Beginner Clubs

We have a friend that has finally decided they will get into golf. The rest of us have played together for 20 plus years and he was always the guy that missed the golf outings. Our mission, buy clubs for him that will take him from first day on the range to our goal of him being addicted to the game and ready to spend much more on equipment. Our budget is $600 to get him all the clubs he needs to start (budget does not need to include bag, gloves, shoes etc... just clubs).

So what would you buy if you had a $600 budget to equip a guy in his 30's with a set of clubs. We have debated, just getting irons, wedges and a putter. Others say gap the irons like 5, 7, 9 PW and spend more on a driver.. What say you? What clubs should we buy him?

I agree with the gapping the irons and that’s not just coming from my minimalist approach. Driver, Hybrid, 6,8,PW, putter.

You can pick up a M2 for like $150-$200

2nd hand Hybrid for $50-$100

6,8,Pw for maybe $200-$300

Snatch a putter from putt-putt: $10 for the putt-putt round ;)

A new player will fly their 6i just as far as their 5i so that’s why I say to start at 6

I’m bored and did some research:

M2 second hand from global golf $155

Callaway X Hot hybrid from Callaway preowned: $45

JPX hot metal (customized on golf galaxy or pga superstore) 6,8,PW: $300

pick any putter under $100 and there’s your budget

You can go with older Gi irons but the ability to just get half set goes away so you’ll be buying the whole set for a tad higher than $300

Appreciate the feedback- you are basically getting to our debate. Rock Bottom Golf (never used it) has a set of Ping G15 lefty irons for $215 vs something like the 3 new irons for $300.

I'd get a used set of Ping G series irons instead of a new partial set. It's going to cost more to fill in the missing clubs. Can always leave the odd numbered clubs at home and put them in the bag when the time comes.

For that price yeah I would go for the full set. Rock Bottom Golf is reliable, I bought a single iron from them a few years back and everything was fine and timely. If your buddy ends up getting addicted then he’ll be buying a new fitted set in the next year anyways lol

PING Rapture V2. It was THE set for years. Those were the clubs I had in my bag the longest. If you can find them, he'll be very happy.