How to Select the Best Golf Clubs for Beginners

Are you new to golf?

Do you need some clubs?

Many beginners have the most difficulty learning how to swing the club in a consistent, repeatable manner in order to make solid contact with the ball each and every time.

Developing a consistent swing is the most important area of the game that beginning golfers – whether men or women – should focus on.

That being said, there are certain golf clubs that are ‘more forgiving’ and these are the types of clubs beginning to intermediate golfers should try to put in their bags.  The last thing anyone learning this game needs to do is to make it more difficult by not starting out with good equipment!

When beginners start shopping for their first set of golf clubs, they need to understand the differences between each of the clubs and to identify which clubs are more likely to be in the ‘forgiving’ category.

First, let’s understand what it means when we refer to a club as being ‘more forgiving.’  What this really means is that certain clubs do not require such precise ball contact to produce solid golf shots. These clubs may have a larger ‘sweet spot’ or other design enhancements and can compensate for a beginning golfer’s less-than-perfect swing.

These types of clubs can still deliver longer, truer ball flights even for those of us who do not possess the upper body strength of  a Tiger Woods or Brooks Koepka. When selecting the best golf clubs for beginners, it is crucial to pay attention to the different types of clubs, what each club’s primary function is, the material from which each club is constructed and – most importantly – who will be using these clubs.

Selecting the Best Set of Golf Clubs for Men

When selecting the best golf clubs for men, try to identify clubs that do not require fast swing speeds, but that are still effective at delivering good ball flights.  The ideal set for women will include more hybrid clubs and fairway woods with greater loft – as opposed to the longer irons.

The hybrid clubs are always a good idea for beginners because they fall into the ‘more forgiving’ category of clubs mentioned above in that they do not require perfect contact to deliver decent shots. The larger heads on these clubs can also help women and juniors hit longer shots with slower swing speeds.

While the complete golf club sets featured on this page are ideal for the beginning male or female golfer, understanding the types of clubs best suited to the novice golfer can go a long way to helping any beginner construct their own set of clubs if they so choose.  Let’s look at some additional requirements beginning golfers may have and see what this means about their club selection.

The most appropriate driver for beginners is the clubs (note these come standard with both sets featured above) because these oversized heads provide greater surface area and a larger sweet spot, which makes it easier to hit good shots even with less-than-perfect clubhead contact. Take a look at the club assortment in the sets featured above to get an idea of exactly what you should be looking for.

As far as putters go, it is extremely important for beginning golfers to understand the different types of putters and which model would be most appropriate for them. The large-head, mallet type putters are probably the best for men,women, and juniors because they do not twist as much (due to the larger, heavy, heads), thus making hitting straight puts a little easier.

Beginners definitely have a lot to consider when choosing their first set of golf clubs. The first choice is whether to go with an already-made set of clubs like the ones featured on this page or to construct the set yourself.

The ideal set may be slightly different whether you are a man or a woman, but should include an assortment of woods, hybrids, irons, and putter.  Women generally will want additional hybrids and fewer long irons, as well as clubs with slightly greater loft angles. men – especially beginners, will also want to include hybrid clubs, but may get away with some additional long irons.

If you do decide to construct your own set of golf clubs try to include a driver, 3 Wood, Fairway Wood (like a 5W or 7W), 4- 9 Irons, Pitching Wedge, Sand Wedge, and Putter. When choosing which set or irons is best for beginners, check out some of the most forgiving irons sets I’ve already identified.

Happy Golfing!