As we covered in our How many Clubs are you allowed to carry in your Golf Bag? post, the maximum amount of clubs in a golf bag is 14 and if you were to carry an extra club, you will receive a two stroke penalty. But that doesn’t mean every golfer needs to carry around 14 clubs. Especially as they are the most expensive golf equipment you need to purchase before starting your golf journey.
First, consider your level of experience. If you’re a beginner, it’s likely that you can play with fewer clubs and won’t need all 14 clubs allowed by the USGA (United States Golf Association). In fact, most beginners only carry around 10-12 clubs in a golf bag. As you gain more experience and confidence in your game, you can start to add more clubs
If you are a beginner or have a slower swing speed, it is likely that some golf clubs produce the same carry distance result. If you are a lower-handicap player, additional clubs can help you improve your game even further.
But how can you know how far your golf ball will carry?
The best way for amateur golfers ane experienced golfers to find out for sure is with a launch monitor. A launch monitor measures how fast and how high the ball flies when it leaves the clubface. It also takes into account how the club is angled when it strikes the ball, how much backspin is on the ball, and how hard the ball was hit. All of this information helps a golfer understand how far their golf clubs will carry.
If you don’t have access to a launch monitor, you can also use your Apple Watch, Garmin Watch, or mobile phone to find out your carry distances when playing on a golf course.
Now that you know how far your golf clubs will carry, it’s time to start thinking about how many clubs and what type should go in your golf bag.
Putter
The putter is the club that a golfer will use to hit the ball into the cup on every hole (unless you hit the ball in the hole from outside the green). The face of the putter is usually flat, and it is designed with little loft to get the ball rolling forward.
Required: 1
Wedges
Wedges are one of the most important clubs in a golfer’s bag. There are many different types of wedges, and each one is designed for a specific purpose. Wedges can help you get out of difficult situations, or they can be used to improve your accuracy on short shots.
The most important thing to remember when choosing wedges is that they should be matched to your skill level. If you are a beginner, it is probably best to stick with the basic types of wedges. As you become more experienced, you can add more specialized wedges to your bag.
Pitching Wedge (PW)
Pitching wedges usually come with a 48° loft and fit between a 9-iron and a SW. The PW can be used for a variety of shots and a full swing can produce a carry distance of around 115 yards or 105 meters.
I recommend having one pitching wedge in your bag due to its versatility.
Sand Wedge (SW)
A sand wedge with a loft of around 56° is a type of golf club that is used to hit short shots, typically around the green. It has a wide sole and a high degree of loft, which gives it more bounce and height on impact than other clubs. This makes it ideal for hitting out of bunkers or rough patches of grass.
On a full swing, a SW carry distance is around 90 yards and should be a must-have in your golf bag.
Lob Wedge (LW)
A lob wedge golf club is one of the most versatile clubs in your bag. It can be used for a variety of shots, from short pitches to long bunker shots. The lob wedge has a high degree of loft of around 60°, which makes it perfect for hitting the ball high in the air. This is especially useful when you need to clear an obstacle, such as a tree or bunkers. It can also be used for bunker shots and short approach shots that need to travel relatively high and land softly without much roll.
Gap Wedge (GW)
Gap wedges, as the name suggests, bridge the distance gap between the common club walk of a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. With a lof angle of around 52°, you can get an average carry distance of 105 yards or 96 metres.
Gap wedges are a relatively new option for Golfers and if you are a beginner, I strongly suggest improving your pitching wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge accuracy before adding a gap wedge to your set.
Required: 3
Irons
Irons are golf clubs that are meant to propel the ball distances comparable to a fairway wood or a hybrid club, as well as wedges. This category of equipment is frequently found in a golfer’s bag, with seven clubs typically included and traditionally ranging from 3-iron through 9-iron.
They’re designed to send the ball onto the green and then be put from there. As such, they are frequently used for the first stroke on par-3s and approach shots to the green from par-4s and par-5s.
Here is an example of an iron-distance comparison for an average golfer
- 3-iron: 180 yards or 165 meters
- 4-iron: 170 yards or 155 meters
- 5-iron: 160 yards or 145 meters
- 6-iron: 150 yards or 135 meters
- 7-iron: 140 yards or 125 meters
- 8-iron: 130 yards or 115 meters
- 9-iron: 120 yards or 110 meters
However, there are a few things to consider. The most important is that it’s very difficult to turn over a longer iron (3-iron and 4-iron). Because of the loft of the club, we don’t have to turn around the club nearly as much with shorter irons. You probably realize that you hit an 8-iron considerably better than you do a 4-iron, correct?
Due to this, I suggest you add a 9-iron down to a 5-iron to your bag and look at hybrids to cover longer distances.
Required: 5
Hybrids
Hybrid clubs – also called utility clubs, are an entirely new range of clubs that have found their way into more and more golf sets since being first introduced by TaylorMade in the early 2000s.
The goal of a hybrid is to bridge the gap between woods and long irons by combining the benefits of both. They generally have wood-type larger heads, but they maintain traditional iron shaft lengths, which is proving a lot easier to hit than the long iron alternative.
Here is an example of a hybrid distance comparison for an average golfer
- 3-hybrid: 190 yards or 175 meters
- 4-hybrid: 180 yards or 165 meters
Required: 2
Driver
The driver and fairway wood are two types of golf clubs that fall into the category of drivers. Woods, as opposed to irons or wedges, are longer and have larger and rounder clubheads intended to shoot the ball far.
A typical golfer will typically carry three such clubs in his bag, with the traditional configuration being a 1-Wood (also known as the driver), a 3-Wood, and a 5-Wood, although this varies greatly from one bag to the next.
As hybrid become more and more advanced in control and distance, I believe any golfer only requires a 1-Wood Driver in their bag and covers lower distances with a selection of low loft hybrids.
- Required: 1
Chipper
Golf chippers can help golfers who are having difficulty keeping their shots on the green. They are often overlooked but can make the game of golf much more enjoyable for beginners and players who struggle around the green.
They’re also extremely cost-effective and allow you to carry another wedge that is easier to master.
- Required: Optional
So how many golf clubs should you add to your golf bag?
As you can see, there are a lot of factors that go into how many golf clubs you should carry in your golf bag. It really depends on your playing style and the types of courses you typically play.
Is there a club minimum to carry in my golf clubs bag?
No, there is no minimum clubs you need to carry. Some people prefer to carry fewer clubs to make their bag lighter.
As a beginner, it is usually recommended that you start with a set of 7-10 clubs and add extra as needed. This way, you will be able to get used to how different clubs hit the ball and how they affect the flight of the ball. Make sure to carry your own golf bags if there’s a group of you as most courses don’t allow yours and your playing partner’s golf clubs in the same golf bag.
What is the penalty for carrying more clubs in a golf bag?
The USGA states that the maximum number of clubs you may carry in your own bag is 14, both during a golf tournament and a social game. If you are caught carrying more than 14 clubs in your golf bag, you will be penalized with a two stroke maximum penalty for each hole played with the extra club. There even have been professional golfers who were caught with too many clubs in their bag.
So how many clubs do you need?
It’s important to make sure that your golf set contains only the clubs you will need and that you have the right golf clubs in your bag.
Ask your pro shop if you are unsure of how many clubs you should carry or if you want to pick up a few extra clubs. And keep in mind, too many clubs will result in a penalty.
