Irons take their name from the fact that their clubheads are made of metal. Of course, "woods" in our modern times are also made of metal, but they have only come about in recent decades. Irons have featured metal clubheads (now made of steel) for centuries.

 

Irons feature thin clubheads and grooved faces. Accomplished players and professionals usually prefer a "muscleback" or "blade" style of iron; beginners and recreational players will want a "cavity back" style.

 

The difference is that a blade-style features a full back on the rear of the clubhead, whereas a cavity back is exactly that: the rear of the clubhead is, to a certain degree, hollowed out. This creates an effect known as "perimeter weighting," which is helpful to less-accomplished players.

 

A usual dry goods store set of irons will include clubs named by the numbers 3 through 9 and a pitching wedge (advertised as "3-PW"), 8 clubs total. The clubs are identified by their number (or "PW") on their individual soles. Each one of these clubs has a little less loft than the next and a little longer shaft length than the next, so each club knocks the ball a little farther and at a shallower rising angle than the next one in numerical order. The differential is usually between 10 and 15 yards.

 

Two other irons, the 1-iron and 2-iron, are also offered. If you are a beginner, you don't want to have anything to do with them. With their thin clubheads, small amount of loft, and longer shafts, 1- and 2-irons are difficult clubs for recreational players to master. (In fact, there are plenty of pros who will recommend that beginners and recreational players even keep away from 3-irons and 4-irons and replace them with utility clubs or fairway woods.). As loft increases and shaft length decreases, a club becomes easier to master. A shorter shaft makes for an easier-to-control swing. More loft helps get the ball airborne and adds a little more control to the shot.

 

You will hear irons labeled as long irons, mid-irons, and short irons. Long irons are the 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6- and 7-irons; short irons, the 8- and 9-irons and the pitching wedge. Contrary to a popular mythology, there is no "right" hitting distance for each golf club; there is only your distance. Having said that, the average male recreational golfer might use a 4-, 5- or 6- iron from 150 yards, while the average recreational female might use a 3-wood, 5-wood or 3-iron from that distance.

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