Golf websites?

Question

Do you know any good golf sites to learn the rules and which clubs to use?

Answer 1

4gea.com is a great golf web site with infromation on clubs and golf in general.  They also have a rules section

Hit'em well

Answer 2

You want rules?  

http://www.usga.org

Answer 3

The USGA and/or the R&A are the sites to check out for the rules...

As for which clubs to use... That is a matter of knowing how far YOU hit each of the clubs in your bag.  If you are a new golfer then here is a (really) short primer.

You are allowed 14 clubs in your bag for an official round.  If you are not playing in a tournament or sanctioned event, then ignore this for now.

Golf clubs hit shorter as their number goes up and this is the result of the clubs being shorter in length and their increasing loft (club face angle).  The longest club also has the least loft and therefore hits the furthest.  It also is the most difficult club to control, and the source of billions of dollars of revenue to the club manufacturers.  (it is called the Driver or #1 wood.)  Going further:

Generally, golfers have between 2 and 4 woods in their bag.  The driver, a 3, 5, and sometimes a 7 wood.  From there, many players use one or two Hybrid clubs as an intermediate club(s) between the traditional woods and the Irons.  Irons come numbered between 1 and 9, as well as the most lofted ones called wedges.  Wedges include a Pitching Wedge (PW), Gap, Sand, and Lob, and generally are at 48, 52, 56, & 60 degree lofts.  (+/- 1 - 2 degrees is normal.)  The final common club is the putter - used mostly on the green and this club does not lift the ball into the air.

As a beginner a golfer can get by with a 3 and 5 wood, the ODD Irons, a PW, SW and a putter.  Only after they get consistent in both distance and direction of these clubs do they need to add the missing ones to 'fill in' and distances they can't hit using the smaller set.

Assuming that you have some natural athletic ability and put in the THOUSANDS of balls at the practice range, your distances might be something like this:

Yards       Club

220+         driver

200 - 220 3 wood

180 - 200 5 wood

180 - 200 hybrid

180 - 195 3 iron

170 - 185 4 iron

150 - 165 5 iron

ETC.  Yes, there is overlap - that is one of the aspects of the game that makes it so difficult to decide which club to grab.  

One final thought on which club to use - Don't use a wedge on the green... the course super will be after you.