I’ve played golf for close to three decades and have used premium, mid-range, and entry-level golf equipment along the way. Ultimately, there are woods, irons, wedges, and putters at all price points to make golf accessible. In this article, I’ll explain how much to spend on golf clubs to best suit your budget, swing, and skill level. After reading this guide, you’ll know the price for new, pre-owned, individual, and packaged golf sets. I’ll also discuss how much to budget for game improvement, player’s distance, and forged irons, to offer a clearer picture of what each category of clubs costs.

How Much Should You Expect to Pay For Golf Clubs?

Entry-level or mid-range golf clubs are best suited for beginners due to their affordability, playability, and forgiveness. After all, you should minimize your expenses in the beginning to leave ample funds for accessories, golf balls, and lessons. Take a look at the two tables below to get an idea of the prices for complete golf sets (left table)—ranging from nine to twelve clubs—versus the price of buying all your clubs individually (right table). Intermediate golfers should expect to spend a bit more overall for game improvement technology, while advanced golfers will pay the most for premium materials, technology, and workmanship for their gear.

How Much Are Packaged Sets?

As you can see, packaged golf sets are the most affordable way to buy golf clubs. For example, a twelve-piece golf set, like the Cobra Fly-XL, is actually more affordable than buying just a six iron set like the Tour Edge Exotics C723! Packaged sets range from nine to twelve golf clubs and include a stand or cart bag to house them. Golf clubs in packaged sets are typically highly forgiving, with slice-busting offset, an enlarged sweet spot, and a towering launch. Prices go for under $400 to over $2000 for premium-quality.

I find the Callaway Strata 12-Piece an ideal starting point for beginners because it has simple clubs and an easy-to-carry stand bag at a reasonable $399. However, this standard set lacks a sand wedge for increased greenside spin and control. The Callaway Strata 14-Piece includes a sand wedge and an additional headcover for your hybrid, making this set $100 more. However, I feel it’s worth spending a little extra to have every long, middle, and short club you could need for a round. Alternatively, senior golfers may enjoy the lenient and easy-launching Tour Edge Bazooka 370 set.

How Much Are Individual Clubs?

Purchasing clubs separately gives you the freedom to pick the ideal specs for your golf swing. If you’ve been fitted for clubs and know what to look for, think about hand-picking your clubs. Remember that beginners need forgiveness, easy launch, and straight-hitting clubs, while low-handicappers demand workability, feel, and control, and mid-handicappers like myself enjoy a combination of distance and workability, without sacrificing forgiveness. It’s a costly endeavor, but buying individual clubs sets you up for success.

Woods and Hybrids

An ideal entry point for beginner drivers is $150 to $250, for slice-busting, high-launching models like the Wilson Launch Pad 2 Driver. A lenient, easy-launching fairway wood runs you $100 to $150; at this price, you can find the straight-hitting Tour Edge Hot Launch E522 Hybrid. Hybrids cost anywhere from $80 to $150, depending on the brand, technology, and shaft and clubhead materials. The Wilson Launch Pad 2 FY Hybrid is available at the low end of this, offering distance, accuracy, and consistency from any lie for high-handicappers.

Irons

Irons are the most expensive purchase of your golf bag, given the number of sticks needed compared to woods, hybrids, wedges, and a putter. A standard beginner set of irons includes a 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-iron, and pitching wedge, and fetches between $400 and $800. The Tour Edge Exotics E722 are a high-launching, straight-hitting, and forgiving set of irons well-within this price range. They work well for those with a more moderate swing speed seeking an elevated launch and soft landing on approach. The Callaway Rogue ST Max are a great option for mid-handicappers for under $100 more.

Wedges

Beginner wedges are priced between $70 to $100, making them one of the most affordable clubs per unit in your bag. High-handicappers should look for a wedge with an expanded sweet spot and stable clubhead to enhance friction, contact, and spin on all strikes. I find the Tour Edge Hot Launch Super Spin VibRCor a good choice for high-handicappers since it’s affordable, lenient on off-center strikes, and spins hard. For just a little more, another option to consider is the Cleveland CBX 2 for its great forgiveness.

Putters

Putters vary significantly, with the entry-level Ram Golf Laser Black Single Bend priced under $50 and a Titleist Scotty Cameron exceeding $400. I suggest beginner golfers curb expenses and search for reliable, durable, and forgiving flat sticks. If your budget is tight, I suggest the simple, lenient, and glare-resistant Tour Edge Bazooka Pro-5 for under $80. However, if you have the funds, I recommend testing the glare-resistant, stable, and smooth-rolling Wilson Buckingham Infinite.

Next Steps for Deciding on Your Golf Club Purchases

After breaking down the costs of every kind of club, I hope I’ve given you a clearer picture of how much to spend on golf clubs. The most affordable way to acquire new clubs is to opt for a complete set, though they can be generic and not completely suit your swing. The alternative is to acquire clubs individually for optimal specs for your game, which is a much pricier approach. No matter which root you take, if you have any question related to golf gear, feel free to reach out to a Curated Golf Expert for personalized advice!