Very new beginner looking to buy clubs used or new to start with.

[XaN91]

Hey,

I am very interested in starting up golf and was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for clubs. My only experience with golf has been Top Golf and a par 3 course at McMenamins Edgefield while inebriated.

I have been looking at a lot of different brands and it is quite overwhelming. Which clubs do I actually need when starting out?

My budget is $1000, the less I have to spend the better.

 

Thanks

[95124hacker]

I started teaching my co-worker late last year until COVID interrupted his lessons with me. He’s in the same boat. Never played before, has some athleticism from playing other sports. But he’s not sure if golf will stick & doesn’t want to spend a ton of $ to only find out it may not be his sport. I know this is against any typical GolfWRX answer/advice but... I would start with a bundled budget set from a big box store & spend the rest on lessons. If you do want to continue, buy better clubs later. My $0.02. Controversial/unpopular stance around here!

[scooterhd2]

I'd be looking at a used set of irons online. You can get some decent irons for under 250 bucks.

Driver, 5 wood, 5-gw iron set, and then a 56* SW and you are set.

[Golf64]

Ping G series something will do the trick.

[WristySwing]

@XaN91 Best advice so far here. You may be athletic, but you won't be golf athletic, it's a completely different beast. Get a steel-shafted package set something like below and just understand that the equipment is holding you back and there is better out there. Just learn how to make halfway decent contact for the remainder of this year and then you go and do it properly (fitted/try real clubs in a store and see what works better) when you are consistently shooting around 100. You don't need to worry about piecing together a set right now and something like this you can always offload for around $125 when you're done with them (provided the woods don't dent).https://www.golfgalaxy.com/p/top-flite-2020-xl-13-piece-complete-set-graphite-steel-19tflmtpflt20xlrdset/19tflmtpflt20xlrdset

[James the Hogan Fan]

If I were you, I would go down to the thrift shop and look for clubs there. Irons generally come in two kinds: Cavity back and Muscle back/blade. The cavity back is meant to be more forgiving and easier to hit, and as there were many models of them released in the 1990s, thrift shops are usually populated with them. Look at clubs like Callaway X14, or Ping Eye/Zing. Clubs that look like this are going to be more reasonable for a beginner compared to something like 'Hogan Apex '88' (A blade type).

This is simply mentioned as an alternative to the box sets above. It depends on what you're looking for and price. Top of the line 25 years ago vs discount rack today. Just remember at this point in our golfing, you probably will be very frustrated with bad contact no matter what clubs you have and use. Wristy Swing has really summed up the goals and expectations well.

[XaN91]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I will definitely focus on getting a inexpensive set to start off with and go from there.

[Pearson10M]

Okay, there are two (or more) ways to do this and not spend a lot of money. If you have a friend that you would often play golf with and they have an extra set, see if you can borrow it for a season. As a thank you, offer to pick up a round or two of golf for them. I did this for my first year as the person who I most played with was the one I borrowed the clubs from. This will give you time to figure out what you want, get better, or simply see if you enjoy the game. At the end of your "trial" time, you then can head off and get stuff if you're still interested.

The second method is to go to Craigslist and see if you can pick up a good used game improvement set with a bag to start. You don't need the latest and greatest just a reputable name set in decent condition to start with. Look for sets that look like they have been well cared for (no rust, grips in decent shape, "good" wear but no gauges or dents, etc). Basically, the club hasn't been used to hit off cart paths or out of rock gardens. minor Scuffing/scratches are okay. If you go this route, no more than $300 for bag/irons/drivers. You could also try eBay, but shipping and condition are little more unknown.

After my trial with my friends clubs, I was given a set of Tommy Armour 845 Silver Scots from my neighbor who was throwing them out since he was moving. Had them regripped and lengthened for $150 and played with them a year before I bought my current Wilson C200's after an Irons fitting. Clubs were custom as in added length and grip. 4-GW cost me $500 New and work well for me. The Tommy's are now my back up set.

I would recommend the Wilson C200's to any beginner. Golf Avenue has an almost new set with steel shafts for about $380. (5-GW).

You will need a Driver, Putter, and Hybrid or Fairway wood to complete your set if you buy an irons only set. If you go the CL route about, your set may already have them. If not, again go used and buy decent shape stuff that is 2 or 3 generations old from the current model. I just bought a near mint Cobra F8 (2 models from current) 3-4 fairway wood for $75 w/HC. 3 years ago, it was $200 retail new. It will replace my 24 year old Adams Tight Lies 3W.

Good luck!

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

I started playing two years ago and all the technical mumbo jumbo really overwhelmed me. James summed it up pretty well. If I could do it all over again, I’d go to a thrift shop or on ebay and look for a cavity back set of irons, 5i to pitching wedge, a putter that feels good in your hands, a 56* wedge (sand wedge), a 4 hybrid (22-23* loft), a 5 wood (17-18* loft) and a driver at 10.5* loft.

The 5W and 4H really helped me start out, they offer some help with their springy faces, the ball really explodes off the face. I loved that and it was pretty easy to learn.

I would not get more wedges, a lower lofted driver or a 3 wood for now. Those clubs took a while to be useful for me and it’s great to learn your way around chipping with one club mostly (sand wedge).

 

For a start, you could look for the following, all cheap to buy used:

 

Driver: Ping G25, Mizuno JPX EZ, Callaway Big Bertha Fusion

5W: really anything from the big name brands not older than 10 years; I have the Mizuno JPX-850 (pretty old and cheap) and I love it. Cobra F6 baffler is a legendary easy to hit alternative.

4H: Srixon U45, Nike Vapor Fly, Callaway Apex

Irons: Ping G25, Titleist AP-1, Callaway X-14, Mizuno JPX EZ

Sand wedge: Titleist Vokey SM4/5/6, Cleveland 588, Mizuno S5; if there’s a 2nd number stated after the 56*, that’s the bounce, go with a higher number there (10-14*); easier for beginners

Putter: really just what feels and looks good in your hands

 

For shafts, regular steel in the irons is fine. If you’re athletic and not super weak, you can easily get away with stiff shafts in the hybrid, wood and driver (don’t buy steel shafted in these, that’s a sign the club is too old :) ).

 

You should easily be able to stay around the $500 mark with these suggestions. Spend another 150 on 2-3 lessons, you’ll have something to start with. I’d say there’s probably no other sport in that a starting lesson is more useful than golf! It’s hard, but addicting. Knowing you start off on the right foot will result in more fun down the road, believe me!

Have fun, once you’re hooked, you’ll be obsessed.

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

Oh, I forgot: the Callaway Steelhead XR irons are STUPID easy to hit. My buddy got down to a 13 hcp from a 54 (where we start in Switzerland) in two seasons with them. He swears by them and I hate him.

Also, Callaway preowned is a great website to find clubs, as well as 2nd Swing.

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

Looky looky: https://thefastlearners.com/best-irons-beginners/

[Kentendo]

Costco sells a complete set of Callaway Edge clubs for $499. It's a driver, fairway, hybrid, 5 to SW irons and a White Hot Pro #1 putter with a Superstroke grip. Pick up a cheap bag and you are good to go. I think it is the best set of clubs going for a beginner or few times a year player. The putter is like $120 by itself at the shops. The irons look a lot like the older X Hot model.

Rick S. did a review of this set on his Youtube channel and they performed really well. You can always get a cheaper box set at Dick's, but you can play this Callaway set for a long time without the need to upgrade right away.

[Mr Smooth]

Tour Edge makes decent intro level clubs. For example, Tour Edge Bazooka 470 Black complete set, which includes a bag, can be had for under $500 new

 

[ChaosTheory]

I think OP is a perfect candidate for a place like gigagolf.com. I believe they will provide recommendations based on a few questions. And they sell returns at a discount, so a decent set of irons will be in the $200 something range.

[XaN91]

All these suggestions are great, I appreciate it!

[Myherobobhope]

Depending on the time frame for this... I'd suggest getting measured and making sure your clubs are the right length... https://ping.com/en-us/fitting/iron-color-code-chart

You can make anything work, but there is no reason to fight ill fitting clubs. Used Ping G15 Iron Set in Very Good Condition | 3balls.com Something like that for irons (eBay might be a better deal)...

 

If you have any friends who play golf, hit them up for equipment...

 

[Jack Pearsall]

when he began, he never hit a club straighter than the ping isi irons. that’s a pretty old club. But something like that from ping, But newer...like G15 and on. Any of them. You won’t be embarrassed by your gear. Mizuno JPX.

Get something that looks good to you.

 

 

 

[ckay]

Just for giggles this is what I would set a friend up with if they had asked.

 

Titleist 915 D2 $150

Mizuno JPX EZ forged 4-PW $225

Used set of decent Cleveland wedges $150

Odyssey putter that fits your eye $100

Any stand bag you can find that you like $100

 

Well under $1k and this can be accomplished with patience on eBay. You could play this set for years. If it were me I wouldn’t buy any fairway woods.

[Z1ggy16]

I did not read any other responses but here's my .02:

 

$1000 budget = $300-400 MAX on a full set off eBay that you piece together, and $600-700 on lessons.

If you're just starting out, you literally could play with a broomstick and tape a brick to the end, and the scores would be the same if you spent the full $1000 on clubs. Odds are you won't be very good unless you're a rare talent. Just get any old set and really focus on finding a good coach and practicing.

My first full bag cost me about $300 and it was a full driver to PW set for $100, a few bucks on wedges and a putter, and a stand bag. Golf ball probably won't matter much either. You will improve and get much more out of your game if you get cheap clubs and lessons than trying to spend it on clubs from the last few years. Odds are that if you take to the game well, your swing will change so rapidly, whatever you spent will become obsolete within the year anyway.

[Jeff58]

There are actually three questions you need to answer here.
First, which type of clubs? You can carry up to 14 clubs at a time while playing, but there’s no rule that says that you have to carry that many. @scooterhd2 advice is right on. Except that you will also need a putter.
Next, where will you buy the clubs. Saving money is good, but it generally takes you out of the retail establishments that could help provide guidance.
Do not buy off of eBay, craigslist, or similar. Even if you can identify a potential make and model, they can and will be fake, modified in ways you can’t identify or quantify, damaged, incomplete... As a neophyte, you’re at their mercy, and there’s no reason to put yourself in that position.
Don’t buy an inexpensive ‘full set’ as advised above. Whether or not you progress with golf, the likelihood of using this type of club set long-term is near zero, and like the cheap bicycles you can likely purchase at the same store as your clubs, once you buy them, they’re essentially worthless. Here again, there’s no reason to throw your money away like that.
Instead go to an online retailer that specializes in used clubs. By far, the one I would choose in your position is - Used Golf Clubs, Pre-Owned Drivers, Irons, Putters, Wedges: Callaway Golf Pre-OwnedCallaway Pre-owned is Callaway. They’re the real deal, their clubs are not going to be fakes, and their physical characteristics are listed in the description. If you try something and don’t like it, you can return it, which is an extremely valuable thing. If you play the club or clubs for while and want to upgrade, this type of club holds its value well and can be either sold or traded easily.
Lastly, which models should you consider? Call them and ask. It’s free and they obviously know the products and inventory.

[WristySwing]

I disagree with this. As you say, they are new to the game. They don't know what questions to ask. Further, Callaway Pre-Owned is relatively expensive. Sure there are some deals to be had but they aren't going to know which ones to go for. Yes the person on the line at Callaway might be able to give them some basic ideas of what to get, but the person on the other end of the line is always a crapshoot. You might get someone who is really knowledge and jumps right into the tech and confuses them out of the bat, or you could get someone who doesn't really know this stuff and really just glorified customer service and provides vague, unhelpful answers that don't mean much in the long run. We've all dealt with that one golf employee who has said if you swing fast get a stiff shaft or lower lofted drivers help you hit it further. Just bad advice all around if they don't ask the right questions and see the person's ball flight in motion.

Having worked in the industry for a very long time I think going the package route is their best option. They aren't buying a rare set of Miuras here. Even if they do end up with a set of fakes or clones, it isn't going to matter much. The person literally said in their introduction they've been to TopGolf a couple of times and played one round while drunk. They have zero criteria to base an equipment purchase on and have a very basic skill set. I'd be surprised if 30-40% of their shots weren't whiffs at this early stage. The package set while not being a set most would endeavor to keep for a long time will provide them with all the necessary clubs to get going and out to the range and course to learn. Even if they buy a package set for $200, they don't really depreciate as much as people think. There is always an army of newbies starting each year that are in the OP's shoes looking for a cheap set to get their feet wet, with likely the majority of them using them once and chucking them in the garage to gather dust until they remember to sell them a few years later. While they certainly won't garner $200 used, they could easily get $100 for a package set free of dents, breaks, or any bag damage.

[Jeff58]

Perhaps we could test your approach. If you or the OP could buy a set at Walmart, try to sell them (or anything at this point) on CL, then get back to us with the response.

[ckay]

If somebody is seriously considering golf a box set isn’t the best move. Take the time to make good purchases and you can play that set for a long time. Better to buy once than twice.

I have friends that bought boxed sets and ended up getting new “Pro Line” the year following.

[farmer]

You can go to Ebay right now and buy a set of Ping G5's, 4-sw for $169.00. Very playable, near indestructible, way better than any boxed set. Ping G10 drivers are 60-70, fairway about the same, add a putter and you're good to go for less than $500.00.

[Sean2]

I started out with a inexpensive set as well, but when I had my first fitting a year later it turns out I needed clubs at +2-inches and 2º upright. I don't know if you are tall, or short, or just average, but if you are an "outlier" you may want to factor that into any purchasing decision you make.

[Stinger83]

Start as cheap as possible. My advice is buy old equipment on eBay, and local small golf shops. Old equipment is 90% as good as brand new stuff and it's 10% of the price. The reason I recommend this is because once you improve - and decide you enjoy the game - you're going to want new stuff. Your swing will change and you'll be spending another $1,000 on new irons within a year.

 

I'd say buy an old set of irons, a driver, a hybrid, a putter, and a sand wedge and you're good to go.

[WristySwing]

No need, bunches of them on eBay for $75-$200. The top one I linked changed to a different item but you can still see the old listing when you click on the link. Complete Senior Golf Set Cleveland TA5 Irons 3-PW Callaway Woods Wedges Bag RH | eBay RH Womens TOP-FLITE-GALLERY-XPC-NEXUS -Woods-Iron Set Complete Golf Set-Bag | eBay Mens Left Handed Golf Club Set Complete 16 Piece Callaway Strata Plus Bag Driver | eBay

[jomatty]

I’d get an older set of Titleist AP1’s, Mizuno jpx or ez, Callaway steelheads. Get 5-s if you can. You can get some of those irons for $250ish. Get a 23 degree Adams hybrid for 30 bucks or so (plenty of good options but tough to beat price on some of the Adams hybrids). An odyssey putter $40. A Callaway ft-9 driver or ping g2 driversomething like that will cost you maybe another $40. Maybe a 3 or 5 wood, something like a g2 for 30 bucks or so. Your done for less than $500. As I add that up I guess the Callaway edge complete set at the same price looks really good.

[James the Hogan Fan]

Honestly OP if I were still living in the United States I would simply mail you a set of irons I have lying around and some woods and hybrids that I need to get rid of for cost of postage and you could be on your way.

At the end of the day, everyone who has chimed in has said something true. You're going to have to decide what you value. Indestructible clubs that will play forever boughtfor $250-500 depending on condition? That'd be Pings from your local golf shop's used rack. Easy, cheap, all-inclusive? The costco box set. Enjoy the hunt? Ebay. Enjoy the hunt with better deals but more patience required? Craigslist/the garage sale circuit.

I think we are all excited because we want you to succeed and join the ranks of the golfers. Please post back and tell us what you get!

 

[ckay]

Well said!