After hours of watching Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson, you have decided that you are ready for a new hobby. And while you are a novice, you know that you need the proper equipment before heading out the range. But where do you begin?
“The first thing a new golfer will need is a basic set of clubs and a bag,” says Alan Bailey, lead assistant golf professional, PGA member of Reunion Resort & Golf Club, Kissimmee, FL. Luckily, most major golf manufacturers feature sets with all the clubs a beginner will need. “And just because they come in a box, it doesn’t mean they’re cheap,” he says. But he cautions that you keep your investment low until you have had some lessons, gone to the range, worked on your swing and mastered your grip. “Sets can start at around $250, and some cost thousands of dollars — but beginners shouldn’t spend that much money,” says Bailey.
If you’ve put in the necessary time and are ready to invest in a quality set of the best golf clubs for beginners, take a gander at our list below! From budget to splurge options, we’ve got just about everything a golfing beginner could need in a set of clubs.
1. Cobra Men’s T-RAIL Graphite 7-piece Combo Set
BEST OVERALL
If you are ready to hit the course and have signed up for lessons, you are ready to purchase the best beginner golf clubs to help you drive the ball. Cobra designers are acutely aware of what a newbie needs to stay the course. Golf novices need a sizable sweet spot so that they do not become frustrated. The lightweight design of the T-Rail combo set offers maximum forgiveness with its 4 hybrid and 5-PW. The clubs’ hollow body helps you to launch the ball with great speed allowing a newbie some sense of accomplishment as you work out the kinks in your form.
Related Stories
2. Wilson Ultra 13 Piece Complete Set
BEST BUDGET
This basic beginner set has nine clubs that feature graphite shafts on the driver and fairway wood. The lightweight driver with a large and forgiving sweet spot makes hitting easier for first-timers. The bag has five pockets that are perfect for carrying your glove, extra ball, tees and towel to clean your clubs and dab the sweat away on a hot summer day. It is an excellent entry set for you to use while you figure out if you’re going to stick with your new hobby.
3. Top Flite 2019 Gamer X 16-Piece Complete Set
BEST FOR LONG GAME
You will often hear talk of the center of gravity (CG) and how it can improve your game. Well, Top Flite’s low profile 3 Wood has a low CG that can save you from hooking your shot and improving your ball’s trajectory. In addition to the 3 wood, the set comes with 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-9 Irons, pitching wedge, sand wedge, putter, stand bag and four nylon headcovers. Additionally, it has a 460cc Ti driver, created to give you spectacular distance and a forgiving sweet spot while you work on keeping your clubface square.
4. Callaway Golf Men’s Strata Complete Set
BEST FOR THOSE RETURNING TO THE GAME
If you have ever watched a round of golf on TV, you would have seen the Callaway name emblazoned on some of the top golf athletes’ gear. And while the brand knows how to create the best for the pros, it also knows how to make a good set for those who might have stepped away and are now coming back to the game. This 12-piece collection which includes a driver and 3 wood, T-Style mallet putter that helps with accuracy, 5 Hybrid, 6, 9 Iron, PW, two head covers and a stand bag with a cooler pocket and rain hood will help you fine-tune your skills until you are ready to graduate to your old glory.
5. Majek All Hybrid Complete Set
BEST FOR SENIORS
While you may think that in order to get distance and control of the ball, you need to try and scoop under it, but striking down is far more effective. Thankfully Majek has designed these with low CG, high launch, clubs with weight behind their large sweet spots, which makes hitting the ball an accurate and easy task. Plus, the grips and their lightweight makes them easy to swing. The set includes eight hybrids, #3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and a PW.
6. Cobra Men’s XL Speed 13-Piece Complete Set
BEST FOR BEGINNERS THROUGH INTERMEDIATES
This 12-piece club set contains a driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, a pitching and sand wedge, and a blade putter, all designed to help you grow as a golf player. This set is suitable for when you first start and are becoming more consistent with your shot but aren’t entirely ready to graduate to pro clubs. Though lightweight, their flex may take a little getting used to.
7. Titleist T400
BEST SPLURGE
The name Titleist is synonymous with golf, and the T400 offers maximum forgiveness for those hoping for longer and straighter flight. And any golfer, amateur or pro would want those things. But these Titleist have something else that is important to those new to the game; they are steel. “The majority of beginner golf clubs are steel-shafted because they are more affordable to produce than graphite clubs,” says Baile. “Plus, they tend to be heavier than graphite, giving beginners and players the feel of more control,” he says.
SPY’s Golf Expert Ranks the 20 Best Golf Balls of 2020 for Every Type of Player