Beginners

When To Use Irons

The driver and putter get plenty of attention, but your irons are the workhorses in your bag. They’re the clubs you’ll use the most in between the tee and the green. By getting to know your collection of irons, you’ll be in better position to pick the right one for the distance and shot you have in front of you.

What You Need To Know

• As irons get longer, the number on the bottom gets bigger -- and the farther the club hits the ball.

• Shorter clubs have more loft and produce shots that come down more steeply and stop more quickly.

• Wedges come in three varieties -- pitching, sand and lob -- and are designed for shots around the green.

• It certainly feels good to hit one a long way, but it’s more important to know how far you can comfortably hit each iron than producing maximum distance.