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Golf clubs are slender tubes, usually of steel, with a grip at one end for the golfer to hold and a head at the other for striking the ball. There are two types of clubs: woods and irons. Both underwent major changes during the late 1900's. Woods got their name from their large, bulky head made of solid wood. However, beginning in the early 1980's, most woods had hollow heads made of various metals, such as stainless steel and titanium. Irons have much thinner bladelike heads. They were first made of iron, then steel, and finally various other metals. Players use woods for the longest shots and irons for shorter shots requiring greater accuracy. Most club shafts are made of steel. Shafts made of graphite or graphite and another material are also popular. In golf's early days, shafts were made of ash and then hickory.

Woods and irons are usually numbered from 1 to 9. The higher the number of the club, the greater is the loft (slope) on the face (front of the head). Each club has a different vertically angled loft. The greater the loft, the higher and shorter the ball will travel.

The No. 1 wood, also called the driver, has the least amount of loft of any club except the putter. It also hits the ball the farthest. The driver is used off the tee. Professional golfers and top amateurs will average about 250 yards (229 meters) on a drive. Other woods, called fairway woods, are used for long shots off the fairway. Fairway woods include the No. 2 (rarely used today), No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 woods. Professional golfers usually do not carry woods beyond No. 5.

Lofts on irons range from the No. 1, which has the least amount, to No. 9, which has the most. Other irons include the pitching wedge for short, accurate shots; the sand wedge, for shots from sand traps; and other specialty wedges. Some golfers carry three wedges.

Golfers may carry a maximum of 14 clubs during a round. Golfers are free to choose their own set. By the mid-1980's, the set used by professional or top amateur golfers consisted of a driver, a No. 3 wood, and either a No. 4 or No. 5 wood, No. 2 iron through No. 9 iron, the two wedges, and a putter. When a No. 1 iron is included, one of the fairway woods is usually left out.