All About Golf Clubs - Irons
Author: Wayne Armstrong If someone asked you how you thought irons got their name you would probably guess correctly. Golf irons are so called because they are made of metal. Similarly, golf woods were traditionally made of wood but have recently also started to be manufactured from metal, usually steel, although the more expensive clubs may use other exotic metals and materials too.
If you are fairly new to the game but are sufficiently hooked to want to get your own equipment, you may find you end up buying a set of irons to get you started. This is no bad thing as there are some bargains to be had by buying clubs in this way. If you do buy a set of irons you will find that there are eight clubs in the bag ranging from a 3 iron all the way up to a pitching wedge, which would otherwise be called a 10 iron if it wasn't considered a specialist club. It's useful for short pitching shots onto the green or for pitching yourself out of trouble, hence the name. Other clubs outside of these, such as woods and other wedges for example are usually sold separately and are designed with a specific purpose in mind.
The numbers on the bottom of the club refers to the degree of loft achieved when the ball is struck. The higher the number, then the higher the ball will go into the air. Consequently, you won't get the distance with a 9 iron though when compared with a 3 iron for example. The three iron will hit the ball on a relatively flat trajectory but you will find it difficult to clear the trees if they are too close to you. For every step up the list of clubs, you will lose between 10 and 15 yards of distance, but you will gain height.
Also, the smaller the number on the club the further away from the ball you will find yourself standing when you take your shot too as the length of the club gets shorter the further up the numbers you go.
Rather than trying to determine how far you should be able to hit a ball, with say, a 4 iron, you should be learning how far YOU can comfortably hit the ball while ensuring you maintain control and accuracy. In that way, you will learn to use the clubs to vary the distance you hit the ball rather than altering your swing. Having said all that though the average male golfer will probably hit 150 yards using anything from a 4 to a 6 iron.
If you are a beginner or recreational golfer then you may find that you will be well advised to avoid using the clubs lower in the range such as the 3 and 4 clubs as they are particularly difficult to master and this is why you tend not to get 1 and 2 irons in full sets. Concentrate on developing your swing and shot accuracy before going for distance with the longer clubs.
There are essentially two types of club for you to choose from as well called 'musclebacks' or 'blades' and 'cavity backs'. As a relative beginner or recreational player you will probably want to go for the cavity back type of club as they are weighted such that they give a bit of an advantage to the new player. The blades have a full back instead of the hollowed out look and give a little more weight at the back of the ball but this tends to upset the swing for most beginners as the club head tends to be disproportionately heavy when compared to the cavity back.
One thing you also need to learn about playing shots with an iron from the fairway is that they are designed to hit the ball as the club head is still travelling downwards. Consequently, the bottom of the arc of swing is typically slightly below the bottom of the ball. This is why you see even the most experienced players lifting out divots from the fairway. So, don't feel bad when your clubs dig out some grass. Irons are designed to do that. Just make sure you put the divot back where it came from. Over time you will learn to make contact with the ball at just the right time and your divots will start to become smaller.
As you can see, there is a club for pretty much every shot you will need to make on the golf course so don't be put off by the vast range of clubs you are expected to carry. You will soon learn to choose which one is best for the job before each shot.
About the Author:Wayne Armstrong is the owner of GBGolf.com , a Golf resource website which includes lots of information on improving your game and links to some of the best golf equipment and clothing at some of the best prices you will find.If you liked this article then why not sign up to our mailing list and receive GBGolf.com tips direct to your inbox every week.
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