Beginning golfers who are looking for a starter set of golf clubs must consider buying good-quality used clubs rather than being tempted by cheap new clubs. Even after you've had professional advice and read all the reviews, there are several personal factors to think about. Your own height, weight, shape, strength and style of play should be considered when choosing golf clubs.

A standard set of golf clubs includes irons, woods and a putter. Irons are are designated with numbers from two through nine. Woods usually come numbered 1 through 5.

The golf club shaft also gets shorter as the numbers go up; that is, the shaft of a two iron is longer than the shaft of a nine iron. Woods are numbered from one through five. With all golf clubs, lower numbered clubs hit the ball farther, but at a lower trajectory. In addition to extra lift, higher numbered clubs also create more backspin on the golf ball.

Irons

Traditionally, irons have the club's weight concentrated behind the middle of the head. This design creates what is called the sweet spot, the perfect place on the club to hit the ball. Traditional irons are the choice of players on the tour because of their great accuracy and control.

However, if you don't make contact with the golf ball precisely on the sweet spot, these golf clubs are positively unforgiving!

It's now also possible to find irons with a peripheral weight design. These are also called cavity-backed or game improvement golf clubs. The weight is more evenly distributed around the edges, which is like expanding the sweet spot of the golf club.

Cavity-backed golf clubs are much friendlier to new golfers. They are mainly intended for beginners or inconsistent players. However, cavity-backed clubs can also be found on the pro golf circuits as well. So if this design really works well for you, don't let the name "game improvement" club scare you away.

Woods

Traditionally made from wood, they are designed for initial drives or for long fairway shots. Conventional wooden drivers are still preferred by many pro golfers. Unfortunately, much like traditional irons, these woods are very unforgiving if your contact with the ball isn't perfect. This is exactly why woods made of metal now dominate the amateur game.

Today's woods are constructed with hollow shells that provide greater distribution of weight. The only shortcoming of these new designs is that it may be trickier to shape or control the ball. Graphite heads offer the best performance, but also are the most costly.

The shafts of golf clubs come in different degrees of flex: soft, regular and stiff. Most agree that stronger players who are better at the game should opt for stiffer shafts. Most golf club shafts are made out of steel or graphite.

Putters

These are without a doubt the most personal item in the bag of golf clubs. They range from very plain to exotic designs. If you acquire a complete set of golf clubs, it will probably include a basic putter.

After you'd played a little, you should probably change out this standard putter with a design that's more compatible with your playing style. This is something that may take some trial and error.

But after playing a few rounds and spending time in practice, you should be able to find one that works for you.

Choosing the right golf clubs for yourself is so personal. Thinking through what is important technically, as well as your own preferences, is vital if you are to make the best decision for your game.

It's been estimated that 60% of golf shots are taken within 40 to 50 yards of the hole. But full, powerful drives are what everyone wants to develop.

Driving ranges are filled with golfers hammering away at the ball aiming at the far end of the range. The truth is that most golf games could be improved with some practice time spent on golf pitching.

One of the defining characteristics of a golf pitch is the high flight of the golf ball, followed by little or no roll. If there is an obstacle between you and the flag, a golf pitch is the best way to get over it.

Most golfers agree that golf pitching is more difficult to master than chipping. What you want to achieve with a golf pitch is a steeply angled trajectory and as little roll as possible when the ball lands.

Golf pitching is accomplished with a pitching wedge. A golf pitching swing is like a Reader's Digest version of a full swing; that is, essentially the same but shorter.

You should still keep a regular swing rhythm. Practice your golf swing using a musical metronome or some other regular ticking device.

The golf pitching stance might feel strange until you're comfortable with it. Imagine the line defined by the position of your feet and point it to the left of where you want to hit the ball.

This is called an open stance. But keep your shoulders parallel to your desired flight line. Adjust your stance so that the golf ball is centered. The length of your backswing will vary depending on the length of the shot.

Controlling distance is the key to mastering golf pitching. This starts with estimating how far away you are from the target.

The next step is controlling the shot so that you actually hit it that amount of distance.

Many professionals carry at least three different pitching wedges in their bag.They understand how crucial a good short game is to your round of golf.

Even if you have to give up some of your other clubs to stay within the rule book limits, it's worth it to have additional pitching wedge options.

What if you need to pitch from the tall grass in the rough? Work on getting a steeper swing angle. By the way, it's really difficult to get any backspin on the ball when your hitting from the rough, so target accordingly.

What's the best way to get better golf pitching results? Make golf pitching a significant part of your practice routine. Practice will help you learn control and accuracy.

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