14 Must-Have Golf Clubs For a Better Golfing Experience

The right golf equipment is necessary if you want to play the sport well. You must have good gloves and grips so that the clubs don’t slip out of your hand. Besides that, your set must also have the correct club types to hit the ball easily.

Are you wondering about the must-have golf clubs in your bag? If so, you no longer have to. You can understand the different golf clubs that must be present in your bag by reading this post.

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14 Must-Have Golf Clubs

Here are the six must-have golf clubs for your set:

1- Driver

The longest club in a golf set is called the driver. It is the top option for players who want to cover maximum distance in a shot. This is why it is a must-have tool for your golf bag. A good driver will allow you to enjoy the best score for longer holes easily. However, remember, a driver comes in various options.

Always consider your needs when selecting the best driver for your set. Comparing different brands’ head sizes, weight, shafts, and technology will help you purchase the correct tool. Typically, a lightweight driver with a high loft is suitable for women. Meanwhile, the opposite is best for men.

A golf driver is typically the club used to tee off, allowing the golfer to hit the ball a great distance. That’s why a driver is generally the first club a golfer reaches for in the bag.

2- Wedges

Golf wedges come in various sizes and lofts, so it can be difficult to determine the right option for your bag. The best part is that one set can have 14 items. This is why it is advisable to keep one piece of each wedge for high flexibility and good experience. 

There are generally four types in the wedge family: the pitching wedge, the sand wedge, the gap wedge, and the lob wedge. Each club has a different loft, making it more suitable for certain shots. 

These clubs are primarily used for short but high shots. Here are the must-have types you should get:

Pitching Wedge

A pitching wedge has the lowest loft, sending the ball farther than the other wedges. It also is the most popular type for beginners because it allows you to take a full swing. You can easily hit a high shot with this club and lift the ball over a bush or tree. 

The landing is soft with some roll to cover a good distance. You can also use this item on sand if the ball is on a surface. These wedges mainly have a loft angle of 44 to 48 degrees.

Sand Wedge

This is another essential wedge for your golf set, especially if you’re a beginner. It is mainly used when pitching around the green and for sand bunkers. These are sunken parts on the course that contains sand. 

If your ball lands in the sunken part, it will be tough to take it out. That is where the sand wedge will help you. A sand wedge has a wide sole to help the club easily glide through the mud. You can also use the tool for hitting the ball in a rough area.

Gap Wedge

As the name suggests, a gap wedge is used when there is a distance between your pitching and sand wedges. It may be marked with an “A” and plays a significant role. You can use the club for taking full swings at the green course.

A gap wedge will help you hit a shot higher but shorter than the one made with a pitching wedge. However, it will be lower and longer than the shot taken by a sand wedge. That is how this club bridges the gap between the other pieces.

Lob Wedge

You must use this club to hit shots over hazards such as bunkers and water puddles. A lob wedge will allow you to take the ball across the obstruction without making much effort. This is because of the L-shaped angle of this club.

The ball will travel with a high arc when you hit it with a lob wedge. So you can easily make it land on soft green turf instead of the obstacle. You should also use a lob wedge when taking shots across a thick rough zone.

3- Woods

Woods are clubs with a lower loft than the irons and driver to help you cover long distances on the golf course. You require it to complete long holes in less time and with minimal effort. This club is available in 3, 4, 5, and 7 gradings.

However, the must-have woods for golf sets are 3-wood and 5-wood. Here are the key features of these two clubs to help you understand them better:

3-Wood

The 3-wood club is mainly used on a fairway, a mowed area between the tee and green on the course. 3-wood allows the ball to remain low and cover more distance.

The primary purpose of this club is to improve your accuracy while taking a swing. You may also use a 3-wood to tee off.

5-Wood

This club has a higher loft than the 3-wood. So it helps you hit the ball with a higher angle to achieve a better trajectory.

A good rule of thumb is that the higher the golf club number, the higher the loft and the shorter the club shaft. Remember, the loft helps determine the angle and trajectory of the shot.

Players mainly use this club during the play’s second shot when hitting the golf ball from a fairway.

4- Putter

A putter is mainly used for putting the ball in a hole. Interestingly, the must-have putter depends on your personal preference. You must have this club in your bag because it is better to use when near the hole. 

If you use a standard iron, you may slam the ball with high force. So the ball is likely to pass the hole. Here are the three types of putters you can choose from:

Blade Putters

A blade putter has a thin head that offers a comforting feel for a good putting stroke. It is mainly suitable for faster greens.

Blade putters are excellent if you have an arc stroke because of the weight distribution between the toe and the heel.

Weighted Putters

This club is mainly suitable for offering a better center of contact for the putt. So it allows you to hit the ball straighter than other putters. You can use this club for all play styles.

Putter weights are generally adjustable pieces of steel fixed to the sole of the clubhead. You can remove and replace them with lighter or heavier weights based on your preferences. 

Mallet Putters

A mallet is a putter with typically a larger clubhead near the club face. Generally, they are square, round, or what is referred to in the industry as a “half-moon.”

Mallet putters are the most forgiving putters, mainly suitable for beginners. They have a large sweet spot but weigh more than other clubs. So you should use it for hitting the ball on slower greens.

4- 5-Iron To 9-Iron

Irons are essential for all golf sets because they are the most used clubs in a bag. Just like woods, they come with a number grading before them. So you have all the types from 5 to 9 irons. 3-iron and 4–iron are optional because they allow a similar trajectory as the woods. 

These clubs are primarily used when you are at least 200 yards away from the greens. You should increase the iron number as you get closer to the green. This is because it will be easier to hit the ball with a higher-numbered iron. 

6-Hybrid

Hybrids are a mixture of woods and irons to help you get the best of these two club types. The best thing is hybrids allow you to hit the ball more easily than the irons. This is why many seniors and female players use them.

You can get multiple hybrids, but the must-have option is 4-hybrid. This will replace the need for 4-iron and 4-wood. So save one slot in your golf bag by getting a hybrid. It will also help you enjoy more forgiveness and better accuracy.

Is it Worth Having All These Clubs?

Even though golfers can legally carry up to 14 clubs in their golf bag, having 14 is not required. You can use as many clubs as you would like, so long as the number of clubs does not exceed 14.

The most common golf club setup includes a driver, wedges, 3-wood, putter, 5-wood, 5-9 irons, and four hybrids.

Choose a different combination of clubs you enjoy playing with because golf club setup depends on personal preferences. I suggest you try a few various clubs setup to find out which ones fit you best.

Clubs You Should Carry in Your Golf Bag According To Your Level

Handicapper  Level	What You Should Put In Your Golf Club	What Should You Focus
High Handicapper  Level	– Driver – 3 and 5 Wood – Gap Wedge – 4, 5, and 6 Hybrid – Sand Wedge – 7-PW	High handicappers typically need to focus on forgiveness and distance. It is not recommended to put long irons in your golf bag if you have high handicappers.
Mid Handicapper Level	– Driver – 4 Hybrid – 3 and 5 Wood – Gap Wedge – Lob Wedge – Sand Wedge – 5-PW	Mid handicappers need a combination of forgiveness and scoring clubs. Some long irons are challenging for mid handicappers to hit because many will not consistently have the club head speed required to hit them.
Low Handicapper Level	– Driver – 3 Hybrid – 3 Wood – 4-PW – 60-degree lob wedge – 56-degree sand wedge – 52-degree gap wedge	Low handicappers are highly recommended to carry long irons because it takes multiple swing speeds and precision to hit long irons properly.

Closing Thoughts

These are the 14 must-have golf clubs for your set. You should ensure the bag includes all these items to enjoy the best game.

Getting the correct numbers is also essential to avoid getting stuck in the course. If the set is missing a club, you must consider purchasing a different one.