Beginner Golfer.... When do I use a wood vs an iron?

Question

I'm just starting to play golf. Do you use a wood or an iron when you're in the taller grass off the fairway? What about when your right on the fairway in the short grass? Also, I've been told that generally, the farther away you are, the lower the iron club number -- right?

Answer 1

It is hard to use the woods in the tall grass.. But the woods are for longer distances. The lower the number the longer the distance.

Answer 2

I have not even touched my woods yet, and I have played for a few months now. They are very easy to make mistakes with, as in harder to control the ball. Once you can use your irons properly then give the woods a go. Before then they are unlikely to add any benefit for you.

Your idea about the numbers are correct, but it can also depend on the surface you are on what club is the most appropriate to use.

Answer 3

Yes the lower the number the further the range, and a wood is more for that second shot on the fairway, if you're in tall grass you'll probably need to resort more to an iron or even a wedge if it's bad.

Answer 4

When your in tall grass you want to use something with a loft. So it just depends on what club that has the loft and distance you want. Usually when I am in the fairway I use woods but it really is just what is comfortable for you. The lower the number the ball is suppose to go farther but only if you hit it right.

Answer 5

To answer this question you need to distuingish beetween your woods and irons and there sub-categories.

your woods are split up into your driving wood (usually number 1 wood) and your fairway woods (any number from 2 down to 9 (i think)) you would use your driving wood to tee of from and your fairway woods on the fairway. Your driving wood wont be very good on the fairway as it dowsnt have much loft and requires the ball to be high in the (on a tee for example) fairway woods are designed to be hit well from flat grounds such as.... you guessed it, Fairways.

Irons are split up into irons and wedges. in your irons they can go from 1 - 9 however most irons go from 3 - 9. these are good from fairways and rough. you have the correct idea about the lower the iron number the farther the distance but if you are in the rough this can affect the distance each iron will go, in the rough you cant hit it as far.

wedges are designed for short play or playing from difficult places, i.e heavy rough and sand. the wedges you may want to use will be a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. Pitching wedges are good because you can get about a 100 yards out of them (more as you get better) and they play a nice high shot that hopefully doesnt bounce on to far, they are also good because you can use them from difficult lies, as said before the distance is still affected if in rough. your sand wedge does pretty much what it says on the tin and that is get you out of sand but it is a very handy tall for around the green as it play a high shot that doesnt bounce much, however its distance is very poor.

I hope this helps.

Answer 6

it all depends on the distance from the whole, taller grass adds more distance, so the farther away the lower the iron, or if u need to a wood. if you are 100 yards from the pin  (the hole)  in tall grass, you need more power than 100 yards from the pin on the fairway. as a begginer, you might want  to use a wood until your within 150 yards of the pin, how ever that may very depending on your strength. also you may or may not now that sometimes you will need a pitching iron or a sand wedge, those two hit the ball very high, but not very far. if your in a sandtrap you will probably want to use the sand wedge to get out. if your just off the green always use your nine iron, unless of course your in sand. to have a good set of clubs i recomend a 3 wood, 5, 7, and 9 irons, a sand wedge, and a putter, but that is the very least, good luck and remember golfing is about relaxing and having fun!