- Driver. When picking a driver, you should be concerned with both distance and accuracy. Yes, you want to hit the ball a long way off the tee, but sheer distance won’t do you any good if you aren’t able to control your shots. If possible, test out a few different drivers before settling on the one that will be added to your bag. Since nearly all of the drivers on the market today offer a high MOI, you don’t really need to worry much about finding a ‘game improvement’ model. Just find a model that works for your swing, and make sure it has the right shaft for your needs.
- Fairway woods. If possible, pick out fairway woods that match your driver. Nearly every driver on the market has fairway woods which feature the same design and some of the same performance characteristics. It is not necessary to match up your fairway woods with your driver, but it does bring a nice bit of continuity to your set.
- Hybrids. For almost every golfer, adding one or two hybrids to the set is a smart decision. Hybrid clubs are more forgiving than long irons, as they will almost always have a higher MOI. Look for hybrids with rather large club heads, as these models are going to feature maximum forgiveness and should allow you to come away with decent results even on poor swings.
- Long irons. If you do decide to carry long irons, you’ll want to make sure that these clubs fall into the game improvement category. Unless you are a low handicapper or professional, it is necessary to have game improvement long irons in order to get any kind of respectable performance from this part of your set. Countless amateur golfers carry long irons which they are simply not capable of hitting – and that is silly, to say the least. Even if you are going to carry blades for your short irons, it is strongly recommended to stick in the game improvement category for the longer irons.
- Short irons. Here you have a choice. As mentioned above, you can opt for blade models in the short irons, as you should not need nearly as much forgiveness as you need with the long clubs. On short iron shots, it is pretty easy to hit the sweet spot, and the ball will get up into the air thanks to the loft on the irons. So, in the end, it really comes down to personal preference. Do you like having the forgiveness that comes with game improvement clubs, or do you want to have a little more feel for the ball? Many players now are using mixed sets – game improvement long irons with blade short irons – and some manufacturers even sell sets this way right out of the box.
- Wedges. For your wedges, we recommend sticking with blade-style heads. You really don’t need much forgiveness when hitting a wedge, and large-headed game improvement wedges can be difficult to use properly around the greens. Most of the wedges you will find on the market feature a blade design, so you’ll have many more options if you go that direction.
- Putter. The topic of moment of inertia carries over onto the greens as well, but first and foremost you should be looking for a putter that gives you confidence at address. You need to love the way your putter looks when you setup over the ball. The putter is the club in the bag which is most influenced by personal preference. Try out a variety of putters before making a purchase, and go with the one that feels the most natural in your hands.
One of the most important off-the-course jobs you have as a golfer is to create a set of 14 clubs which works perfectly for your game. The set you put together should serve your needs all around the course – it doesn’t matter if it would be a good set for anyone else, as long as it works for you.
In this section, we are going to work through the bag from top to bottom, explaining how you should go about picking the right clubs for your needs. In the end, it will be up to you to decide how to configure your set for the best possible results.
It may take a bit of time to build the right set for your needs, but the effort will be worth it in the end. Remember, you don’t have to break the bank while building your set, as it is relatively easy to find great deals on quality clubs these days. If you aren’t finding what you like in your local golf shops, you can always turn to the web for many more options.
