Around the globe, golf is regarded as the true gentleman's game. This game promotes the fundamental concept of class and mastery as a sportsman.
Just imagine holding a club trying to put the ball in your target hole right across a lush green field. Isn’t it amazing? Well, considering the overall game dynamics of golf, there’s one thing that is going to determine if your driver will deliver well or not. We are talking about the golf club wood.
What are Club Woods?
The club woods is a vast category of golf clubs that have been used in everyday sports and by professionals in high-profile tournaments around the globe. The club woods mainly include the driver and the fairy woods, both in a killer combination.
Let's talk about prominent differences between the club woods. The differences that make the club wood quite signature in appearance. The most important one is the longest and the bigger clubheads. This signature trait gives them the ability to shoot with unprecedented accuracy over longer distances.
The Club woods are measured by the length of their shafts. The standard range is from 44 inches to 46 inches for men and 40-42 inches for women. On average, wood golf clubs can go as high as 50 inches. This detail determines the product's weight as well as swing speed and the distance it can manage to hit a target ball. Also, there are different club heads that come with varying degrees of loft (angle), which affects the height capabilities of every individual unit.
The club woods are also known as "woods" and the driver is basically the longest club in a set of woods, which makes it an efficient addition. The driver is usually made of titanium alloy and weighs normally about 250 grams. The fairway wood is one of the most paramount components in a sportsman's arsenal. It delivers power across 90 yards and can be used to finish up near the green with amazing accuracy.
In case you didn’t know, there are different kinds of woods that the golf club manufacturers have come up with. And here’s a little guide for your personal use when it comes to choosing the best wooden golf club.
- The Club Head: As much as possible, you want to settle for a wood type or even model whose head is made from stainless steel alloyed iron or Titanium alloys. This is because these metals have high strength and durability against both impact and pressure. In addition, they do not rust so allowing them to last longer periods of time before getting damaged.
- Neck Angle: Now this isn’t really that important but playing around can give you better chances at hitting the ball well. And this is where you want to be very observant. You need to look for the right head-neck angle because it gives you better control of your shots. Nowadays, club heads usually come in 3-degree (approach), 4-degree (driver), and 5-degrees (utility).
- Shaft Length: Looking at the length of the shaft has a lot to do with how well you hit the ball. This is why manufacturers try hard to standardize their products depending on their customers’ requirements. Most gentlemen golfers, they prefer 1-inch longer than their usual height so as not to exert too much energy while swinging during an activity.
- Weight Distribution: The weight distribution or center gravity should be the last thing to check out on your clubhead.
Club Placement in a Golf Bag
Considering the overall longer than usual length of the club woods, you might be thinking about how you can place the club woods in your golf bag easily. There's no rocket science about that. A few neat tricks and the club will fit perfectly in the bag without the hassle.
The average number of clubs that can fit perfectly in the golf bag is three. There will be a significant wood, also known as the driver, a three wood and a dominant five wood club. This arrangement is also known as the classical arrangement of clubs.
In most cases, you can place the woods first on the bag. And then put your driver and other shorter clubs last to avoid any smashing collisions.
When it comes to choosing a perfect club wood for yourself, remember that there are some factors that need assessing before making that expensive purchase. The overall appearance of your wooden golf club is not enough reason for you to buy one. There should be more than just beauty when it comes to these products so as not to get disappointed once you’ve bought them all up. If possible, try out different units before buying the best wood golf club for yourself or even as a gift for somebody else who might be interested in this outdoor game.
How Did It All Start?
Let's take a stroll back to the good old days of history. If we look at the origin of golf as a sport, in particular, history shows that the game was invented in the United Kingdom around the 1740s. That's a lot of history!
Let's come straight to the more detailed history of golf woods. The first-ever golf wood was manufactured at the end of the 1970s. At this time, there were a lot of materials that manufacturers used to manufacture clubs. Gary Adams designed the first-ever metal wood. He used stainless steel alloyed iron.
Nowadays, golf woods are manufactured with materials that prevent rusting and corrosion, these include titanium alloyed irons. This assures the club’s durability and ability to last longer against pressure and impact.
The critical parts of the golf wood are its head, neck, and shaft. The very first woods used titanium alloyed irons for their heads. Nowadays, manufacturers try hard to use high-strength metals so as not to disappoint golf players who prefer using steel or iron-type woods.
Modern Drivers Build Dynamics
From the 1970s to 2022, many things have changed about golf clubs. But as experts love to say, some things always remain the same. Even though the basic building blocks have changed over the years, the procedure is basically intact.
Today, most of the drivers are made from light yet super durable titanium alloys. The lightweight metal gives the driver a solid edge. Compared to the traditional wood, the titanium-based drivers also have a more oversized clubhead. The clubhead also has a higher moment of inertia for easier and more accurate mishits.
The outer appearance of titanium-based drivers, as you can see from the photo below, often follows the classic design. In fact, manufacturers have been taking this approach since they started using titanium materials in clubs. It's good to know that these top brands have been following the trend with their own twist and finish on this model.
The Driver's Head
Today, the clubhead is made from light yet durable titanium alloy. The modern drivers also have an oversized clubface for better impact and accuracy. When taking a closer look at these clubs, you can see that they carry the classic design theme. Some manufacturers do not change their overall appearance and this trend is followed by other golf brands as well.
The Wood's Shaft: Gauging Quality Before Buying
Before buying a new golf club, it’s advisable to check out its shaft properties first. This assures long-lasting use of your high-quality wood which otherwise might not be the case with some poorly designed models off the rack. You don’t want to buy a fragile model that will break down when you don’t want it to.
When checking out the shaft, make sure that it is made from either graphite or metal. The latter is better because graphite can bend and thus affect how you hit your shots. Graphite also breaks down faster so if possible avoid this material for a wood club's shaft. If the design of the club calls for a wooden shaft, look for a piece that is laminated with steel or another durable metal for added reinforcement.
The Wood's Grip
Yes, the grip is another very important aspect of a wood club. When your hands are sweaty and you add dirt to the mix, the grip will turn slippery and this will affect how you play. If possible, look for a model that has a cushioned grip made from rubber or leather. This material prevents slippage during wet conditions.
On top of that, make sure that the wood grips have a design that gives it more texture for firm handling even in cold conditions when hands get clammy. Meanwhile, avoid models with smooth grips because they don’t help much in retaining your hold on the unit when playing under hot weather conditions. In fact, these models slip easily whenever your palms start sweating, which is not ideal.
On the other hand, when it comes to woods, the grip material shouldn’t be too hard-plastic grips tend to get sticky when they are kept in storage for a long time. This affects your play because of lessened control of your club on impact with the ball.
The Design of Golf Woods: A Trend That Never Changes
From simple wooden designs to sturdy titanium alloyed irons, many things have changed over the years. However, some elements never change that much and this includes golf club design. One thing manufacturers always keep intact is the classic look featured by these clubs from the driver down to putter. Even though there are cosmetic changes made from time to time, one thing for sure is that these clubs will always look like classic wood designs.
On the other hand, make sure to check out the overall weight of your wood unit because lightweight products are not recommended for beginners. A professional model has an average weight range between ten and twelve ounces with the latter ideal for seniors who want a lighter product without sacrificing too much on power. The latter can be used by both sexes but is mostly preferred by people with slow swing speeds.
A lighter club means faster delivery of energy to the ball once it is hit which results in better distance control if you know how to use it properly. Just keep in mind that lightweight woods are usually more expensive compared to those that weigh about 12-14 ounces or less since they require better materials for manufacturing.
Final note
You might be surprised, but golf has the same rules of playing as the first-ever golf club of Leith introduced them in 1744.
Such rich history this game dictates the demands on its clubs and drivers. Even with the introduction of modern technology in golf, the game has expanded its popularity circle to a worldwide scale.
