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Your golf club set is an essential piece of equipment you need to become a better player and learn the game. However, golf clubs come in different sizes and shapes, but certain rules have stayed the same.
The official USGA rules state that you are only permitted to carry 14 golf clubs in your set. That doesn’t mean you must carry 14 clubs, but that is the maximum allowed number.
There isn’t any specific rule that determines what clubs you can use. That mainly comes down to your skill level and ability. You have the freedom to choose any club that brings out your best game on the golf course.
Every golfer must play with different clubs to determine what works best for them and which ones don’t.
When building your golf club set, you must choose golf clubs that work best and are suited to your golf game. Every golf pro started somewhere and has changed their golf clubs numerous times throughout their career.
However, you must feel things out from the start and work out which golf clubs work best for your style, and build your golf club set accordingly.
So, what are the types of golf clubs you should have in your set, and how many should you carry? Let’s look at some of the golf clubs you can invest in and how many you should have.
Types And Number Of Golf Clubs In A Set
Your standard golf club set includes a putter, some wedges, a few irons, a couple of fairway woods, and a driver.
Let’s take a look at them in more detail:
• Driver
It’s the longest club in the set and has the lowest loft, making it one of the hardest clubs to master. There is only one driver in a typical golf club set, and as these clubs are mainly used for tee shots, you don’t need more than one.
• Fairway Woods
One 3-wood is enough for beginner players in their golf club set. A 3-wood can also replace the driver, but it’s good to have both in your set.
Experienced golfers prefer to use a 5-wood in their collection. Most golfers prefer having one fairway wood in their set, but those with a higher skill level may want to have two fairway woods in their set.
• Irons
The irons are the most common golf clubs in any set. A traditional complete set of clubs includes a 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 iron.
However, recently, irons have changed, and most provide greater distance, which is why experienced golfers don’t carry the 3 and 4 irons in their collection.
They have replaced them with hybrid clubs.
• Hybrids
Hybrid clubs have become popular with advanced and beginner players alike. They provide the distance and accuracy of long irons, and they are easier to use as well.
If players decide to replace a 3 and 4 iron from their set, they may include 3, 4, 5, and 6 hybrids to the golf club set.
• Wedges
Wedges are designed for a specific purpose and have a high loft. There are two wedges in a complete set of golf clubs, which has a pitching wedge (used close to the green) and a sand wedge (used in sand traps and fairway bunkers).
Most golfers may even carry a gap wedge or a lob wedge in their set as well.
• Putters
No golf club set will be complete without the putter, and these clubs are designed for closer shots on the green. Using the putter keeps the ball on the ground instead of lofting it.
Several types of putters are available today, but only one is included in a golf club set.
As you can see, many types of golf clubs are included in a set, but you don’t need to carry all 14 clubs in your set.
How Many Golf Clubs Can You Carry?
When playing an open tournament or a competition, it’s vital to know how many golf clubs you can carry with you on the golf course. The United States Golf Association (USGA) has set rules that many local and state golf associations follow regarding the number of clubs allowed in a player’s golf bag.
You could incur a penalty if you are found to be carrying too many clubs, which could spoil your round.
• Club Limits
The USGA rules state that a golfer is only allowed to carry 14 clubs in his golf bag. The clubs that are allowed in this include three woods, eight irons, and a putter.
These are the standard 12 clubs you will find in most golf bags. If you are carrying less than 14 clubs in your bag, you can add to that number until you reach the maximum of 14 clubs.
• Borrowing Clubs
The USGA altered a rule regarding borrowing clubs in 1988, which allowed a player to borrow a golf club from anyone. They could use the borrowed club throughout the rest of their round.
However, the USGA changed the rule in 1992, back to the pre-1988 interpretation, which allowed players to only borrow golf clubs from their partner who is teamed up with them during a tournament.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re starting or learning the game of golf, you need to ensure that you are familiar with the ins and outs of the game. That means understanding how many golf clubs are in a set and how many you can carry with you on the golf course.
Hopefully, the information shared in this article has been useful and helped you become a more informed person on the golf course.
