Golf’s popularity continues to rise year over year, with an average of over 15% of all households indicating an interest in playing the sport.
In fact, there are over 24 million players in America alone, and they play a total of over 470 million rounds every year!
With so many new players joining the sport, there’s a question that comes up again and again from our readers: what are the best golf clubs for beginners?
We put together a list of our top picks of the best golf clubs for beginners, break each one down, and detail out what to look for in the guide below.
Our Picks for the best Golf Clubs for Beginners
| Best Overall Golf Clubs for Beginners | Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set |
| Great Quality at a Budget Price | Wilson Ultra Complete 14-Piece Set |
| Mid-Range Budget Pick | Callaway Strata Complete 12-Piece Set |
| Lots of Irons (4-9) and Great Clubs | Pinemeadow PRE 16-Piece Set |
| Solid Value in a Mid-Range Set | Precise M3 13-Piece Set |
| Higher Quality Set for the Advanced Beginner | Wilson Profile XD 15-Piece Set |
| Well-Rounded, Great-Looking Set | Prosimmon Golf X9 V2 12-Piece Set |
| For the Occasional Golfer on a Very Tight Budget | Nitro Blaster 15-Piece Set |
| Steel-Shafted Set for Golfers who dislike Graphite | Confidence Golf Power V3 11-Piece Set |
| For the Newbie Who Wants All-Around Value | Top-Flite XL 13-Piece Set |
Our Top Pick: Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set
Callaway has made a name for themselves as an excellent golf equipment manufacturer for players of all skill levels, and this set is a great example why.
The Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set is one of the most well-rounded sets we’ve seen offered for beginners.
These clubs offer an overall solid feel and the forgiveness factor is not to be overlooked, along with many extras you won’t find in other beginner sets.
What’s Included in the Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 4 and 5 Hybrids
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
- 4 Head Covers
Pros:
- Offers a very well-rounded set of clubs for beginners without unnecessary extras
- Includes both Pitching Wedge and Sand Wedge
- Features a very forgiving driver that can stay with you as your skill level progresses
Cons
- Callaway brand not “featured” on the set (the Strata name is prominently on display)
Check out our in-depth review of the Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set.
Wilson Ultra Complete 14-Piece Set
Wilson is known for making approachable and affordable sporting goods – this absolutely applies to the Ultra Complete Golf Set.
This set also features a forgiving driver with a 460 cc head, irons with large sweet spots, and a specially-designed lightweight bag with lots of extra storage.
Overall, this is a great beginners set of clubs that offers improved performance for those just starting out, as well as newer golfers with higher swing speeds.
What’s Included in the Wilson Ultra Complete 14-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 4 Hybrid
- 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
Pros
- Very forgiving driver and fairway wood
- Putter features a “heel-toe” weight alignment to promote better accuracy, control, and forgiveness
- Overall excellent value for the price
Cons
- Sand Wedge not included
- Shafts are steel rather than graphite (not necessarily a bad thing, but you may prefer the lighter weight and performance that graphite shafts offer)
Callaway Strata Complete 12-Piece Set
Strata by Callaway secured another mention in our top picks for best beginner golf clubs due to the overall value offered in their sets, this time with the Strata Complete 12-Piece Set.
This set offers a pared-down version of the Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set by shaving off a few clubs and club head covers to offer extra affordability, and is a great option for many golfers just starting out. Keep in mind that you can always add in the “extra” clubs down the road once you actually find the need for them!
What’s Included in the Callaway Strata Complete 12-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 5 Hybrid
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
Pros
- Same as the Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-piece set, this set features a very forgiving driver that can stay with you as your skill level progresses
- The included 5 hybrid is a great replacement for long irons for beginning golfers
- Stand bag includes a cooler pocket and rain hood (nice features for this price point)
Cons
- This set offers a total of 9 clubs, while rules allow you to carry up to 14
- Sand Wedge not included
- Distance gap between the 3 Wood and the 5 Hybrid
Check out our in-depth review of the Callaway Strata 12-Piece Set.
Pinemeadow Golf PRE 16-Piece Set
The Pinemeadow PRE 16-Piece Set is very popular among beginner’s complete club set packages, and made our top picks list due to the combination of affordability and quality.
This set is a great step between the “bargain basement” sets and the higher-end 16-piece sets, offering steel irons with large sweet spots and graphite shaft drivers and hybrids with beginner-friendly loft angles.
All of this equipment and technology is made even better by the attractive price point.
What’s Included in the Pinemeadow PRE 16-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 3 Hybrid
- 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand bag
- 3 Club Head Covers (Driver, 3 Wood, and Hybrid)
Pros
- Excellent overall value
- Larger range of clubs included compared to competing sets at similar price points
- Well-made, good quality clubs
- Stand bag is excellent
Cons
- Sand Wedge not included
- Some beginners may find the 21 degree loft of the hybrid a bit tough to hit with when starting out
Precise M3 13-Piece Set
The Precise M3 13-Piece Set offers a solid value for a mid-range set of beginner clubs and offers sets for both standard height as well as taller golfers, which is a huge plus.
This set offers all the typical clubs you’d expect, and they’re well-made, high performance clubs to match! The durability rating of these clubs is also high, which is great news for your wallet.
What’s Included in the Precise M3 13-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- Hybrid
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
- 3 Club Head Covers (Driver, 3-Wood, and Hybrid)
Pros
- Strong selection of clubs for a beginner set
- Excellent bag includes dual straps (for carrying like a backpack) and a rain hood
- Included Hybrid offers excellent playability and performance
Cons
- Sand Wedge not included
- A 5 Wood would have rounded out this set very nicely
Wilson Profile XD 15-Piece Set
If you’re closer to an amateur than a beginner, you may want to take a closer look at the Wilson Profile XD 15-Piece Set. The Profile XD is a step up in quality and design (and price) compared to the Wilson Ultra set, but you get what you pay for here.
This offers a nearly complete club set with 10 total clubs, including a driver with excellent forgiveness and a fairway wood that’s easy to pick up and play.
The included hybrid features high launch technology, helping you to get max performance. This set also includes a sand wedge, which is not offered in too many beginners sets.
What’s Included in the Wilson Profile XD 15-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 5 Wood
- 5 Hybrid
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
- 3 Club Head Covers (Driver, 5 Wood, and Hybrid)
Pros
- Very sleek club head and bag design – (The Wilson Profile XD set doesn’t look like an affordable set of beginners clubs!)
- Mix of graphite and steel shafts for excellent performance
- Enhanced design and technology packed in at a reasonable price point
- Both Regular and Tall versions are offered
Cons
- May be better geared towards golfers with just a touch of experience (rather than those who may be hitting the course for the very first time)
Prosimmon Golf X9 V2 12-Piece Set
The Prosimmon Golf X9 V2 12-Piece Set is great for it’s variety of options, offering customization in regular and stiff flexes, regular and tall lengths, and graphite-only or graphite and steel shaft combinations.
The other great thing about the X9 V2 Set is that it offers two hybrids and wraps everything up in a professional-looking and affordable package, earning its place on our top picks of best golf clubs for beginners.
What’s Included in the Prosimmon X9 V2 12-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 3 and 4 Hybrids
- 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
Pros
- Customization options make this a very versatile pick for many players and preferences
- Two included hybrids offer more versatility than most beginner sets
- Bag features full-length club dividers
- Nice-looking, professional aesthetics
Cons
- Sand Wedge not included
Nitro Blaster 15-Piece Set
If you’re dipping your toe into golf and aren’t sure about just how much time you’ll have to devote to the sport, the Nitro Blaster 15-Piece set offers a great set of clubs with quality materials at an extremely affordable price point.
The flex in this set offers a lot of forgiveness, and the irons were specifically engineered to offer easy playability.
If you’re a beginner who’s not sure how often you’ll make it out to the course but still “needs” a set of clubs, the Nitro Blaster set is a great choice.
What’s Included in the Nitro Blaster 15-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 3 Hybrid
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
- 3 Club Head Covers (Driver, 3 Wood, 3 Hybrid)
Pros
- An excellent value for either brand new or occasional golfers
- High-quality shafts
- Stand bag includes rain hood
Cons
- Sand Wedge not included
- Not recommended for golfers who plan on playing often (due to overall durability)
Confidence Golf Power V3 11-Piece Set
Confidence Golf may not be a household name in golf equipment, but don’t let the lack of brand recognition fool you: Confidence Golf consistently puts out great products with outstanding quality at affordable prices, which is exactly why it made our list of this year’s best golf clubs for beginners.
This set features cavity-back irons which promote forgiveness and easy playability.
Additionally, the Power V3 Set has a very forgiving driver which will bring better distance and control to your shots off the tee.
This set is rounded out nicely with a stand bag that packs in extra storage, and helps you carry this set of extremely affordable clubs.
What’s Included in the Confidence Golf Power V3 11-Piece Set:
- Driver
- Hybrid
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
- 1 Club Head Cover (Driver)
Pros
- Extremely affordable set of clubs
- Larger club faces on the irons provide a bigger sweet spot
- Very nice stand bag included
Cons
- Steel shafts on all clubs (we prefer graphite shafts for beginners due to the extra performance they bring to your swing)
- Blade-style putter included (rather than mallet-style, which is what we recommend for beginners)
Top-Flite XL 13-Piece Set
Top Flite is marketed heavily toward beginners and that’s due to their reputation for providing good quality, durable clubs at entry-level prices – making them a strong contender for the best golf clubs for beginners.
Long story short, this is a great mid-range beginners set that you can add to as you gain more experience. The clubs are offered in both left-handed and right-handed variations and every club in the bag is designed to give new players the largest sweet spots and most forgiveness possible, ensuring you’ll enjoy the time you spend on the course.
What’s Included in the Top-Flite XL 13-Piece Set:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 4 and 5 Hybrids
- 6, 7, 8, and 9 Irons
- Pitching Wedge
- Putter
- Stand Bag
- 2 Club Head Covers (Driver and 3 Wood)
Pros
- Two Hybrids offers extra versatility in the bag
- Great selection of clubs for the beginning golfer
- Well-known brand and quality
Cons
- Sand Wedge not included
- A 5 Wood would have been a nice inclusion to really make this set stand out
Best Golf Clubs for Beginners: Buyer’s Guide
There’s a lot to consider when buying your first set of clubs, and making sure you get the best set for beginners should be at the very top of your list. Here’s what to keep in mind as you’re making this first big step into the great game of golf.
Be Clear – and Realistic – About Your Goals
One of the best ways to select the best golf clubs when starting out is to really think about how serious you are about golf. Many new golfers get wide-eyed and deep into buying equipment and everything they need to get started… only to never really start at all.
It’s valuable to think about how much time you’re both willing and able to put into the sport, and use that as a factor when determining your budget.
Consider Your Skill Level and Dedication
It takes a lot of practice and time to become a skilled, low-handicap golfer. If you’re serious about improving it’ll mean many visits to the driving range and afternoons on the golf course.
In addition to the practice above, you may want to consider lessons, which will also factor in to your budget. If you do plan on springing for lessons, chances are that you’re on the more serious end of new players and you may want to think about getting something better than a super-basic beginner’s set of clubs.
Don’t Buy the Most Expensive Set
Make no mistake – it’s easy to get sucked in to all the hype, slick marketing, and cool new technology packed in the top-of-the-line equipment out there. As a beginner, we recommend you save your money and don’t go for the top-rung set – even if you can afford it.
There’s a simple reason that most golf pros and instructors will tell you to start with an affordable set of beginner’s clubs: they’re designed to make the game easier for you!
Surprisingly, using professional clubs could actually make the game much harder – especially when starting out – and lead to you not enjoying the sport enough to actually stick with it.
We’ll break this down further in the guide below, but the best golf clubs for beginners have specific features not found in pro level clubs that will help you in your journey.
Set a Budget – and Stick to It!
Look, there’s a reason golf doesn’t have a reputation as the cheapest sport. There’s a lot to consider here: clubs, balls, clothing, shoes, cool golf tech gear, training aids, and more.
Once you get set up, you then need to factor in green fees for playing a course, or possibly joining a club.
Keep all of these expenses in mind when figuring out your total budget going in- the best set of beginner clubs won’t do you any good sitting in the basement after all.
Club Head Size Matters
It’s true everywhere- even in the game of golf: size matters. The best golf clubs for beginners have larger club head sizes. This makes for a larger sweet spot, providing you more forgiveness on mishits… which you’ll probably be hitting plenty of as a beginner.
For drivers, aim for a size of 450 cc to 460 cc (cc = cubic centimeter). If you have an existing set of clubs and are looking for a driver to add to it, we’ve made a list of the most forgiving drivers.
The same rule of club head size applies to irons – bigger is better here.
Cast Irons are Your Best Bet
There are two main types of irons: cast irons and forged irons.
Cast irons do a good job of spreading the weight around the perimeter of the club head and makes them more forgiving.
Forged irons keep their center of gravity (CG) in the center of the club, which makes for a smaller sweet spot. The payoff for a solid, consistent hit is high with forged irons, which makes them a solid choice for the pros.
Since we’re talking about the best golf clubs for beginners here and NOT for pros, stick with the bigger sweet spot that cast irons offer.
Selecting Cavity Back Irons or Blade Irons
Similar to the differences between cast irons and forged irons above, this comes down to how the technology relates to the payoff.
Cavity back irons are more forgiving due to the larger sweet spot, resulting in more consistency in your game.
Blade irons – much like forged irons – have a smaller sweet spot, making them the choice of the pros.
Our recommendation: stick with cavity back irons in your beginners club set – you’ll be glad you did.
How to Choose between Graphite and Steel Shafts
You’ll see most of the best golf clubs for beginners offer graphite shafts, as they are lighter and easier to swing. This works better for newer players as the flex offered in graphite shafts helps compensate for most beginners’ lower swing speeds.
The pros use iron steel shafts because they provide better real-time feedback if the ball was hit well or not and can help with control accuracy when combined with high swing speeds.
Choosing between Adjustable or Standard Clubs
Adjustable clubs have different settings built in that allow golfers to shift different weight points in the club to help correct things like draws or fades, or impact spin. Some sets may also allow you to adjust the loft in some or all clubs (don’t worry – we’ll talk about loft in a bit here).
Adjustability is a nice feature, but typically you won’t see a ton of benefit out of this as a beginner.
If you do decide to upgrade or add a forgiving driver to your set, many of those offer adjustable features that can give you big benefits off the tee.
Generally speaking, standard clubs will work great for most golfers starting out. Don’t get hung up on whether or not your set is adjustable.
Get a Grip (No, Really)
The grips on your clubs are going to impact your game and you should pay attention to the comfort level here. If you’re buying a used set of clubs, consider having the grips replaced to fit your style and preference.
Take a look at our golf grip size guide for more information on how to select the best grips.
Know Your Swing Speed
If you’re just starting out, there’s a good chance you don’t know your swing speed. That’s okay!
There’s no need to go to a full on club fitting, either – you can use the following methods to determine your swing speed:
If you don’t have access to a launch monitor, there’s a simple way to determine your swing speed.
Just use the following formula:
- Find your average driving distance by adding your drive totals together (typically 20 or more drives is recommended) and dividing by the total number of drives
- Subtract a “roll factor” of 5% of the drive average by multiplying your average driving distance by .95 (average driving distance x .095).
- Divide your average driving distance minus roll factor by 1.75, which will determine your ball speed at impact.
- Divide your ball speed at impact number by 1.5 to calculate your estimated swing speed.
If that all seems too complicated, you can use the ranges below to categorize the speed of your swing:
- Average Swing Speed: Average drive of 220 yards or less
- Medium Swing Speed: Average drive between 220-260 yards
- High Swing Speed: Average drive 260 yards or more
Chances are that your swing speed is on the lower end, and as such, you’ll want to choose a beginner club set that offers at least a Regular flex or additional flex when starting out.
Best Golf Clubs for Beginners – Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of clubs? When and why do I need them?
Before we dive into this topic, consider the fact that an average golf course spans over 70 acres. That’s quite a bit of space, and there are many different types of terrain you’ll encounter during a round of golf.
There’s a golf club for nearly every situation out there. We’ll cover each in-depth in a moment, but here’s an overview of what each club is used for:
Drivers, Fairway Woods, and Hybrids: used for maximizing distance
Irons: used for mid-range and shorter shots
Wedges: used for chips around the green (pitching wedges, gap wedges, loft wedges) or getting out of sand bunkers (sand wedges)
Putter: used on the green for precision when putting
Maximizing Distance: Drivers and Fairway Woods
Before you get confused, the driver is technically the 1-wood, so these aren’t necessarily different clubs.
Also, another rule to keep in mind while we’re reviewing all of this is that the lower the loft angle of a club is, the farther a golf ball will travel when hit properly.
The Driver has the lowest loft of all the woods and is usually used when teeing off. Most “woods” are only wood in name – they used to be made of wood and now are more commonly made of titanium or steel, as that provides a lighter club and better durability.
The higher numbered woods (that is, a 2-wood, 3-wood, 4-wood, and 5-wood) are known as Fairway Woods, since you use them to hit the ball from the fairway rather than from a tee. They’re usually smaller than the driver.
Mid to Long Range: Hybrids
Hybrids are a different animal than Drivers or Fairway Woods as they bridge the gap between woods and irons. Hybrids generally have lofts that allow some players (and golf club set manufacturers) to replace some of the higher woods (four-wood, five wood) and the “long irons” (the two, three, and four irons), literally lightening the load for golfers while making the game easier to play and making a set less expensive.
Many of the best golf clubs for beginners offer hybrids as part of the set.
Mid-Range: Irons
Taking their name from the metal club head, these are usually used when a golfer is 200 yards or less from the green. Irons are typically numbered 3 to 9, with the loft increasing with the number of the iron (for example, the 9-iron has the highest loft, while the 3-iron has the lowest).
- The “Long Irons” (the 3, 4, and 5-irons) are named after their longer shaft and their longer shot distance. These are usually some of the hardest clubs for beginners to hit with and have been replaced with Hybrids by many manufacturers.
- The “Middle Irons” (the 6, 7, and 8-irons) are used between 180-130 yards from the green.
- The “Short Irons” (the 9-iron and Pitching Wedge) are used when needing to hit a shorter, higher shot onto the green.
Special Teams: The Wedges
Wedges play a special role in a set of clubs, as they’re the highest-lofted clubs in any bag. Here’s a breakdown of each wedge:
- The Pitching Wedge has a loft between 46 to 51 degrees, and is best used when the ball is 120 yards from the green (give or take a few!).
- The Sand Wedge is used to hit the ball out of sand bunkers or deep rough, or from 100 yards and closer to the green.
- The Gap Wedge fills the “gap” between the Pitching Wedge and the Sand Wedge, and is best for around 110 yards.
- The Lob Wedge is used when a golfer needs to hit the ball high in the air and drop it again without much roll. Beginners will find Lob Wedges useful about 80 yards and in from the green, or for chipping a ball onto the green nearby.
Most of the best golf club sets for beginners will include a Pitching Wedge (which may just be labeled as a Wedge) in the bag, which will be fine when you’re starting out.
Tapping it In: The Putter
Believe it or not, you’ll make the majority of your shots with the Putter, which is why many golfers call it the most important club of all.
The Putter’s job is to hit with accuracy, getting your ball in the hole from the green. Putters are typically a standard size of 32” to 35” in length in most sets, although many other options are available when purchased individually.
Club heads on Putters come in two main types: the blade putter, which is flat like a “blade” – think of a nicer version of the clubs you’ve seen at putt-putt places – and the mallet putter, which is much more forgiving and has an elongated head.
You’ll usually see mallet putters included with most full club sets offered today.
Which golf clubs do I need most as a beginner?
You’ll want to look for a set that includes the following at a minimum:
- Driver
- Fairway Wood (typically a 3-Wood)
- Hybrid (usually in the “5 Hybrid” range)
- Irons (typically 6, 7, 8, and 9-Irons)
- Wedge (generally a Pitching Wedge)
- Putter
Some sets may offer additional clubs in the mix, such as a 2-Wood, a 4-Hybrid, and/or a Sand Wedge. If the price is right (or it’s on sale) and within your budget, go ahead and grab those extra clubs – just don’t break the bank here as it’s not going to be a huge factor when you’re new to the game.
Should I buy used or new golf clubs?
If you can find a set of used beginners clubs in good condition, go for it! Here’s the caveat: beginners usually make a lot of mistakes, and the clubs show it.
Also, the technology in most beginner club sets gets outdated faster, so buying a used set from three years ago may not give you the same results as a new beginner’s set.
Our recommendation: go for new clubs if you can afford it.
Should I avoid hybrid clubs?
If you like doing things the hard way, sure! Hybrids are popular among most golfers for a reason: they play easier than long irons and make the game more enjoyable.
Our recommendation: use hybrids!
Should I buy a whole set of clubs or buy them one at a time?
Buying a full set is going to make life much easier on you and help you save money. Although it’s tempting to go down the rabbit hole of customizing your whole set, you’re very unlikely to see the full advantage of it just yet.
Furthermore, you haven’t developed your playing style just yet. Playing with a standard set will help you to determine what you like and dislike about a “typical” setup and help you make better decisions down the line.
Many beginners will find that a new driver and putter will make the most impact to their bag after getting comfortable with the game and their existing set of clubs.
Our recommendation: go with the full set.
Why should I buy a set of clubs specifically made for beginners?
The best golf clubs for beginners offer something that pro level clubs don’t: forgiveness.
A common issue among new players is mishit shots, which can send your ball in directions you never intended (both distance-wise and horizontally)! Beginner clubs are designed with larger sweet spots to prevent wild shots (shanks) from happening.
Bottom line: Beginner clubs will provide you the best level of performance for the skill level you’re at.
What should I look for in a beginner’s set of clubs?
There are three key characteristics to look for in a beginner’s set of golf clubs: forgiveness, club weight, and flex. Let’s break these down a bit further:
- Forgiveness: Simply put, larger club faces mean larger sweet spots, and larger sweet spots mean less mis-hits. This will result in better shots, lower scores, and more enjoyment for you.
- Club Weight: It’s important that your clubs are lighter – this improves your swing speed. A faster swing means better shot distance, and thus lower scores.
- Flex: this refers to the amount of flex, or “give” in the club shaft. Flex can actually work in your favor to increase your shot distance and reduce your chance of mis-hits.
Are there any golf clubs I should avoid as a beginner?
As a rule, there are two types of clubs we don’t recommend: blade irons, and wedges with lofts greater than 60 degrees. Here’s why:
Blade irons have a very small sweet spot, and using them can be painful – literally – causing pain to shoot through the player’s hands and arms. Sounds fun, right? We don’t think so either.
Super high-lofted wedges are very tough to play with and are for very experienced players. Avoid these unless you like being the talk of your golf group for all the wrong reasons.
What’s the difference between men’s and women’s golf clubs?
Women’s golf clubs are generally shorter than men’s golf clubs, and feature more flexible shafts. The difference in length accounts for the difference in average height in women compared to men, and the additional flex is to accommodate a slower swing speed.
The great news here is that there is zero sacrifice in technology when choosing women’s golf clubs.
Here are a few additional differences between men’s and women’s golf clubs:
- Drivers: Women’s drivers usually have a minimum 12-degree loft to improve launch angle at slower swing speeds (compared to a 9 to 11-degree loft in men’s drivers)
- Woods: Ladies’ golf club sets often replace 3 and 4-irons with 7 or 9-woods, as the woods assist in achieving longer and higher ball flight at lower swing speeds
- Irons: Commonly ladies’ irons have graphite shafts, offering more flex and lower overall club weight.
Our recommendation: If you’re a female beginner golfer, definitely opt for the ladies’ sets out there – you’ll be glad you did.
What’s the difference between standard and senior golf clubs?
It all comes down to flex here. Standard and senior golf clubs are the same in general (some may offer a lighter club weight to accommodate the transport of the clubs and bag on the course), but overall, the flex of the shaft is the key difference.
Senior flex in a shaft means it’s more flexible to accommodate for the (assumed) slower swing speeds of seniors, with the increased flex giving them better shot distance results.
Our recommendation: choose senior flex shafts if your swing speed is between 75 and 90 mph and your driver distance is around 180 to 200 yards.
If your swing speed is between 90 to 100 mph, and you can shoot from a driver for 200 to 240 yards, your best bet is to stick with regular flex shafts.
How long should I expect my first set of clubs to last?
When searching for the best golf clubs for beginners, it’s natural to be curious about the durability of your first set. There are many factors at play here: the general durability of the set you choose, how often you play, your play style, and more.
If you play frequently, the grooves in your irons and wedges may begin to wear down and you might find the performance to not be as great as when those clubs were new. (Although, this issue can be easily remedied with an inexpensive groove repair tool).
Additionally, you may find that your skill level increases at a pace which you actually “outgrow” your old clubs and can now take advantage of features or technology available in more advanced clubs.
Bottom line: expect your beginner’s clubs to last for at least three years – maybe longer.
Do I need a custom fitting for my clubs?
There’s a lot of value in the club fitting process for most golfers. The key word here is most.
If you haven’t yet developed your swing, there’s really no point in going through the time and expense of a custom fitting as much of it involves measuring your performance using different clubs, flexes, loft angles, and more.
If your swing can’t be repeated across different equipment, it’ll throw the results off and could result in you purchasing a set of clubs that might not be the best fit for you.
Maybe your budget has room for a custom fitting. That’s great! If this is the case, aim for practicing for about three to six months before going through the process, which will give you time to perfect your swing (or at least bring a greater level of consistency to it).
Perhaps you’re not even sure of what a custom club fitting is- if not, check out our guide to the custom club fitting process that outlines everything you need to know and what to expect.
How should I clean my golf clubs?
General cleaning of clubs: Sweat, dirt, grime, and mud can all accumulate on your club shafts and club heads as you play. Wipe them down with a damp cloth and mild soap (typically 2 teaspoons of mild detergent in a bucket of water is best), followed by a clean damp cloth.
Special care for Irons: Use a soft wire brush to clean dirt from the grooves of your irons.
Special care for rust on club heads: Although this is unlikely to occur with newer clubs and current materials, you can take steel wool and gently buff the rust from the club, following up with a metal polish where the rust previously was. Dry the club afterward.
Best Golf Clubs for Beginners Guide – Conclusion
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to choose the best beginners set of clubs from this guide. Again, our top pick is the Callaway Strata Ultimate 16-Piece Set due to its wide range of clubs which includes a sand wedge, multiple woods, and hybrids, which makes it a very versatile set you can start with and add to as your skill grows.
Regardless of whether you go with our top pick or not, just be sure to keep all of this information in this guide in mind during your search and you’ll be guaranteed to choose the best set of beginners clubs for your specific needs.
Already made up your mind on the best golf clubs for beginners? Great! Now head on over to our top picks for the best golf balls for beginners and get completely set up for your next match!
If you’ve got an existing set of clubs and are looking to add to it, take a look at our guide to the best irons for beginners.
If you’ve got a little room left in your budget, we’ve rounded up our top picks for the best golf rangefinders for you as well.