Best Golf Clubs for Beginners

In this guide, we’ll walk you through some common questions that beginners have as well as some things that you should consider before you buy best golf clubs.

Golf clubs often represent a significant investment—even beginner clubs.

We believe that it’s important to focus on the education of beginner golfers so that they purchase the right clubs the first time around instead of making costly mistakes without guidance.

Within our research team, we have some experienced golfers who have worked with a variety of club types.

With their experience and research, we are confident that we’ll be able to offer a valuable resource for anyone who’s just starting out.

We’ll also give you some great ideas for starter clubs that will make your time as a golfing beginner easier and make the concept of club selection friendlier.

We understand that golf can be an intimidating sport to the beginner, so we will lay out all the information that you need in an easy-to-digest way.

What Clubs do you Need?

The best place to start is to describe the clubs that you’ll need to golf effectively as a beginner.

As a beginner, we recommend that you have a driver, two woods, one putter, one hybrid club, two wedges, and seven irons.

This might seem like a lot of clubs, and we definitely understand that concern.

However, it is necessary to have these clubs in your arsenal.

Golf courses offer a variety of shot situations and terrains, these require different types of club.

The ability to identify good club selections is a vital skill for anyone who hopes to succeed in golf.

 You succeed without a wide range of clubs, so it’s crucial that you invest in the right clubs.

We’re going to break down each of these clubs and when you’ll need them.

Driver

The driver will be your long-distance club and is generally used to make the first shot of each hole. You can get the most distance with the driver, so practicing your swing with this club is important.

If you can get a good start on each hole, you’re going to make each subsequent shot easier, increasing your chances to score well on each hole. You only need one driver in your golf bag, but you could choose to bring a backup if you wish.

Fairway Woods

Fairway Woods are used for long-range shots and are optimized for both distance and control.

These will generally be used on your second shot of the hole, although not every situation calls for the use of one.

It’s important to keep in mind that you will not need every club on every hole; though you will need every club at one point in a round of golf, there are going to be holes where you skip over clubs, and there will be clubs that you don’t use nearly as often.

Your wood clubs could be a good example of a club that you skip over frequently.

Every golfer keeps 2-3 woods in their bag. These clubs come in handy on the fairway so be sure to practice your swings with them.

Irons

Irons are clubs that will be used for short to mid-range shots. These shots are usually made from the green.

Irons are unique because they come in several different angles. Each Iron is used for a different distance that you are from the hole.

Irons that are higher in number generally have a drastic angle and are used for lifting the ball higher and traveling shorter distances.

As you travel down the course, you’ll find that Irons are suitable for linear swings.

Many golfers keep around 7 irons in their bags to ensure that they have one for almost any situation in the short to mid range.

Wedges

Control is vital when using these clubs, and swinging without it can cause you a lot of anguish on the scorecard: be sure to practice getting out of difficult situations with these clubs as much as you can.

If you’re a beginner, you’ll likely find yourself using your Wedges frequently.

Wedges are used for situations like getting stuck in the sand or the rough.

The target when using Wedges is the green, but we know it doesn’t always work out that way.

Putter

As one of the most commonly-used clubs, these are also generally the easiest to use.

Most people are familiar with the motion, but these clubs are actually quite challenging to master.

Putting is tricky because it can be a mental struggle: it’s easy to overcomplicate the putt resulting in miss an easy tap-in or lose focus.

Although it’s easy to use a putter, it’s hard to be consistently successful with it, given the fickle terrain that you must take into consideration.

You’ll only need one putter in your bag, but you’ll need plenty of practice before you feel confident.

Do I Need Special Clubs for Beginners?

A common mistake amongst beginner golfers is to buy any old set of clubs to practice with. However, this is not an optimal strategy.

There is a distinct difference between clubs made for beginners and regular golf clubs.

The difference between regular clubs and beginner clubs is that beginner clubs are going to have a larger ‘sweet spot.’ This means that there are more areas on the head of the club that you can use to hit the ball to get a good shot from it, so these clubs are said to be more forgiving of poor form or bad swings.

That’s not to say that you can’t use beginner clubs to make expert shots, but they are definitely not made specifically for hitting them.

While beginner clubs are more forgiving and allow for a less than perfect shot form, standard clubs will enable you to focus on placement and give you a more specific tool to get the job done.

If you are a beginner, you will benefit from investing in beginner-level clubs. These will help you ease into the game and become familiar with the proper swinging form.

You may want to check this guide here on how golf clubs work.

Do Women Need Different Clubs Than Men?

This is a common question.

To answer this question in short, the difference between clubs made for women is that they’re shorter and more flexible in the shaft.

There’s also a difference found in the grips of women’s clubs.

They are typically shorter and smaller in diameter, making them suitable for women with small hands.

To accommodate the lower swing speed that women can have, the shafts of women’s clubs are flexible and lighter. The added flex gives a little more power to the shot and has a slingshot effect.

If you’re a petite woman that’s learning to play golf, you will benefit from a beginner set of clubs that offers all of these things. 

Does Brand Matter?

Most golfers are brand aware and stick to brands that they’re comfortable with.

That’s what you should be looking for. The benefit that you have as a beginner is that you don’t have any pre-existing opinions about any of the big golf brands.

This allows you to keep an open mind when you’re shopping for your first set of clubs, be sure to select the set of clubs that work best for you and you can build from there.

As a beginner, you should keep your mind and options open so that you can more easily find your ideal set of beginner clubs.

How Long Should I Use Beginner Clubs?

The answer to this question is that it’s going to vary based on how quickly you pick up key concepts of golf and can translate that understanding to results on the course.

You won’t use your first set of golf clubs forever, you’ll be able to upgrade once you’ve moved to an intermediate standard.

We understand that you’re eager to move on to regular clubs, but beginner clubs are made for a reason. They are better suited for those who don’t yet have a refined swing and if you only play for a short time then you haven’t wasted money, 

Regardless of whether you use beginner clubs or not, a useful rule of thumb is to keep your clubs for at least three years before they become outdated.

In addition, wear and tear is a concern when dealing with golf clubs. If you play frequently, the grooves in the head of your club will start to wear down and affect the spin and contact of your ball.

It’s a good idea to replace clubs before they start to affect your performance, and beginner clubs are no different.

You should begin to move on from them when they start to show signs of wear and tear and your ability surpasses their usefulness

 The time frame is going to be different for each individual based on their progress and frequency of play.

About Shafts

Although this is a less-discussed point when choosing best golf clubs, it’s just as important as any other.

In general, there are two different materials that golf club shafts are made of: steel and graphite.

The slower your swing speed, the lighter and more flexible the shaft of your golf club should be.

A slow swing speed can carry a low amount of power, which can be compensated with a flexible shaft. This would be achieved with a graphite shaft.

If you already have a fast and powerful swing, you can opt for a steel shaft to increase your accuracy. 

You should consider which type of shaft you’ll need based on how fast and powerful your swing already is. If you don’t know, you might want to go with a graphite shaft just to be safe.

Something to consider about clubs with graphite shafts is that you will generally have less control when using them.

Used or New?

When beginners are looking for clubs, it’s not uncommon for them to turn to the used market because it can offer an affordable option.

However, it can be challenging to find used beginner clubs in good condition.

The reason for this is that beginners often don’t know how to properly care for their clubs, therefore causing damage or unusual ware to them while golfing.

For that reason, we recommend that a beginner does not opt for used beginner clubs unless they have the expertise to determine if a club is in good condition or not.

We would recommend that any used club you buy be manufactured in the past 5-10 years so that you don’t end up with clubs that are built with vastly outdated technology.

Overall, you will benefit highly from investing in a new set of clubs.

Used clubs can hinder your progress and prevent you from progressing as a golfer, especially if they are damaged and not performing as they should.

New clubs are also more likely to include high-quality forgiveness technology, meaning that you can perform better as a beginner.

Complete Set vs. Individual Clubs

Another question that you might have is whether you should be buying your beginner clubs individually or as a complete set.

If you’re just starting out, you have likely seen advertisements for singular clubs everywhere, especially drivers.

Selecting clubs individually is something that intermediate players do when they’ve already developed a playing style and know exactly what they want out of each individual club.

This allows them to understand the technology and build the golf bag that perfectly suits their style and ability.

For beginners, skills and strategy are still developing, which doesn’t put them in the best position to handpick their clubs just yet.

We recommend that if you are just starting out, you buy a complete set of beginner golf clubs as opposed to trying to hand-select each one to build a golf bag.

The other reason that this is the best choice for a beginner is that clubs are much more affordable when they are bought in a complete set.

Buying clubs individually can represent a significantly higher investment that beginners are not always able or willing to make.

By maintaining your financial flexibility, you can increase your chances of affording a top-of-the-line set of clubs later.

Your best bet is to find a good, complete set.

Should I Get Custom Fitting?

If you’re excited about starting golf, you’ve probably got lots of ideas running around in your head, and one of those could be about custom fitting your golf clubs.

However, custom fitted clubs represent a significant cost.

The cost of a custom fitting alone would be enough to discourage many beginners and even many advanced golfers.

While there are valid reasons to get a custom fitting for your golf clubs, we don’t recommend it for beginners because you should start with a beginner set of clubs that’s temporary.

Fitted clubs sound like an unnecessary luxury to those who don’t golf, but they actually do help quite a bit when it comes to performance.

When you are fitted for clubs, the fitter analyzes your swing and your physical build to construct the perfect fit for you.

This does wonders for your swing and helps you to improve your skill level.

So, while we don’t recommend getting custom fit clubs right at the start of your journey with golf, we do recommend thinking about it at some point if you decide to get serious about playing golf.

How Much do Beginner Clubs Cost?

Golf can be an intimidating sport, to begin with, because of the price of the equipment.

You can find affordable gear out there, but we must admit that one of the key barriers to entry for the sport definitely lies in the cost of the equipment that you have to buy in order to play it.

We did mention earlier that beginners can save a lot of money by buying their clubs as a complete set rather than buying them individually.

If you’re going to buy a full set, you can spend anywhere between $300-$500 for a smaller set with the essential clubs that you need.

Obviously, as your skills increase and your needs change, you can expand upon the initial set that you buy.

However, this initial outlay should give you a very solid starting point to start refining your swing and practicing striking the ball the right way, with the right club in the right situation.

What to Look for in Beginners Golf Clubs

Now that you have some of the most common questions answered, we can start looking into what specific features make for a good set of beginners golf clubs.

When reviewing the products, we took each of these features into consideration. Be sure to follow along carefully as they should be affecting your decision-making process when it comes to the time to shop for your beginner golf clubs.

Affordability

The cost of clubs weighs heavy on the mind of anyone who is looking to break into the golfing world, as we know that golf clubs are notoriously expensive.

We included a great tip earlier for saving cash on clubs by buying them as a complete set instead of individually.

When buying your clubs, be sure to consider how long you are going to use them for and how high quality compares to their price. It’s important to seek good value when you purchase your clubs.

If you do spend a lot, that’s okay: just make sure that you get what you pay for.

The best way to manage affordability and value is to look at a wide variety of options so that you can get a good idea of what’s out there and what the costs are like.

Using this knowledge, you can establish what makes clubs pricier and what features are going to cost you more if you choose to prioritize them.

Number of Clubs Included

As we said before, it’s best to purchase a complete set, but the number of clubs included in those sets can vary wildly.

Some sets will give you the bare necessities while others will provide you with a wide range of clubs to learn with.

As a beginner, you should be thinking about how many clubs you need to get started with. Once you know that, you can start looking at sets that meet your needs.

We recommended earlier that you start out with a driver, two woods, one putter, one hybrid club, two wedges, and seven irons.

 It would not do any harm to try and get as many clubs as you can for your money to enable you to learn on a wide variety of clubs.

However, you shouldn’t just focus on quantity, but quality as well.

Make sure that the set you buy is durable enough to last you more than a few months of use: otherwise, you might as well have obtained a set with only a few clubs that were of higher quality.

Durability

If you’re going to make an investment in golf clubs, you want to be confident that they are going to last. If they don’t, you’ll have to buy a replacement set, and your first set will represent wasted money.

If you’re going for durability, it’s best to avoid cheap materials and instead steer towards clubs that are made from steel and graphite. You might save a few bucks in the short term by opting to spend much less on your set of clubs, but you won’t end up saving money in the long run because you may have to replace the clubs sooner.

Durability should be a major factor in your decision-making process to find a beginner set of golf clubs. One additional way that you might be able to determine the quality other than by looking at the materials is by seeing what the warranty length on the set is.

A longer warranty will usually equate to a longer life for the product. If it doesn’t, at least you can get your money back for the clubs.

Shaft Material

Shaft material, as discussed, is one of the factors that is given less attention even though it plays a significant role in your success as a golf player. You should know what the shaft material of your clubs is and how that material fits in with your golfing ability and technique.

We covered earlier the two types of shaft materials that you’ll most commonly see—graphite and steel. Graphite is generally better for those who have a weaker or slower swing: the flex in the shaft makes up for it and allows you to get extra power, but comes at the sacrifice of having less control.

Make sure you know what kind of shaft material is right for you and purchase your clubs accordingly.

Forgiveness

For beginners, forgiveness is a big factor. Forgiveness in clubs refers to the size of the ‘sweet spot.’

The sweet spot is the area on the head of your club that is most optimized for striking the ball. This is where you’re going to get your best contact.

If you don’t hit this area, you risk hooking or pulling the ball to one side and ruining your shot. This can have a negative impact as you continue to golf and force your score to be worse than par.

So, for a beginner, it should be a priority to search for a set of clubs that have a lot of forgiveness and will give you a good shot on a bigger portion of the head of the club.

Golf Clubs for Beginners 

Now that you know everything there is to know about selecting a golf club for beginners, you can start to look at some of the options that are available to you. There are going to be hundreds of options, so we made things a little bit more straightforward.

We selected some products from each range of the spectrum in price, forgiveness, suitability for beginners, and many other factors and compiled them for you. This way, you can organize your prospective clubs and easily compare them to each other.

Recap

Best Overall Golf Clubs for Beginners

We’ve comprehensively examined all of the factors that you should consider when buying golf clubs for beginners.

We know all the information, and we also know about some of the best options out there for beginner golf clubs, but which set is the best?

Based on our knowledge and experience with helping golfers of all skill levels, we believe that the Wilson Men’s Ultra Complete Golf Set is the best set of clubs for beginners on the market.

Not only do they boast superior quality to many other entry-level golf clubs, but they’re also very affordable and represent the smallest investment on our list.

Don’t be fooled by the price, though. These are excellent clubs, and they have tons of features that make them beginner-friendly.