Until just recently, the core of the golf bag has consisted primarily of three matching woods (driver, 3 and 5) and eight matching irons (3-9, PW). This is what is referred to as a 3/8 (or 3 and 8) set. This allows for the addition of a putter and two other specialty clubs. Still today, most name brand clubs have to be purchased with a 3-iron because of this tradition.

As you can see from the Chart 1 below, lofts (other than the driver) have become much stronger (lower lofted) in the past 40 years. In some cases, there is just an enumeration of clubs. What do we mean by that? The traditional 1, 3, 4 and 5 woods are no different that the modern 1, 3, 5 and 7 woods in loft. The only thing different is the numbers engraved on the sole.