As with any new sport or pastime that you take up or develop an interest in, at first it can be difficult to understand all the jargon and technical terms you are met with. Often advice you see and information you might find on the internet is not really tailored to the complete beginner. This can be quite off-putting, so here is a beginner’s guide – the basics – to golf clubs.

The numbers on golf clubs

All woods and irons are numbered. The numbers refer to the degree of loft. Loft is essentially the angle on the club face. The loft controls the trajectory of the ball as well as affecting the distance the ball will travel when you play a shot. So, a lower numbered club means a lower loft. A higher loft generally makes it easier to hit the ball, especially for beginners.
As a higher loft club makes it easier to get the ball into the air, beginners should try for a driver with at least 10 degrees of loft (or higher).

Hybrid clubs

Another popular choice – for beginners and experienced golfers alike – are hybrid clubs. As the name ‘hybrid’ suggests, a hybrid club is a cross between a wood and an iron. They tend to have the same club head as a wood but the shaft length of an iron. The idea, in a nutshell, is to offer the best of both worlds by providing the best benefits of each type of club. As a result of this, many golfers choose to replace longer irons with hybrids as the latter are easier to use.

Finding the Right Length

Unsurprisingly, playing golf with clubs that are either too long or too short for you and your height can be quite uncomfortable. Not only that, it will make your game worse and, over time, it is even likely to cause injury. The optimum length will vary for different types of clubs, and factors like your height will help to determine the length that's right for you. However, the measurement of your wrist to the floor is also vitally important when choosing clubs of the right length.
If you are much taller or shorter than the average, it can be particularly useful to go to a pro shop to get properly measured – rather like going to a tailor for a bespoke suit. Not only is this easier, you know the professionals will get your measurements absolutely spot on – and they will be able to give you other tips as well about how to choose the best clubs for you.