09 · The bag, decoded
The Clubs
Golf clubs are confusing on purpose. There are 14 of them, they all look slightly different, and everyone at the pro shop has an opinion. Here's what you actually need to know.
01 · Understanding the bag
Every club in the bag
The basic logic is this: low number = less loft = ball goes farther and lower. High number = more loft = ball goes higher and shorter. Once you understand that, the whole bag makes sense.
The driver
Technically a wood. Designed to go the farthest. Used off the tee on long holes. The big head, the long shaft, the one your kid will want to hit on the range for 45 minutes straight.
Woods
Low-numbered clubs (3-wood, 5-wood) used for distance off the tee or fairway. Forgiving head shape, longer shaft. The 3-wood is often the second-longest club in the bag after the driver.
Irons
Numbered 3 through 9, plus specialty wedges. The higher the number, the more loft, the shorter the shot. Most beginners start with a 5-iron as their longest iron — anything lower is hard to hit consistently until swing mechanics are solid.
Hybrids
The club nobody explains. A hybrid is exactly what it sounds like — somewhere between a wood and an iron. Easier to hit than a long iron, more versatile than a fairway wood. Many juniors (and adults) replace their 3 and 4 irons with hybrids. A very good idea for beginners.
Wedges
High-lofted irons for short shots around the green. Pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge. Wedge faces wear down with heavy use — a junior playing daily will feel the difference in spin and control over time.
The putter
Used on the green. Every single hole. Arguably the most important club in the bag and the one most beginners spend the least time practicing with.
02 · Buying for beginners
Start simple
When your junior is just starting out, you want clubs that are forgiving. That means larger club heads, more flexible shafts, and a design that produces a decent result even on an imperfect swing.
A used beginner set is completely fine. Your junior is going to grow, their swing is going to change, and the clubs you buy today may not fit them in 18 months. Don't over-invest at the start.
What a beginner set needs
- Driver
- 3-wood
- A hybrid or two
- Irons starting at 5 — no need for a 3 or 4 iron yet
- Pitching wedge and sand wedge
- Putter
What to expect to spend
Used beginner set: $150–300
New beginner set: around $500
Know going in that you will replace clubs if your junior continues in the game. That's not a bad investment — it means they're improving.
03 · As your junior improves
When to level up
This is where club selection starts to matter more.
As your junior's swing speed increases, they'll need stiffer shafts. A flexible shaft that was perfect at 12 may actually hurt their game at 14 if their swing has gotten significantly faster. A club fitting will tell you when this is happening.
As their ball-striking improves, they'll move toward less forgiving clubs — smaller heads, tighter tolerances — because those clubs reward a good swing with better results. A beginner club is designed to help a mishit. An advanced club is designed to reward a pure strike.
What triggers a club change
- Growth spurt — clubs that fit at one height won't fit two inches taller
- Swing speed increase — shafts need to match swing speed
- Skill level — as they improve, their equipment should keep up
A junior playing at the AJGA level is typically carrying $3,000 or more in clubs. That's not status — technology genuinely matters in golf equipment. Really old clubs with worn grooves and flex shafts will show up in the scorecard. When your junior reaches that level of play, equipment becomes part of the conversation.
04 · Maintenance
Taking care of the clubs
Put your covers on
Driver, woods, and putter get head covers every time they go back in the bag. Not sometimes — every time. Clubs banging against each other in the bag wears down the heads over time. Takes two seconds. Make it a habit from day one.
Wash your grips
Grips get dirty, get slick, and lose tackiness — which affects how your junior holds the club and swings it. Grips should be washed regularly with mild soap and water.
Watch: how to clean golf gripsReplace grips, not clubs
Grips are one of the most inexpensive maintenance items in golf and one of the most overlooked. A re-grip runs $5–15 per club plus labor. If the grip is worn, replace it — don't replace the whole club.
In fact, almost any single component of a golf club can be replaced or adjusted — the grip, the shaft, even the club head in some cases. If one thing is wrong, you don't need a whole new club. This matters more as your junior moves into more specific, higher-quality equipment.
Watch the wedge faces
Wedge grooves wear down with heavy use. A junior practicing short game daily will feel the difference in spin and control before they can see it on the club face. If your junior is playing seriously and their wedge game feels off, the grooves may be the answer.
05 · The fitting question
When to get fitted
Club fitting is worth it when your junior is playing consistently and improving. Before that, fit matters less than fundamentals.
When you do get a fitting, go to an independent fitter rather than a shop fitter with inventory to sell. An independent fitter's only job is to find the right club for your junior's swing. A shop fitter has clubs to move.
Is this fitter fitting you — or selling you? →