Short answer is yes, they can either be clubs or light maces. Here is the copy/paste from the Core PRD and the link:
Physical Description: Rods weigh approximately 5 pounds. They range from 2 feet to 3 feet long and are usually made of iron or some other metal. (Many, as noted in their descriptions, can function as light maces or clubs due to their hardy construction.) These sturdy items have AC 9, 10 hit points, hardness 10, and a break DC of 27.
Look closely at each rod's description because each usually calls out which weapon it functions as and its magical modifier.
Improvised club. This seems so wrong.
I know what you mean. "Improvised" club? Why would a club ever need to be improvised? Whether it's a heavy chair leg, a solid tree branch, or a specially sculpted and treated length of crafted wood, a club is a club. In fact, I would call the specially crafted length of wood a masterwork club. I've seen some very cool Native American war clubs: short, curved pieces of woood with large spherical knobs at the end, and those are what I always envision when I think of a masterwork club.
I would say that a Rod would almost always count as a club or a light mace, depending on whether it was metal or wooden; the only way it wouldn't would be if the Rod was specifically described as being especially delicate.
Note the difference between "many" and "all". Metamagic rods are only a subset of the entire rod population. I'm figureing that's the type of rod in question as those are the only ones that magi care about, as they're looking to avoid shelling out the arcana slots.
True, and I think it's one of those questions on how the GM/player interprets or describes the rod. I'd say RaW don't let a metamagic rod function as any specific weapon.
Light Maces have some sort of metal head on their ends:
Mace: A mace is made up of an ornate metal head attached to a simple wooden or metal shaft.
I would say this doesn't qualify a rod as a light mace unless the head of the rod is specifically called out as such. There is room for RaI here and I think for players/GMs to be creative with rods in general.
All that being said, I'm on the same boat as you that it's an improvised weapon unless otherwise called out as a secondary function.
Clubs have a reach of 10 feet? Whatchoo talkin' 'bout?
Looked at range....
Clearly can't read charts...
Edited my above post to save face.....