Buying Your First Set Of Golf Clubs - What Do You Really Need?

You are a beginning golfer, and it is time to buy your first set of clubs.  Oh my God!  What are we going to do now?

OPTIONS

Actually there are several options.  Don't go out and buy the most expensive things you have ever seen.  You aren't ready for that quite yet.  Your game isn't polished enough for you to really enjoy high performance equipment.

You may consider buying a complete off brand set from driver to pitching wedge either new or used.  The alternative is to buy an off brand set of irons from 3 to pitching wedge and then adding several woods.  You can find these sets at many sporting goods outlets, on line, or even at many used golf equipment stores.

I will discuss the option that forces you to choose additional individual woods.  The complete set leaves nothing further to discuss.  You are going to need a driver, 3 wood and probably a 5 wood.  Some golf writers suggest skipping the driver since most beginning golfers don't hit a driver very well.

If you want to play golf and you don't want to swing the “BIG DOG” then what is the point?  Golf is a game of distance and accuracy.  If you are afraid of the driver then play the executive par 3 courses.  You will still hit lots of middle irons and practice putting.

Today's square backed drivers have a hitting surface as big as a tennis racket and are designed to help beginners keep more balls in play.  3 woods have much smaller faces which give many beginning golfers more frustration off the tee.  Buy an off name square backed driver with a racy looking shaft.

3 woods and 5 woods are designed to hit the ball of the fairway grass.  Like any other club they may be used off the tee on short dog legs or long par 3's.  Some beginners take a long time to become comfortable with these clubs.

5 woods are also used as rescue clubs to get out of long grass.  Since a 5 wood and a 3 iron travel about the same distance in the air, you may only want to carry one or the other.  Most people could never hit a 3 iron out  of long grass.

Start with a driver and 3 wood.  Add a 5 wood later if you find the 3 iron difficult to hit or if you want the longer rescue club.

PUTTER

Now let's add a putter.  On tour you see several different grips and three different putter styles.  Players tend to add the belly or even long putter to their bag after they lose confidence in the more standard putter.  In general these long putters are also long on price.

Go to a sporting good outlet that has a practice putting green.  Try several different putters.  Look for a standard putter that allows you to bend over the ball so your eyes are above the ball.  This allows you to see the line and will increase putting accuracy.

Now find a putter that seems to swing effortlessly.  Ideally this putter will have a long back end that helps you align the putter and ball with the hole.  For now use a standard grip.  In time you can try a reverse grip, the claw, or some other grip if you like.

Don't blow the bank roll on this club either.  An off name putter for a reasonable price will be fine.

WEDGES

There are two other classes of clubs that you will eventually consider adding to your bag:  hybrids and wedges.  Right now lets only consider a sand wedge.

Dave Pells has pointed out that the standard set of irons has nothing to help a golfer score inside of 100 yards.  Listen to the pro tour and several times a day you will hear the announcer say the golfer is laying up to a full club distance.  Pros don't like getting inside the full swing distance of their shortest club.

You will miss a lot of greens short, wide and long.  You will have a lot of shots well inside 100 yards including sand bunkers.  A sand wedge was made to help get out of bunkers and is a much better short game club than a pitching wedge.  Buy a club in the low to mid 50 degree range that feels comfortable in your hands.

In time you will find that there is a big gap between your pitching wedge and your sand wedge.  When you are ready buy a gap wedge, around 50 degrees will work well.

Finally, when you short game has improved buy a lob wedge, around 60 degrees.  This club will be for very short shots that must land and stop very quickly.  Don't buy this club too soon, it is difficult for the raw beginning golfer to master.

HYBRIDS

Some people hate fairway woods and prefer long irons and some people hate long irons and prefer woods.  I am definitely in the second group.

3, 4, and 5 irons may be replaced with todays hybrids.  These clubs look, feel, and swing more like a wood than an iron.  Gary Player has said he would have won more tournaments if only he had had these clubs in his prime.

If you hate long irons then find an off brand 3 hybrid.  Take it to the range and compare it to your 3 iron.  If you are pleased then try a 4 and finally a 5.  You should find that hybrids are easier to hit out of long grass.

Eventually I found that I prefer my 5 wood to my 3 hybrid.  This is a choice you will have to make on your own.

These clubs should wait until you have been playing for several weeks or even months.

SHAFTS

Fiber glass is forgiving and steel gives better feel.  The pros love steel, you will use only fiberglass down to at least your pitching wedge.

CONCLUSION

Play with these reasonably priced beginners clubs until you have decided you really are committed to this fine game and until you have solved the majority of your beginner's swing flaws.  Only when you are ready should you approach your pro or golf shop about fitting top end expensive equipment.  By that time you will also know what optional clubs you like and which you should avoid.

For more beginning golfer advice and tips please see my blog.  Please take the time to write a comment  about this article in the space provided below.  Please include any ideas for additional beginning golfer articles you might like to see.