The Weight of Golf Clubs: Understanding the Basics

various golf clubs lined up to one another

Golf clubs are one of the most fundamental pieces of golf equipment, and golfers tend to focus a lot on them. You’ve likely thought about a club’s looks and performance, but you also might be wondering, how much does a golf club weigh?

Getting an answer to this question comes in handy in certain circumstances. For instance, you can estimate how much your whole set weighs.

That’s good to know if you want to carry your clubs. Also, it’s good to know the weight of golf clubs because you can estimate any baggage fees if you’re traveling with your clubs.

This article will tell you how much a golf club weighs and cover anything else you need to know.

Average Golf Set Weight

An individual golf club weighs less than a pound. So, single golf clubs aren’t heavy at all, and the average weight of a golf club is about 0.73 pounds (331 grams).

But the weight soon increases when you gather the clubs in a set. All 14 clubs together weigh approximately 11 pounds (5 kilos).

Of course, you carry golf clubs in a bag, which we need to consider. A standard golf bag weighs between three and five pounds (1.3 to 2.3 kilos).

So, a golf set and the bag will weigh around 15 pounds (6.8 kilos). We also need to factor in accessories you need to carry, like golf balls, umbrellas, and towels.

A complete set with everything you need to play golf weighs around 30 pounds (13.6 kilos). Take that as your baseline if you’re thinking about carrying your clubs.

That is only the average weight, and other factors can increase it. Some include the following:

  • Type of golf bag – staff bags and cart bags weigh more than stand and carry ones.
  • Number of accessories – some golfers carry more accessories than others.
  • Type of clubs – graphite shafts are lighter than steel shafts.

Golf Club Weight by Type

Not all golf clubs weigh the same. For instance, a driver is lighter than a wedge.

Let’s break down how much each club in the bag weighs. But keep in mind that these weights are averages and can vary between manufacturers.

driver sitting behind a golf ball

Driver

This is the longest club in the bag, but it’s also the lightest. On average, a driver weighs about 0.68 pounds (308 grams).

This club is light so that players can swing it at high speeds. You can maximize your distance off the tee that way.

Parts

  • Head weight – 0.4 pounds (181 grams)
  • Shaft weight – 0.16 pounds (73 grams)
  • Grip Weight – 0.12 pounds (54 grams)
fairway seven wood

Fairway Woods

These golf clubs are shorter than the driver, but they weigh more. A heavier shaft generally accounts for the increased weight.

An average 3-wood weighs about 0.73 pounds (331 grams). But yours could weigh more, depending on the weight of the shaft.

A 5-wood weighs around 0.75 pounds (340 grams) on average. The head is slightly heavier than the head of a 3-wood.

On average, a 7-wood weighs about 0.77 pounds (349 grams). Again, a heavier head makes a slight difference in weight compared to the 5-wood.

Parts

  • Head weight – 0.42 pounds (191 grams) for a 3-wood, 0.44 pounds (200 grams) for a 5-wood, 0.46 pounds (209 grams) for a 7-wood
  • Shaft weight – 0.20 pounds (91 grams)
  • Grip weight – 0.11 pounds (50 grams)
cavity back irons laying on the grass

Irons

These golf clubs make up the most weight in your golf bag. Not only are they heavier than woods, but there are also more on them in a set.

The 3-iron is the lightest iron in the set at 0.88 pounds (399 grams), while the 9-iron is the heaviest at 0.97 pounds (440 grams). A difference in the weight of the head causes this variance in irons because the shafts generally weigh the same.

Parts

The chart below gives you the weight of each part and the total weight.

ClubHead WeightShaft WeightGrip WeightTotal Weight
3-iron0.51 lbs (231 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.88 lbs (399 g)
4-iron0.52 lbs (236 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.89 lbs (404 g)
5-iron0.54 lbs (245 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.91 lbs (413 g)
6-iron0.55 lbs (249 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.92 lbs (417 g)
7-iron0.57 lbs (259 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.94 lbs (426 g)
8-iron0.58 lbs (263 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.95 lbs (431 g)
9-iron0.60 lbs (272 g)0.26 lbs (118 g)0.11 lbs (50g)0.97 lbs (440 g)
golfer pitching with a pitching wedge

Wedges

Technically, wedges are irons, but many companies classify irons separately. So, we’ll give them their own section here.

Wedges are heavier than other irons because they have a larger head. On average, wedges weigh about 1.03 pounds (467 grams).

Parts

  • Head weight – 0.66 pounds (299 grams)
  • Shaft weight – 0.26 pounds (118 grams)
  • Grip weight – 0.11 pounds (50 grams)
golfer putting with a face balanced putter

Putter

This club is generally the heaviest one in the bag. A heavy head keeps the putter stable throughout the stroke, improving your accuracy.

The head makes up the largest percentage of its weight. Putters weigh about 1.14 pounds (517 grams) on average.

Parts

  • Head weight – 0.77 pounds (349 grams)
  • Shaft weight – 0.26 pounds (118 grams)
  • Grip weight – 0.11 pounds (50 grams)

Factors Affecting Golf Club Weight

Several factors affect golf club weight. These are associated with the clubhead, shaft, and grip.

Clubhead

The material used to construct the clubhead affects golf club weight. For instance, most modern drivers have carbon crowns on the clubhead.

This material saves a lot of weight on the golf club. It’s one of the reasons drivers are the lightest clubs in the bag.

Also, the design of the clubhead affects the weight of the golf club. Not only can size and shape impact the weight, but features like perimeter weighting can also affect it.

Irons often have perimeter weighting to add forgiveness to the clubs. It stabilizes the clubface so that beginners and higher handicappers can perform better.

Some drivers also have weights on the soles. This often adds draw bias to help golfers who slice the ball, but some weighting systems also help with launch characteristics.

Shaft

The material of the shaft affects how much a golf club weighs. Drivers and fairway woods tend to have graphite shafts, while steel shafts are more popular in irons.

Graphite shafts are lighter than steel shafts. So, a set of the same irons can have different weights depending on the shafts.

The length of the shaft can also affect the weight of golf clubs. This has less of an impact than the shaft material.

But a longer shaft will generally weigh more than a shorter shaft, as it requires more material to construct. That means a longer club will be heavier than a shorter one if the shafts are constructed with the same material.

You would notice this more in golf iron sets with the same-length shafts. But the varying clubhead weights still affect the overall weight.

Grip

The grip can affect the overall golf club weight depending on its material and size. Some materials used for grips are heavier than others.

Also, there are different grip sizes for players with various hand sizes. A jumbo grip will weigh for than an undersize grip.

How Golf Club Weight Affects Performance

Golf club weight can affect a golfer’s performance in various ways. A heavier club can provide more stability and control, but it can also make it more difficult to generate speed and power.

A lighter club can make it easier to generate speed and power. But it can also make the club less stable and harder to control, impacting your accuracy.

Your swing speed, strength, and swing mechanics will all play a role in determining the ideal weight of your clubs. Golfers with a slower swing speed may benefit from using lighter clubs, while those with a faster swing speed may benefit from using heavier clubs.

Additionally, weight distribution within the club can affect performance. A club with a heavier head and lighter shaft will tend to produce a higher ball flight, while a club with a lighter head and heavier shaft will tend to produce a lower ball flight.

Ultimately, finding the right balance of weight in a golf club depends on your swing and preferences. It’s a good idea to get custom-fitted by a professional to ensure you use clubs tailored to your swing and physical characteristics.

Conclusion

Not all golf clubs weigh the same, with drivers being the lightest and putters the heaviest. The construction and design of golf clubs affect their weight.

The clubhead, shaft, and grip are the main factors affecting how much a golf club weighs. Drivers have lighter heads and shafts than irons and wedges because you want more speed to maximize your distance off the tee.

The heavier heads and shafts on irons offer you more control. That’s crucial for hitting accurate approach shots to the greens.

Putters have the heaviest clubheads of all golf clubs because it helps keep your stroke stable. The weight ensures the putter head stays online, increasing your chances of hitting an accurate putt.

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Joe Morelli

Joe Morelli is the founder of TopRankGolf, a passionate golfer with decades of experience playing this amazing sport. He's dedicated to helping golfers learn, improve and enjoy the game of golf.