Opinions on junior golf sets...

My son is fixing to try out for the Jr. High golf team. So it's time to upgrade his clubs. Right now he's using a set that is almost a full set (pre-packaged set w/bag) but not a REAL 3-PW set "like the big boys". Anyone have any opinion about some good clubs for him to get into at his age? He's about 5' 1" or so in 6th grade. I figure I may have to get a set and get it cut down unless there's something out there that you may know about that I don't that works perfectly at his age/size. Thanks for any help!

At his age and size, I would recommend women's clubs. A little lighter and shorter, perhaps you can find a set that is a bit flat, as well.

Depending on his strength, maybe a women's "A" flex instead of "L", or a men's Senior "A" flex set cut down an inch.

I am in 8th grade, about your son's height. All my clubs are full length, except for the drivr and the putter, I bought those a couple months ago and havent gotten them lengthened. I just choke down, it works fine!

Good luck!

I second the womens clubs, lighter shafts, but then again, being a sixth grader once, he probably wont want womens clubs.... soooooo I wouldnt tell him they are womens clubs!

I started on my high school golf team with one of those box sets, I kept up just fine with everyone else and their OEM sets.

However, I know that feeling of looking at someone else's bag and seeing "real" clubs, then looking at yours and seeing a set that cost you $150. I bought myself a set of used Ta3 irons just so I wouldn't have to have that feeling. They were a player's cavity, and definitely not the right club for me when I first got them. But i knew they were a transition set that would be replaced once I finally started shooting low handicap scores.

I don't think getting him a women's set is a good idea, now-a-days women's clubs have different designs and colors on them to show they are womens clubs. I say get him a set of cavity backs. Good forgiveness, all OEMs have them, and some of them aren't expensive at all if you buy used or last years models.

When I first started out, which was 7-8th grade, I was like 4'9". My parents said they would buy me only one set of irons, anything after that, I would have to use my money. I went to the local GG, and the cleeland tech van was there, they were great guys, they fitted me perfectly!! I got cleveland launchers, 4* flat, and -1.5" with A flex graphite shafts.

So if I was you, I would get your son custom fit!! Go to some demo days, talk to the reps, see what they would recommend to your son etc.

I've always had great luck fitting kids about his age/size in Tour Edge gear. The J-Max irons are really solid and you won't cringe at the price tag knowing he's going to grow out of them in a year or two.

BDLz

My son is fixing to try out for the Jr. High golf team. So it's time to upgrade his clubs. Right now he's using a set that is almost a full set (pre-packaged set w/bag) but not a REAL 3-PW set "like the big boys". Anyone have any opinion about some good clubs for him to get into at his age? He's about 5' 1" or so in 6th grade. I figure I may have to get a set and get it cut down unless there's something out there that you may know about that I don't that works perfectly at his age/size. Thanks for any help!

Hello all

In response to the aforementioned topic, does your son play golf on a regular basis? If so, I would forego the junior-sets and I would get him an adult set (irons and woods) with cavity-back irons and light shafts (i.e., Callaway X-14. X-18, Cleveland TA5, TA7, etc...). There is no need to spend a ton of money on the new clubs. I would recommend for you to start checking the local classifieds and/or eBay to find a decent used set. Golf clubs tend to have a pretty high depreciation schedule nowadays. With that being said, you could probably find your son a very good set of used clubs for a fraction of the cost. While in high school and college, I worked in the pro shop of a golf course and I became familiar with the new technologies utilized in fitting people with the correct equipment. However, with juniors, teenagers more specifically, things seem to change overnight. Your son is young but he may, or may not, experience a growth spurt in the near future. With an adult set, he will be able to choke down on the clubs if necessary. But as he grows, he will not have to choke down as much and he will be able to use the clubs longer, if he decides.

Good luck with your decision.

Loren

Your son is an inch shorter than I am. My first set of irons were ladies, then senior flex G5's cut 3/4" short and 1 deg flat and now I have S9 senior flex 1/2" short and std lie. My woods and hybrids are now std length, but I began with ones that were cut 3/4" short.

Many 6th grade boys are stronger than adult women (if not he will be in the next year or so), so ladies flex maybe too flexible for him. I also think it would be good for him to get fitted. If he has clubs that he does not have to fight against he will have more fun and be more successful. Even if you got him a fitting and took recommendations, you could still look for the clubs elsewhere.

Middle school/junior high kids are mean, so ladies clubs may also get him razzed. (I used to teach middle school).

My kid hit 5' last summer so I bought the Callaway Jr set. It's a pretty darn nice set-gender neutral. They are graphite shafts - driver, fwywd, 5,7,9, SW, P. The driver is huge! The irons are real nice clubs. He's about at the upper limit for this set however which is for kids 55"-60".

I'm looking at going to one next year, and i'm wondering if anyone could reccomend any to look at. I already know IJGA is meant to be one of the best along with IMG, are there any others?

First off if your a good golfer don't go to the IJGA all the great instructors from the past have bascially left, there are some really good ones out there here are some links.

 

http://www.jrpga.com/index.html this is full time, haven't heard anything bad or good about it

 

http://championsgolfacademylbc.com/ really good place if you're old enough

 

http://www.ggga.com/index.php some really great students have been made from gary

 

http://www.coregolfacademy.com/core-golf-junior-academy/ Sean has some PGA Tour players that sometimes play with students

 

I have more if your interested in Canada?

 

BTW I know people who have gone to many of these academies.

Saddlebrook is good too, I forgot about it.

Im in gr.8 and 5'2 now and i just recently switched to full size clubs. Im using blades which are hard enough to hit but when i was 5'0 i had some ladies clubs and i snapped the 9 iron. I would recommend your son to get his clubs custom fit. My clubs are full length but i got the lie changed considerably and its really helped my game.

Driver:

Im now 5'2 and using full length mens blades but you have to be pretty good to hit them. when i was 5'0 i had womens but i snapped my 9 iron so i would recommend not to get womens clubs. I would recommend mens but then get them custom fitted by a pro your son will improve his game alot.

Driver:titleist 907 D2 regular shaft

3-wood- nike sasquatch 13* prototype stiff

irons:3-pw titleist 735.cm

wedges: tileist vokey 56* & 60* PING ?? the new one just got it

putter: scotty cameron studio select

us kids tour series are great. played them up until my new set that was custom fit. you can get driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybird, 5-pw(not bulky cavity backs either) 52 and 56 spin milled wedges. they are great clubs for juniors

I feel that most of the junior sets these days dont really have the quality like the OEM adult sets ever sicne I was 5'0 I have been playing adult clubs, so I would probably suggest a OEM ladies set.