A golf club is not just any stick that is used to hit the golf ball. It is a very technical piece of equipment. An important variation in different clubs is loft, or the angle between the club’s face and the vertical plane. It is loft that makes a golf ball leave the tee on an ascending trajectory. The impact of the club compresses the ball, while grooves on the clubface give the ball backspin. The majority of woods and irons are labeled with a number; higher numbers indicate shorter shafts and higher lofts, which give the ball a higher and shorter trajectory.

There are different kinds of clubs for different purposes. Woods are long distance clubs. Irons are designed for shots approaching the green. Putters are a special kind of clubs designed primarily to roll the ball along the grass. Another variation of the putter called the Chipper club has a much higher loft, often 30-45 degrees. It is used to lift the ball over or out of the rough or fringe and onto the green with a motion similar to a putt.