On the hunt for a some clubs to get started? Our handy guide to choosing beginner clubs will get you out and playing in no time.
If you are new to golf, you’ve played a few rounds with rented clubs, and you know it is time to invest in your own set of clubs, you are in the right place. Our guide to the best beginner sets of clubs gives you info, support, and details of the best elements to look for.
We’re also going to highlight some of the best and most affordable sets available today – the ones that provide great value for money. Your new golf set could be just around the corner.
The Best Beginner Golf Clubs
What should you look for in a set of golf clubs designed for beginners? Our guide reveals all shortly, but first, let’s look at some great sets for men, women, and youngsters.
While all players are different, it’s good to know there are sets of clubs designed to be ideal for each type of player. Getting a good all-round set to start you off is important, and we believe each of the following options does just that. Here are the best golf clubs for beginners that are perfect for those just starting out in the world of golf.
Callaway Men’s Strata Complete Golf Set
This striking 12-piece complete golf set comes in right- and left-handed options. The affordable set includes a driver, a fairway wood, a 5 hybrid, four irons from number 6 through to 9, a pitching wedge, and a putter, so you’ve got everything you need right from the start.
The set also includes two head covers and a stand bag. The smart bag has sturdy legs, so you won’t need to lay it down on the ground every time you stop. Lightweight, yet made from hard-wearing materials, the bag includes a rain hood, multiple pockets, and a strap system to allow backpack wear.
Confidence LADY POWER III Golf Club Set & Stand Bag
This superb set is ideal for women looking to take up golf with a good set of clubs in hand. Every club features a Lady-Flex steel shaft for greater control, along with all-weather grips.
The set features an alloy driver, a hybrid iron, four irons from 6 through to 9, a pitching wedge, and a 33” blade putter. An oversized wood also allows for greater forgiveness for those just learning the game. The stand bag is attractive and durable, featuring auto-pop legs for greater convenience. It is comfortable to carry and features multiple zipped pockets.
Young Gun ZAAP Eagle Junior Kid Golf Club Youth Set & Bag
If you are searching for a beginner golf set for a younger player, this Young Gun set could be just the thing. Designed for junior players, the set offers an affordable way to get started. Three clubs are provided, including a three wood and a seven iron. This keeps things simple to start with as the player learns the ropes.
The kit also comes with a head cover and a bag, sized especially for the smaller set of clubs. The bag features a sturdy shoulder strap and several neat pockets to stow away golf balls and tees. The bottom of the stand bag is built to sit upright on flat ground, reducing the cost and providing a great starter bag.
Wilson Staff Deep Red Tour Complete Golf Set Men’s
This complete set of golf clubs for beginners comes in a sturdy and well-built carry bag. The bag also has self-activating stand legs, so no time is wasted when you set it down. Available in three sizes – standard, tall, and teen – the kit is ideal for male players who want all the clubs they might need out on the course with them.
You’ll receive a driver, a hybrid, a fairway wood, a putter, and four irons ranging from six to nine, with a pitching wedge and a sand wedge completing the collection. Three head covers protect your chosen clubs, while the bag has fully adjustable shoulder straps.
Wilson Profile XD Men’s RH Flex Golf Club Stand Bag Set
This 14-piece beginner golf club set provides you with the smart look of a grey and yellow Wilson golf stand bag with legs for convenience out on the fairway. The set includes a driver, a fairway wood, and a hybrid – all of which have their own head covers included in the set.
The classic collection of clubs also includes 6-9 irons, a putter, a sand wedge, and a pitching wedge, so you’re unlikely to come up short when selecting the right club for your needs on the course. A smart starter set that will get any novice golfer off to a great start.
Guide to Finding the Perfect Beginner Clubs
Starting any new hobby is exciting. It can be expensive too, especially when you need lots of equipment to get things underway. That’s certainly the case when you intend to take up golf. You need clubs and a bag to keep them in at the very least. Chances are you won’t want anything too pricey, yet you also want a set of beginner golf clubs that are good quality and should last you a while.
Before you buy anything, read our complete guide to discovering the perfect set of golf clubs for beginners. It should make the buying process much easier to manage.
Isn’t that refreshing?
First thing’s first: Who are the clubs for?
Most people are going to buy a set of clubs for themselves, but that may not always be true. Even if it is, you need to know which of the following sets you’ll want:
- Golf clubs for teenagers or young players
- Golf clubs for women
- Golf clubs for men
Since there are sets made for each of those groups, you can effectively narrow the options by two thirds before you even get started on anything else.
What should a good set of beginner clubs include?
You’ll want an all-round good performer here – a set of clubs that provides you with the essentials you’ll need on the golf course. In most cases, you should look for a set that includes all the following clubs:
- Several woods
- Several irons
- A putter perfect for beginners
- One or two wedges
- Potentially one or more hybrids
Why are hybrids worth considering?
We would recommend sourcing a golf club set that includes at least one hybrid. This is a club designed to stand in for the lower-numbered irons in a traditional set of golf clubs.
You might wonder why this is a good idea. The answer is that lower-numbered irons are quite difficult for beginner golfers to handle and use correctly. The hybrid is far more forgiving. Instead of selecting an iron to play a certain shot, it’s good to know you can pull out a hybrid from your collection instead.
As a beginner, you don’t want to feel dejected at hitting bad shots the whole time. We all have a learning curve to manage, but it’s easy to forget some clubs are easier to handle than others. Easing yourself into your game and bolstering your confidence is much easier to do with a hybrid or two in your bag. These are far easier to use than the lower irons if you’re just starting out.
So… the good option – one hybrid golf club. The best option – two hybrids in your beginner golf set.
How many clubs should be included in a beginner’s set?
The ideal set should include at least a dozen clubs if they’re going to give you everything you need. Some stretch to 13 or 14 clubs. The more advanced beginner sets might provide a couple more clubs than that.
Our advice would be to go for a minimum of 12 clubs, but to check for those hybrids. It’s often worth investing a little more in a set of clubs with a couple of hybrids rather than just one.
Worth noting: The number of pieces in a set doesn’t correspond to the number of clubs
It’s easy to get caught out like this if you’re not careful or aware of it. Most sets are listed as 10-piece, 12-piece, and so on. The pieces also include the golf bag and any head covers included as part of the set. This means a 14-piece set might only include 11 clubs, once you take out the bag and a couple of head covers.
The listing for the item should clarify exactly what is included. You can sometimes tell from the images but do check with the seller if you are unsure.
What about budget?
This is just as important for many people as the quantity of clubs in the set. You want the best collection you can get for the best price.
However, if price is very important and you find the larger sets containing more clubs too much to stretch to, look for a smaller set with perhaps just nine clubs. These often still have one hybrid included, but they provide fewer irons and perhaps just one good fairway wood to get you underway. You’ll still have everything you need in the set – just fewer options of clubs to choose from out on the course.
Remember, though, there’s nothing to stop you investing in another couple of clubs once you start to get the hang of the game. You’ll soon understand which clubs to use under which circumstances, and you might then identify one or two you’d like to add to your collection.
The bottom line is to get a decent, versatile, and affordable set for starters. You’re not committed to sticking with those clubs in future.
With that in mind, is it best to get a complete set of beginner’s clubs?
Now we’ve thrown in the idea of adding clubs in future, you might ask why shouldn’t you just get individual clubs to start with? After all, golf bags, head covers, and all the clubs are available separately. Why not just go via that route?
It makes sense, but it throws in many more buying decisions to make. Have you seen how many variations and numbers of woods, irons, drivers, and hybrids there are to choose from? It would take far longer and prove far more challenging to source the right clubs individually. It would also be more expensive.
By opting for a complete set of clubs designed for beginners, you’re getting a good deal. You can also count on finding a reliable starter set of golf clubs if you opt for one from a well-known name in the sport.
How big are the club heads?
Here’s another important factor many beginners aren’t aware of when comparing different golf club sets. You should find beginner clubs have larger heads than those intended for more experienced players. When you think about it, the reason is obvious – the bigger the head, the more chance there is to cleanly hit the ball. Don’t go too large though, otherwise you’ll give up accuracy. It’s good to get something in the middle if you can – something to provide you with more chance of hitting a clean ball and still send it further down the course.
How long are the clubs?
Your height matters to an extent, and women’s beginner golf club sets tend to have shorter clubs than those intended for men. However, beginner clubs always tend to be slightly shorter than ones designed for professionals.
In truth, a longer shaft is going to make it more difficult for a beginning golfer to handle the ball and send it where they want it to go. As you gain experience, you may wish to swap out some clubs for ones with longer shafts. However, to start with, shorter clubs are perfect for all newcomers to the sport.
Another point to note is that graphite shafts usually produce a better outcome per shot where beginners are concerned than those made with steel. The steel shafts are better if you naturally have a faster swing, but if not, stick with the graphite shafts to start with.
Don’t forget the bag
So far, we’ve talked about the clubs and little else. These may be the most important part of the set you’re going to buy, but the bag has an important role to play too.
There are two types of bag to look for:
- A stand bag
- A carry bag
You can also look for a cart bag design that is intended to be carried on a golf cart. Stand bags are ideal as they come with foldaway legs to enable you to prop it up in position while in use on the course. Carry bags are just that – they come with a carry handle to allow you to sling it over your shoulder. If weight is an issue, carry bags are lighter than stand bags, purely because there are no legs involved.
Look at the quality of the bag too. While you would hope most of your investment would go into the clubs in your golf beginner’s set, you need to be sure the bag is of reasonable quality as well.
Another thing to look for is pockets. How many would you like? You’ll need somewhere to carry your golf balls, tees, and anything else you’d like to keep with you. A few exterior zipped pockets should suffice.
There is plenty to consider here when you’re comparing different options to find the best starter golf club set. While it may seem overwhelming to start with, you’ll find you can make your purchase with more confidence when you understand more about the components in a beginner set. No set of clubs can promise to give you the best golf game in town, but they can guide you in the right direction.
Conclusion
Your first set of golf clubs is an investment in your future in the sport. We’ve seen how important it is to get a good all-round set of clubs to start you off. Be sure to look for clubs designed for male, female, or young player use as appropriate. Our best advice would be to include a hybrid or two in the collection, to ensure you get the best performance from your new set of clubs. Now all that remains is to improve your game – and for that, we wish you good luck.