Summarize this article:

Since the science of the sport and the equipment have progressed, opt for a driver with 9 or 10 degrees of loft rather than an older 7 or 8 degree driver. Amateur players can optimize the carry of the ball by selecting a driver with 1-3 more degrees of loft than tour-pros.A higher lofted driver will give you more carry which can help you stay more consistent in your shots. The launch-angle (determined by the loft on the club-head striking the ball), the speed that the ball comes off the club-face (determined by club-head speed as it strikes the golf-ball), and the spin of the golf-ball (determined by the prior 2 factors as well as some other factors including the grooves on the club-face, whether any grass got in between the club-face and the ball at impact, etc.) allow the ball to remain in the air (carry). While you mostly use a driver off the tee for a par 4 or par 5, you have options of another wood or iron. You won’t always use a driver when driving a golf ball. Some holes will be set up so that you have to use a 3, 5, or even 7 wood, or one of your irons, say if you are on a par 3.  Account for the design of hole you are playing as well as your own game when choosing a club. For instance, if you hit your 3-wood farther than your driver and think you could use an 8-iron to the green after hitting the ball with the 3-wood, you may want to select the 3-wood to take your first shot if you do well with the 8-iron. You can use your swing speed to help determine which club you need off a tee shot. Say you hit your 7 iron 150 yards, your swing speed is most likely around 95-104 mph. An 8 or 9 iron will be around 105-115 mph.  Irons have a higher loft than woods and in the case of a par 3 hole, you’ll be aiming directly for the green, which means you want more carry and less roll. If the green is less than 200 yards (183 m) away, you’re going to want to use an iron. Picking the right golf ball for your game can be a bit of a headache. You have to factor spin, hardness, distance, and most importantly, feel. Unfortunately, there’s no “golden ball” that has all the answers for you.  The best way to determine the right ball for you is to go to your local golf shop and talk to a professional about what you want in your shot. They can work with you to determine your club-head speed and help you choose golf balls with the correct thickness of the cover and density of the core for your golfing style. Hit a few balls and rely on how they feel. Golf is one the most mental games out there and feeling comfortable in what you’re hitting can greatly affect your shot. Note that professional rules prohibit you from using different types of balls during the same round. However, if you are playing with friends, bring several types of balls and experiment to find which works the best for you. Nowadays everything in golf has multiple options to choose from, including the tee you use. With a lot of modern drivers having large heads, the need to make taller tees arose, resulting in tees of varying lengths. When you take a shot, the golf ball should be teed up high enough that the top of the driver club-face dissects the ‘equator’ of the golf ball.   To avoid hitting the ground before hitting a teed up golf ball, use a taller tee. Similarly, if you’re on a long par 4 or par 5 and need to crush the ball to hit the green within par, a taller tee for your driver is usually the way to go. However, a taller tee isn’t always the best option when using an iron as you could tee the ball too high and cut under the ball. When using an iron, tee up the ball so it appears to be resting on top of the grass. Only the bottom 1⁄4 to 1⁄10 inch (0.64 to 0.25 cm) of the ball needs to be above the ground.

Summary:
Choose a driver with the proper loft. Pick the right club. Know what kind of ball you’re using. Pick the right tee.