If you're new to golf, you may be interested in purchasing your very own set of golf clubs. Having your own set will allow you to practice more regularly and keep you focused while playing a round. There are, unfortunately, a variety of different brands to consider when looking for the ultimate starter's set of golf clubs. Not only that, but each may come with a unique design and build, which can impact your game.
The five club sets below feature various factors that can help new golfers get started on the right foot so that they can have a more positive golfing experience from the get-go. The factors that were used to generate this top five review of golf club sets for beginners include overall value, forgiveness, comfort and customer feedback.
Top 5: Golf Club Sets for Beginners Review
Product Image & Rating (Out Of 10) | Product Name | Price |
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9.9 | ||
9.7 | ||
9.5 | ||
9.2 | ||
8.9 |
The Callaway Men's Strata Complete Golf Set (12 Piece) is one of the highest rated club collections best suited for beginners. Amazon has chosen to recommend this product because of the overwhelming amount of positive customer reviews.
The clubs are available to both left and right handed golfers, and there are two color choices to select from. A lightweight stand bag is a complimentary addition to each of the clubs that is already included with the package.
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The Precise M5 Men's Complete Golf Clubs Package Set (Includes Titanium Driver, S.S. Fairway, S.S. Hybrid, S.S. 5-PW Irons, Putter, Stand Bag) is a popular club set among users that are new to the game of golf.
One reason that players really appreciate the design of these clubs is because the club shaft is built with a light, graphite material. The enhanced forgiveness and comfort is a major reason that these clubs are easy to adapt to.
For the price, they are a tough decision to consider. There could be some better value clubs out there, but these clubs are capable of getting the job done. The biggest factor is that nearly all the clubs you need for a regulation sized golf course is already included in this collection.
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The Wilson Golf Men's Ultra Complete Package Set is a high quality set of golf clubs that come from an extremely reputable golf club brand. These clubs are crafted to be optimized for ball striking and forgiveness. The low center of gravity on the club face is designed to pop the ball into the air on contact. The sweet spots are larger than many other similar sets of club faces.
The alignment putter is a precision-like choice for newcomers that may have a tough time lining up their putts on the green. Everything about this collection of clubs suggests that it would be just about perfect for casual golfers looking to improve their golf game.
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The 18 Piece Complete Golf Club Package Set (With Titanium Driver, #3 & #5 Fairway Woods, #4 Hybrid, 5-SW Irons, Putter, Stand Bag) is a great high-end collection of clubs that could potentially be perfect for new golfers that are just starting out.
The titanium driver is accompanied with many other high quality fairway woods and irons. The lightweight design is great for new golfers that have fast club swing speed and the extra comfort is generated from the expanded grip designs.
There are two club sizes available as well as two colors to choose from. The clubs can be created with either a red or blue color scheme.
While these clubs are slightly higher in price than the average newcomer set of golf clubs, they have enhanced forgiving properties that can improve the learning curve for any new golfer. The club face feature cavity back designs so that enhanced forgiveness is achieved when the club contacts the ball.
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The Confidence Golf Power V3 Golf Clubs Set & Stand Bag is a great collection of golf clubs for newcomers that are in need of forgiving club faces and high quality club designs.
The pack includes all clubs between 6 Iron and Pitching Wedge, as well as a steel shafted golfing putter. The clubs are fitted with cavity back designs for optimized forgiveness. This feature is especially great for beginners.
The stand bag is a complimentary addition to the entire collection of golf clubs. The bag features pop out legs and plenty of storage compartments to store water bottles, golf balls, or other small objects during a round of golf.
The customer feedback regarding this pack of clubs is extremely positive. Many of the users claimed to be first-time golfers, which bodes well for current buyers that are looking for a casual set of clubs to start playing with.
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best beginner golf club set
After analyzing each of the club sets in the review section above, it is clear that the Callaway Men's Strata Complete Golf Set (12 Piece) is one of the most popular products in the industry. New golfers have consistently come into the sport with this collection of clubs and started out with a positive experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which clubs are included in a golf set?
Different golf sets will include some variance in the clubs that are included. According to the USGA, you are allowed to carry as many as 14 clubs in a golf bag, allowing you to customize your set based on your skill and preferences.
Gold club sets are comprised of a driver, woods, irons, hybrids wedges, and a putter. The driver, and sometimes a 3 wood, are the clubs used for hitting the golf ball off of the tee. The woods in a golf set are best to use for shots on the fairway that are long and straight.
Irons have a very angled heads and are the club golfers reach for after they have teed off. You will want more irons in your bag than the other club types.
Hybrid clubs can help you accurately hit the ball for a far distance, but can be much easier to use than long irons. The center of gravity in a hybrid club is found towards the bottom, backside of the club, making it easier to swing and send the ball flying. Many players choose to replace some of the irons in their bag with hybrid clubs.
A wedge is a special type of iron designed for use for very specific shot types. For example, there are sand wedges that can be used to help you get your ball out of a sand trap.
A putter is the club you'll want to reach for once you are on the green and just a few yards away from the hole. They have a smaller head than the other clubs and should stay on the ground when you swing to hit the ball.
What do the different numbers on golf clubs mean?
The numbers on golf clubs have to do with the loft, or the angle of the face of the club. Changing the loft will impact how far and/or high a golf ball will go when it is hit.
Golf clubs that have a low number, have a low loft. This means that when the ball is hit it will travel a farther distance at a relatively low height.
Clubs with a higher number, have a higher loft. The steeper angle on these clubs will cause the ball to go up high without traveling for a very far distance.
Which golf clubs are most important for a beginner to have?
Beginners will want to have a set of clubs comprised of woods, irons (and maybe some hybrids), and a putter. The 3 wood and 5 wood are the woods that are often recommended as an essential part of a beginner's set.
A pitching wedge, and 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 irons are also good additions to a beginner's set. You may decide that you want to replace the 3 and 4 iron with 3, 4, 5, or 6 hybrids.
Finally, you'll just need one putter to round out your set.
Do right- and left-handed players need different golf clubs?
Yes, if you are left-handed, you will need a set of golf clubs designed for left-handed players. The club head on these clubs will be placed different to accommodate left-handed play.
What do I need to play golf?
In addition to a set of golf clubs, there are other essential items and accessories you'll want to purchase. You will need golf balls, golf shoes, gloves, a golf bag, and appropriate attire to wear on a golf course.
How long does it take to learn to golf?
Of course, every player is different, but you should expect to spend at least three to five months learning to play golf. There is a lot you will need to learn during this time, including the rules of the game, which clubs to use for which types of shots, how to swing properly, other strategies to increase your performance, how to keep score, and proper golf course etiquette.
10 Tips for beginner golfers
Golf is a game of skill. You can be athletic, intelligent, patient, and any other adjective that you can think of that might help in golf, but in the end those things only help your golf game so much.As with any skill, if you want to improve you have to work. You have to decide what level you hope to reach as a golfer and then put in the time to reach that level and to stay there. The following tips will help guide you to become the golfer that you want to be and to have fun along the way.
1. Set a Goal
When you are beginning your golf journey, it is important that you decide what type of golfer you desire to be. Your goal will probably change, but knowing what you hope to accomplish can help you make a lot of golfing decisions. The following list are some sample golfers you may desire to be:- A weekend warrior who just enjoys getting together with friends.
- A scratch golfer that may play in local tournaments and do well.
- A business golfer who plays well enough to impress clients on the course.
- The club champion who may not be a professional but can play with the best of them.
- A token golf club owner who plays two or three times per year just because other people are doing it.
One of the great things about golf is that you do not have to shoot well to have fun, but it sure does not hurt. Even if you are just looking to have some fun with friends, some of the tips in the rest of this article may be helpful.
2. Take Lessons
Golf lessons can be expensive, but they are certainly worth it. My advice would be to take at least a few lessons before ever walking onto a course by yourself so that you learn how to build your swing properly.Taking lessons is not always in the budget both from a monetary and time perspective, but patience is key. If you have to wait until your next birthday or Christmas to have lessons gifted to you, it is worth it. If you have to purchase a cheaper set of clubs to be able to afford lessons, do it.
Many of us are too proud to ask for help and we believe that we can figure things out on our own. In a skill as intricate and difficult as golf, nothing could be further from the truth.
3. Practice
"The more I work and practice, the luckier I seem to get." Gary Player made this quote famous, and he was one of the greatest golfers to play the game. He was also one of the hardest workers and those two things often coincide.Making time to practice golf is one of the best indicators of what type of golfer you will end up being. If you just go out and play 18 a few times every year, you will never gain the consistency needed to be a good golfer.
On the other hand, if you make time for the driving range, play a few par-3 courses consistently, and make time to play golf consistently and with concentration then you will reach your potential. Even if you do not have the size, athleticism, natural swing, or pedigree that others have, you can out-practice anyone and become a better golfer.
4. Purchase Good and Appropriate Equipment
The golf equipment industry has gotten so huge that it can be very difficult to decide what will work best for you. As a beginner, however, it is important that you choose equipment that was made for game improvement reasons over anything else. Here are a few equipment tips:- Starting out, the Titleist ProV1 will not help your game and you will just lose a lot of expensive balls.
- Your driver is one of your least important clubs starting out.
- Buy a good putter because you will probably use it for a long time.
- Cavity-back irons will help you to learn your swing, save the blades for a later purchase.
- Get your clubs fitted to your size and swing.
- Graphite shafts are not a necessity.
5. Work on Your Short Game
I will be the first to admit it...Driving is fun. However, the most you will ever hit a driver on any course that you ever play is 14 times and that would be an anomaly. You will putt and chip twice as much as you will drive, and starting out the percentages may be even higher.The bottom line is that driving is fun and you can impress your friends with it. If you want to score well, however, work on your short game and your putting. A good drive may save you a stroke every round while a good putter will lower your score by multiple strokes every round for the rest of your life. Work on your chipping and putting at about a 5 to 1 ratio against your driver.
6. Have Fun
Hank Aaron is quoted as saying, "It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. It took one afternoon on the golf course." Hank Aaron is one of the greatest power hitters of all time and had a tremendous natural swing, but that does not always translate to the course.The important thing to do, especially when you are starting out, is to realize that a bad day on the golf course is better than the best day at the office. The next time you go out and play a bad hole or a bad round, just remember that golf is just a game.
As you continue playing golf, you are going to improve and you are going to take the game more and more seriously. It is important now, and even as you progress, to continue having fun or golf will become more of a chore than an outlet.
7. Spend Time On the Range
Just like any other sport, game, or skill, practice makes perfect. While in golf you will never reach the status of "perfect," you can definitely get better.The nature of golf makes it difficult to just go out and practice. It is time consuming just to get your clubs in the car and get out to the nearest course, much less actually playing 18 holes. There is, however, a much easier and less expensive way to practice:
Hit the Range, and hit it hard!
The best way to improve is to work on your swing. Spending a few days on the range allows you to really focus on the clubs that you need to work on the most and to spend focused time making those swings better.
When you are on the course, you have to worry about choosing the right club, strategizing the next shot, hitting the right spot, etc. On the range all you have to worry about is improving your swing, and we all need that.
Nothing replaces actually going out to the course and playing 18. But when you need to work on your long irons, wedges, or whatever you weakness is without worrying about anything else, the driving range is the best place to make that happen.
8. Golf Is a Mental Game
Arnold Palmer once said, "Success in this game depends less on strength of body than strength of mind and character." He was not kidding.As much as golf is a physically demanding sport, it is much more demanding mentally and emotionally. When you lose your attention even for one shot, it can throw your entire hold off and maybe even your entire round. Even golfing for fun requires concentration, thought, and keeping your emotions in check.
If you have ever been out on the course and gotten frustrated because a ball bounced the wrong way, you mishit a shot, or you keep finding water and traps more often than fairways, then you know emotions can play a role in your score. Here are some things that might help:
- Develop a pre-shot routine.
- Visualize your next shot and even your next hole.
- Leave the last hole behind you, no matter how well or how poorly you played.
- Relax and have fun.
9. Leave Your Driver In the Bag
Just because you have a driver does not mean that you have to use it on every long hole. If you ever watch a tour event, then you will see a lot of great golfers leave their drivers in the bag even on a par 4 or 5. Many holes require more control than distance, and especially when you are just starting out.I remember the 2006 US Open when Phil Mickelson was in the final pairing and in the lead going into the last hole. He hit driver off of the tee, a move that everyone was questioning even before his swing, and his ball did not even come close to the fairway. In fact, if I remember correctly, it flew over a nearby hospitality tent.
The bottom line is that Mickelson's insistence on hitting a drive off of the tee resulted in a double bogey on the 72nd hole and ultimately a missed chance at another major. We are all, like Mickelson, tempted to hit the driver as often as possible. In fact, it may just be the funnest club in the bag. But remember golf is about more than distance, and hitting your second shot from the fairway at 180 yards is a lot easier than hitting it out of the woods from 100.
10. Fundamentals Are Vital
One of the most important things for a beginner to learn is the fundamentals of golf. Learning your grip, setup, alignment, swing motion, arc, etc. are all vital to you becoming a good golfer.At the same time, one of the biggest hurdles to playing golf is when players go out and practice a flawed swing or hit the ball without proper alignment. Learning the fundamentals of anything is important to future success, but when it comes to golf it is really make or break. It is a lot easier to build a good swing than to fix a bad one.
Here are some ways to ensure that you are building your golf game and your swing from a solid foundation based on fundamentals:
- As mentioned before, take some lessons.
- Go out and play with someone older and better than you.
- Do not keep swinging the same way over and over again and expect a different result.
- When you cannot figure out what is wrong with your swing, ask for help.
Final Verdict
For that reason alone, it would be impossible to not recommend these clubs for purchase. They are an outstanding purchase to consider, and they are also priced extremely reasonable in an affordable range.