Getting Set for Golf: Choosing the best golf clubs for beginners

It can be intimidating to choose the right equipment as a beginner golfer. What are the best women’s golf clubs for beginners? Where do you even start? There are golf sets, individual clubs, different lengths and flex levels, and you can quickly spend a fortune and a lot of time trying to figure out what’s best for you.

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. You’ve got a lot of choices when it comes to selecting clubs that are just right for you and that fit your budget. Read on for my advice and strategies for the best golf clubs for beginners.

What are the best women’s golf clubs for beginners?

You have many options. You can borrow clubs from a friend or family member, see if the course you’re going to lends or rents clubs, buy a starter set of clubs, check your community for used sets of clubs for sale or piece together your own used set. When I started golfing, I pined for a starter ladies’ set of clubs. There are some beautiful sets, and I could just picture myself being out on the course with them. But the prices varied, and I couldn’t decide just what I needed, so I did a little online research and polled my friends on the best option.

Do I have to buy a new set of golf clubs?

No! Not at all. I didn’t even know this was an option until it was suggested to me by many of the golfers in my life. A great place to start is by looking for used clubs. Mention that you’re learning to golf to friends and family – you never know who might have a set of clubs gathering dust in their garage or basement. Many of the women I started golfing with started by using clubs from a family member – men’s and women’s clubs. It’s always good to get professional advice, and you can start with a clinic or a lesson – a golf pro should be able to help you figure out if your used set is good enough and close to the right size for you to get the feel of the game.

You can also check garage sales, Facebook Buy Nothing groups, and Facebook marketplace – you might just find a great deal.

What’s the best place to buy used golf clubs?

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The advice I got was to put together my own set, looking for used clubs. You can find great deals online and in-store, and you can put together your own set of clubs. It’s not necessary for your clubs to all be by the same brand – in fact, it’s a good idea to choose from a few brands so you can eventually get a feel for what you like.

I got my clubs from Ebay, Callaway Golf Preowned, and Golf Galaxy. Other great sites to check are The Golf Warehouse, 2nd Swing, and Global Golf. You might even want to check your local Play it Again Sports if you’ve got one nearby.

I played a few times by borrowing friends’ clubs, or using what the course had to offer. Once I had gotten a sense of what I liked, I had a few brands in my mind to try out. I searched these used golf club sites for ladies clubs, and built a set that includes a driver, a 3-wood, a 4-hybrid, a set of irons, and a putter. I have to admit, it got a little addictive hunting for a deal. Many of the used golf equipment websites have coupons and specials to bring your cost down. I was able to build my set for less than $200.

What are the best golf club sets for beginners?

While buying used is a great strategy, it definitely takes more time and effort, and you may even wind up spending close to what a starter set could cost you. The major golf brands make great entry-level sets for beginner golfers, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. That said, I have three recommendations for you based on my own experience testing these clubs out in stores, and based on my friends’ experience who play regularly with these sets.

Wilson Profile SGI

I had this Wilson set in my shopping cart last year more than once, and it sold out before I could click purchase every time. Wilson is a reliable brand, and this set has great reviews on multiple sites. If you track the prices, the set frequently goes on sale, but don’t wait too long – you might run into my problem and not be able to find a set to buy!

You can find the Wilson Profile SGI women’s club set on the Wilson website, at Amazon, and at Budget Golf.

Callaway Solaire

The Callaway Solaire golf club set is far and away the most common set I’ve seen ladies at my golf clinic use. It’s got a higher price tag, but is a solid set of clubs. Callaway has a strong reputation among the world’s best golfers, and makes great sets for beginner golfers like you and me. 

You can find Callaway Solaire on the Callaway website, at Dick’s Sporting Goods, and at Golf Galaxy.

Top Flite

This Top Flite set is consistently one of the lowest-priced sets I’ve seen, and seems to be a solid set of clubs for a beginner. I’ve tried these out at my local Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the clubs felt great. A woman I golf with frequently got these before she ever took a step on a golf course – and consistently plays well with them. These are a great entry point for learning to golf, and will serve you well as your game advances.

You can find the Top Flite set at Dick’s Sporting Goods, and at Golf Galaxy.

STRATA

The STRATA set is another solid offering by Callaway. These are priced a bit lower than the Callaway Solaire set, and are more comparable to the Top Flite set. Again, Callaway is a brand you can’t go wrong with, and before I had my own clubs, I’d borrow my friend’s STRATA set from time to time. If you can find these in stock, they’re a good investment and a great set to help you learn the game.

The STRATA set is available at the Callaway site and at Golf Galaxy.

TaylorMade Kalea

I had my eye on these clubs, and I wanted to buy them so badly. They were more expensive than I wanted to spend at the time. A friend’s husband just bought her the set for her milestone birthday. The clubs and bag are gorgeous in person, and she loves using them (she’d previously been using hand-me-down clubs from a male relative.) If you know you’ll get good use out of your new golf clubs, I don’t think you’ll regret getting these.

You can find the Kalea set at the PGA Superstore and at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

If you want to learn to golf, you need clubs. My advice is to make sure to choose something that’s affordable for your budget – start small, see what you like, and then take it from there. If you have friends, family members or colleagues who golf, ask them what clubs they started with. While you’ll get some good advice on what to do, you’ll also likely hear plenty of stories on what not to do. Don’t stress out – start with one of the options I listed above, finding used clubs or a set that works for you.

The most important thing you can do with your new golf clubs is use them – get out on the range and the course, and see how they work for you!