In terms of minimum clubs for the. driving range, it's whatever you want to work at. I've taken One before, even after having golfed a couple decades. A single iron or wood is plenty to learn and reverse the swing until you're getting good contact, and even after that you only need to practice whatever clubs you'll be seeking to use during the round. Won't hurt to take them all and give each occasional tries, just to find what you like and are good using, more than anything. But no club is a wonder drug, so it can be helpful to remember not to become too focused on what club you're using on the range when learning. Changing clubs every time you struggle on a few shots is a welcome distraction... but boy if golf isn't about perservering and patience! Remember hour very first goal at golf is to just get good at hitting the ball. It's not easy! So it doesn't hurt to just work at it with one or two clubs. So you're set for that! No need to practice any of the clubs you don't have yet on the driving range until you've decided they're going to be helpful and needed on your round of golf.
You also have a reasonable range to try around the putting green or on a pitch and putt. You may well even be content at a full layout with those to begin with.
Heck, I've played entire rounds on a full-sized source with just a putter! Though that's a good way to break one! (and good luck on holes that require you to hit over water... or out of bunkers!)
But many a kid has started with a putter, a wedge, and a 7 iron, or a putter, a wedge, and a driver, and done just fine for a first time. You don't need a lot, and you are already fine in that account.
In terms of clubs you may be wishing to look towards sooner than later:
Perhaps a more lofted sand or lob wedge, as getting out of deeper bunkers can be very difficult (even for many longtime players). Generally for bunkers near the green (and at times even those in the fairway) you'll likely use wedges rather than hybrids, as the angle is more favorable.
Sand and lob wedges have additional loft that will aid you in getting the ball out. Additionally the "bounce" of a sand wedge is designed specifically designed to help the club rebound up in the sand, and help ball leave the bunker, instead of digging the club into the ground. It is most likely the next club most would look to because of its noticeable benefits. Most beginner's I've played with have enjoyed at least borrowing a coplayer's SW for a shot or two by the time they've played a handful of rounds. And most go that way for their next club purchase.
In addition, once you have some consistency hitting the ball, a driver or normal (non-hybrid) 3 wood may be helpful to adding distance consistently off the tee on longer holes (mostly on par 4s and 5s). With the giant driver face many drivers have these days, you may also find it easier to hit than some of the hybrids. And once you get decent at hitting it, a lot of the fun for most comes in hitting it far. So often that is an early purchase for people too.
But, neither club is particularly vital right off the bat, you don't need a ton to start with.
The frustrations of golf for many seems to sort of fall loosely into a progression of:
- Hitting the ball at all
- Hitting the ball consistently
- Hitting the ball far enough
Hitting the ball straight enough
(well really 1a-4a) Putting and chipping around the green
Though we all do certainly struggle with all of them (even regressing to failing at the basics occasionally after many years of improving golf)... enough to drive (haha) us nuts plenty! Nothing to feel embarrassed about (though we all do feel it occasionally when we hit one of those ugly shots, even as we're all in the same boat). Hopefully shots like this one will remind you it's natural!
But that's an idea of what will drive you nuts. And you'll likely seek clubs to help as they match those stages of peak frustration.
But you're really fine to give it a try. The exact number or the cost of the clubs at the start don't mean anything at all. You don't need a seven gear Lamborthink with 100 settings to learn to drive. It probably just makes it harder. Likewise with golf.
And then SW\Driver\LW will likely be the two or three clubs that you look to seek out sooner than the other irons. The missing irons are just used for more precise distance selection later down the line. You'll already soon be working into the basic idea... the longer the shot, the higher on your list you'll look towards for a club. A 3-hybrid goes a lot further when hit solid than a 9 iron. But a 7 iron vs an 8 iron is (for example) the difference of hitting it 150 yards versus 140 yards. Just not a giant issue worth troubling with until you can hit them solid fairly consistently, as you won't be able to apply it helpfully. Either has a fair shot of getting near or even on a green from that range.
For most golfers their first few range sessions and rounds, it'll be more about finding a club or two you feel most comfortable hitting. Many seem to really take a liking to a 7 iron, but each has their own. Whatever you feel gives you the best chance of hitting it good, even if it doesn't go quite as far, is your best friend... both in terms of using fewer shots on the course... and in terms of making it enjoyable. And then work into more and more clubs as you improve and you find need to start tuning the distance aspects.
But it sounds like you're ready to give it a go! Hope you hit em well!
