortest in length and highest loft giving shorter and higher shots. The 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8-iron that sit in between, irons can be used off the tee or on the fairwary.
Iron Wedges
Wedges have the shortest golf club length and highest loft and are used mainly around the greens. The most commonly used for beginners are the Pitching Wedge and Sand Wedge.
Pitching Wedge (P or PW) used for short high in the air shots (loft 45 to 48 degree)
Sand Wedge (S or SW) used to make shots out of sand bunkers (loft 56 degrees)
Gap Wedge sits between the pitching wedge and sand wedge
(loft 50 or 54 degrees)
Lob Wedge has the most loft (loft 60+ degrees)
Both these golf clubs are used by advanced golfers to provide an increase in variety of shots and more accuracy on to the green and over hazards.
Putters
A variety of styles that all have a flat face to roll the ball across the green and into the hole.
Loft refers to the angle of the golf club head face and is set in degrees. Drivers/woods are the least-lofted golf clubs giving distance (around 7.5 to 12.5 degrees), while irons sit in the middle (with 21 to 48 degrees) and wedges are the most-lofted giving a shorter and higher shot (50 to 64 degrees).