Irreverent Golf Glossary – Golf Clubs

Since we have taken a look at golf course types and terms related to the golf course itself, I guess it’s time to discuss some of the tools of the game. Let’s start with the basic weapon, I mean tool, you need….golf clubs.

Golf Clubs-Tools of the Trade

• Golf Club – instrument that is used to strike the golf ball as it lies innocently on or near some part of the golf course. It consists of 3 basic elements: grip, shaft and head. Not sure which end to hold sometimes…. like it would make a difference!!

• Set of Golf Clubs – this is a ‘package’ of clubs that is needed to get you into and out of all of the ‘trouble’ on the course from tee to green with no real adventure. A typical full set of clubs will have no more than 14 different types of clubs that are carried around in a….

• Golf Bag – one of the smartest inventions ever introduced to the game of golf.
  

  Golf Stand Bag

  Not only does this bag hold your golf clubs, it has pockets inside of pockets, inside of pockets… to put your accessories (I don’t mean accessories like scarves, necklaces, pendants etc.).   We’ll add all of the fun little extras later. The more pockets you have the more ‘stuff’ you manage to put in the bag and, boy, does it ever get heavy in a hurry! Hence, another very good reason to use a golf cart!!

• Irons – appliances used to press out wrinkles in clothes. Oh, sorry! For the game of golf it is a ‘stick’ made of steel, graphite or some outer space metal technology that has an oddly shaped head angled in various ways to get the ball up into the air or when you least expect it – to burrow deep into the ground, i.e. ‘worm burner’.   Irons are identified by their lofts (angled faces) and names.
  

  A Couple of Golf Irons

  From irons designed (key word here) to hit the ball the farthest to the shortest distance, not necessarily in a straight line:

• 1 Iron – rare find in today’s world. Also called a driving iron. Now seriously why would anyone try to drive with an iron (car or golf ball)??

• 2 Iron – also very rare unless you’re Tiger Woods or into S&M.

• 3 Iron – are you sensing a pattern here?

• 4,5,6,7,8,9 Irons – guess you are onto the clever system at this point. Note the higher the number, the higher the ball should go and the shorter distance the ball will travel. Talk about messing with your head. No wonder everybody who plays this game is crazy!!

• Wedges – are specialty irons but they ran out of single digit numbers to use at this point so they have names such as: Pitching, Approach, Gap, Sand, Lob and Foot. They all have their own ‘special’ use and I’d rather let you have the thrill of experimenting with them to see what happens. My personal favorite is the ‘foot’ wedge. Guess what that is!!

Good time to stop for this session as I am sure your head is spinning and you are thinking ‘Why didn’t I take up tennis, only 1 racquet and a small area to cover”??

We’ll finish stocking the bag with clubs next time so come on back to Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com.

Tags: golf bag, golf clubs, golf course, irons, wedges