Making your first purchase of a set of clubs as a beginner can be a daunting task. If this is the beginning of your golf journey, welcome! You’re about to join the ranks of millions of golfers, and all of the hopes, tribulations, and achievements that come with it. But first, we need to get you sorted on the basics of golf equipment, starting with your golf clubs (no, they’re not called sticks); and then we’ll discuss what the best golf clubs are for your game.

If you have been exposed to the game for any length of time, it may seem like there are way too many choices about what club you should hit your next shot with. So, allow me to break down the different club categories and each of their use cases. Note that the main determining factor in what club to use is the distance from the hole.

Putter

A putter is primarily used on the green in order to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible, although it is possible to use this club from the fairway, rough, or even the bunker if you prefer that option. Whether you prefer the classic look of a blade putter or the modern technology of a mallet, this is one of the more personal (and necessary) club choices you can make, as this club is used on every hole.

Wedges

If you aren’t on the green yet or need the ball to fly high and land soft or stop quickly, this is where you would use your wedges. These clubs have the most loft in a set of golf clubs, which is what allows them to give you the ability to fly the ball with a high launch.

Irons

As your shot distance increases, it will likely require you to choose one of your irons. Again, the loft will determine how far each club goes, assuming you can put the same swing on each shot. Generally speaking, an iron set will consist of seven or eight clubs, with the loft progressively decreasing the farther you want the shot to go. There are also a few categories of irons themselves, depending on the skill level of the player using them. A beginner golfer will usually be better off employing a set of game improvement or even super-game improvement irons. These generally have a cavity-back design, generous offset, and wide soles to assist with making the ball fly. As you get better, you can start thinking about players' irons, or even blades. But save that for later!

Hybrids

With “long irons”, like the 3, 4, or even 5 iron, many newer or high-handicap players experience difficulty in hitting these clubs with any kind of consistency, because they generally require a higher swing speed and precise contact to get them to work effectively. This is where hybrids come in. As the name suggests, this is a cross between an iron and a wood. Combining the two different designs is intended to result in an easier time hitting the ball using these clubs.

Woods

Woods are the clubs with the least loft and most mass, making them the clubs that allow you to hit the ball the furthest. The driver is usually the longest club in the bag, which makes it an excellent choice to use when beginning a hole with the ball teed up. Fairway woods (typically numbered 3, 5, or 7) also allow you to hit the ball a long way, either off of a tee or off of the ground.

Keep in mind, just about any club could be used for just about any shot, as demonstrated on TV weekly by the best golfers in the world. But that comes with creativity and skill, which us mere mortals usually don’t have enough of! Also, it’s not necessarily a requirement to buy a full 14-club set straight from the beginning. A couple of ways you can start your equipment journey would be to rent clubs, borrow your friends' sets, or even just buy individual clubs and slowly build out your set from there. In any case, a Curated Golf Expert will be here to assist you with finding and providing the right combination of golf clubs throughout your golf journey.

Ideal Clubs for Beginners

As a beginner, it is important to have the most assistance possible with your performance, be it with the forgiveness that the clubs provide (i.e. having bigger sweet spots or perimeter weighting to make the ball easier to hit), to alignment aids to help you with your aim.

Another nice option is to be able to purchase a complete set, so that you don’t have to employ too much thought into making your first equipment purchases. These sets come with all the clubs you need in varying degrees, as well as headcovers and a stand or cart bag included. Equipment manufacturers do have this in mind and have multiple offerings for you.

Let’s take a look at some of the complete beginner sets that I believe would be the best for the widest range of new golfers.

TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite 13-Piece Set

This set is at the higher end of beginner complete golf club box sets, offered by one of the top golf OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). The driver, 3 wood and 5 wood are lightweight and have graphite shafts to help give you the best possible chance to swing as fast as possible, and therefore hit it as far as possible. The same goes for the hybrids in the set, with a 4 and 5 hybrid replacing the 4 and 5 long irons. The 6 to 9 irons, pitching wedge, and sand wedge all feature lightweight shafts and wide soles to help avoid digging through the impact zone, as well as perimeter weighting—placing as much mass as possible in the heel and toe of the clubhead instead of around the center to make the sweet spot bigger. The putter in this set is a mallet putter, which encourages a straight-back/straight-through putting stroke, and has a sight dot and tram lines to assist you with alignment.

The whole set can be carried in a 14-way divider top cart bag, which is stylish and matches the colorway of the clubs themselves. This set is one of the highest recommended on Curated for a reason—it’s an excellent beginner’s set by a top club maker that will last until you decide to upgrade to clubs that can offer even more performance.

Callaway XR Packaged Complete Golf Set

Much like TaylorMade, Callaway is one of the major OEMs that also provides a simple box set alternative that will get you out on the course with clubs that will still perform at the high level we come to expect from these top level manufacturers.

This Callaway XR set of 12 clubs with comes with graphite shafts and is designed for the mid to high-handicap golfer. The set includes a driver, 3 wood, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-9 irons, PW, AW, SW, and an Odyssey putter. The 460cc titanium driver head provides forgiveness on off-center hits, allowing for a consistent trajectory and maximum distance. The cavity back and wide soles also add forgiveness and make the turf interaction smooth and consistent.

One of the most attractive things about this set might be that all the colors of the clubs and bag match. Having everything organized and uniform presents an excellent aesthetic. The golf bag isn't just for looks though, it is a stand bag with legs for convenience and has plenty of storage pockets. The set also includes headcovers for the driver, 3 wood, and hybrids. Overall these clubs are easy to look and, with at the high launch, distance, and forgiveness offered, they're also easy to hit.

Tour Edge Bazooka 470 Full Box Set w/ Bag

Much like the other sets listed here, this set has everything you need to get started, but at a price that is competitive in relation to the bigger OEM choices. For me, this brand always provides some of the best value for money equipment out there. This package includes a driver, 3 and 5 woods, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-9 cavity-back irons, PW & SW, Putter, and bag. Forgiveness on shots and easy height are offered thanks to new head shapes and weight distribution in the golf clubs throughout the bag. Also featured throughout the set are ultra-thin faces which will assist with higher ball speeds, and therefore longer distances.

Decathlon Inesis 100 7-Piece Complete Golf Set

A newcomer to the golf world, Decathlon has this new offering that can put you on the course with your buddies as fast as possible for as inexpensive as possible. Golfers are allowed to have up to 14 golf clubs in the bag, but beginners rarely need all 14 of them. A smaller selection is often more than enough for someone just starting out, and that is what this set provides. While this set is the least expensive option out of the four mentioned, it does not come with its own bag. No worries, though! Any of our Golf Experts would be more than happy to assist you with purchasing any stand bag or cart bag to go along with this set.

Consisting of a driver, a 22-degree hybrid, 6 or 7 iron, 8 or 9 iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge, and a mallet-style putter, the set shows that you don’t need all the options all the time when you’re just beginning. Its lightweight, simple design is inviting and helpful, promoting a higher launch to help you get the ball in the air easier.

Ideal Putters for Beginners

As a bit of a bonus, I'd also like to recommend a couple of putters that you could think of as a starter for your eventual high-performance golf set.

Odyssey White Hot OG #1 CH Putter

Odyssey Golf is a division of Callaway Golf, and as such, it carries with it a high level of quality and performance with its golf equipment. This blade putter is best suited to those who prefer a traditional look, and the plumbers’ neck hosel makes this a toe-hang putter, which facilitates a slightly arced putting stroke (ask your Curated Expert how to determine which stroke you have). The everpresent White Hot insert has been a staple in this putter line and provides amazing feel and control.

Odyssey White Hot OG #7 Putter

You could consider this option as the face-balanced version of my earlier recommendation. The double-bend hosel on this club helps enforce a straight-back/straight-through stroke, allowing for fewer variables to interfere with your putting stroke. The aggressive design creates a very clear alignment aid to give you the best possible chance for the best results.

So there you have it, a quick guide to buying your first golf clubs! Eager for more? Check out the Best Beginner-Friendly Golf Sets and the Best Ladies' Beginners Sets!

Whether you choose from one of these or decide to build out your set with the help of a Golf Expert, remember that you’re playing this game for exercise, enjoyment, and fun! And if you need more help deciding what set is the best for you, and even make a purchase, I’ll always be here to assist.

See you out on the fairways!