No matter whether you're new to the game of golf or fairly experienced, choosing the right clubs to equip yourself with can be a difficult and often overwhelming task. There are more brands than ever, all fighting and vying for your attention and custom. This array of choice is ultimately a good thing, but we all need a bit of help in terms of knowing the best place to start looking.
Of course, we can fill out our golf bags bit by bit, opting to build your bag over time by going for the best golf drivers and golf irons. However, these clubs may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars and can prove both costly and time consuming - an easier way to get yourself a quality setup of golf clubs is by going for one of the best golf sets on the market. While package clubs might not perform as well as the premium clubs on the market, they are more than adequate for those starting or are inexperienced in the game of golf.
WATCH: Sam De'Ath and Joe Ferguson talk through the best golf club sets money can buy
The Quick List
From driver to putter, this is an outstanding package set that offers high levels of performance. We especially loved how easy to hit the irons and woods were.
PXG are all about premium golf clubs and their package set offering is no different - they're beautifully built and offer a very user-friendly experience.
TaylorMade make some of the best golf clubs money can buy and this 12-club set continues that theme, offering lovely looks, lots of forgiveness and brilliant all-round performance.
This is an expansive offering for beginner golfers that offers fantastic value. In testing we were impressed with the distance on offer and found the driver, hybrids and irons to be super forgiving.
A high-end set of clubs that perform very well tee to green but shine in terms of the quality of the irons for approach play in particular - a must-try if you are shopping in the package set market.
Value for money is becoming harder to find in the golf market but Tour Edge's TE-400 set presents premium feeling golf clubs and a price point that is more than reasonable.
Load the next 7 products
The RBZ set from TaylorMade is one of the most expensive sets in this guide, but once you experience the build quality and the performance on offer you'll find the price is very much justified.
For those stuck between proper beginners clubs and clubs designed for those with more experience in the game, the Stix Nicklaus Essentials set is a good choice for those in that middle ground.
For those new to the game, forgiveness is arguably the most important feature you want from a golf set. The Prostaff SGI set delivers this in abundance.
Read more below
Having a club you like the look of in your hand before you swing is more important than you think - the Vice Boost set passes the eye test and equips you with a strong-performing set of clubs.
Ladies beginner clubs will differ from those for men, meaning we need to equip ourselves with the right type - this brilliant 16-piece set is perfect for women beginning golf.
The Aston Martin of women's package sets, the Reva is engineered for premium performance. It's luxurious in looks and made from high-quality components, providing everything a woman golfer needs to get out there playing her best golf.
A budget-friendly set option for those beginning to play golf or those who remain relatively new to the game. This 9-piece set is one of the most forgiving you can buy.
Best Golf Club Sets - Best Package Sets
Top pick
Although the Callaway XR Package Set comes in at the higher-end of the price scale, we do think that you get a lot of bang for your buck. It comes with a 10.5˚ driver, 3-wood and 4-hybrid, then its 5-iron to pitching wedge followed by a gap wedge, 55˚ sand wedge, putter and a bag. So everything you need.
This set gave off a premium feel the moment we unboxed it for testing and said feeling was confirmed the moment we struck out first shot during testing. The woods feature a sleek matte black crown and a beautifully shaped head that inspires confidence when placed behind the ball. The game-improvement focus carries through to the irons, which feature a generous topline that looks reassuring at address. The putter continues this theme with a clean black-and-white design and a generously sized head that we really liked. It offers plenty of alignment assistance while still maintaining an aspirational, high-end look.
In our testing we found that the clubs were easy to flight, which is exactly what you are looking for in a package set. This was a theme right throughout the bag and we feel that this set will be of particular benefit to those who have slower swing speeds. One final observation is that although the bag may not have the quality of the best golf stand bags, we were impressed with the quality and would say it's one of the best we’ve seen from a package set line-up.
- Read our full Callaway XR Package Set Review
Best for versatility
Is this the most comprehensive package set we've ever seen? It could well be...
The Wildcat set is designed for beginners and those casual players who don't want to dedicate too much time towards the game, prioritizing the fun aspect of things. The PXG Wildcat driver are the PXG Wildcat fairway wood and PXG Wildcat hybrid. Both are designed with a high-strength body material that allows for a thinner wall thickness and a lightweight feel. 16 degrees of loft and at 44 inches length on the driver makes it very user friendly and both clubs look superb both in the bag and at address.
The irons are made up of stainless steel and PXG’s proprietary XCOR2 polymer core system, designed to effectively remove mass from the center of the club to enhance forgiveness on mishits, while delivering low spin and high launch performance.
The Black Hawk putter, which combines the looks of a traditional mallet putter with some interesting design features, is a breath of fresh air in a part of the bag that is often skimped over by manufacturers. What's also excellent about this set, which includes a driver, a 5-fairway wood, a 6-hybrid, a 7-iron through sand wedge (SW), and putter, is that each club can be bought individually. This means those who want to keep it simple can slowly build up their bag as their game improves, allowing for lots of purchasing (and playing) versatility.
- Read our full PXG Wildcat Package Set Review
Best mass appeal
This package set from TaylorMade is at the premium end of the package set market and we would say that the quality of the equipment certainly matches the price tag. It's a 12-piece set which includes six irons, two hybrids, two fairway woods, a driver, putter, and a trolley bag. It's a great choice for beginners, especially as we don't think it looks like a beginner's set. The clubs all have clean, premium aesthetics and in our view wouldn't look out of place in the bag of a mid-handicapper.
Much like the Callaway XR Set, these irons have a topline that are thick enough to inspire confidence at address without appearing bulky and condescending to the user. The woods feature a grey crown accented by a touch of green, which we think looks fantastic. Further down the bag, the sand wedge and putter are slightly more compact, offering a refined and premium appearance and nice change of pace from the rest of the bag which will be appreciated by most players with some experience playing the game
We were really impressed by the overall performance of this set during testing, with every club proving forgiving and easy to launch. The ball flight you'll experience is very high, proving perfect for those who struggle with launch but maybe not ideal for players who play a lot in windy conditions.
If we had one criticism it would be that the bag was a little bit flimsy, so maybe it would worth investing in a proper cart bag but, other than that, this is a package set that is built to last.
- Read our full TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set Review
Best set choice
We're big, big fans of the various package sets offered by Strata, both in the mens and women's categories. The Strata Men's set is available in an 11 or 9 piece option and both offer terrific value. The 11-piece consists of a driver, fairway wood, two hybrids, 6 iron to pitching wedge, putter and a stand bag. It's certainly impressive value for the money.
The bag is lightweight, offers ample pocket space, and provides excellent club organization thanks to the dividers which have been well thought out and designed. It’s worth noting that it isn’t a waterproof bag and likely won't protect your valuables or extra layers you carry onto the course in your bag, though that’s understandable for a package set at this price point. If you regularly play in wet conditions, upgrading to one of the best waterproof golf bags would be a smart move.
During testing, we found all the clubs to be forgiving and easy to hit. While they may not have the same premium appearance as higher-end models, their performance left us with no complaints and the overall look feels perfectly suited to the intended market.
All of the the clubs are appealing to look down on over the ball. You can see a lot of the driver face at address, whilst the irons (our favorite clubs in the set) have a thick topline and a generous amount of offset. This should suit those who tend to slice their irons. The only negative would be the putter, which is fine for what it is, but doesn't have milling or insert on the face. We would probably recommend checking out the best cheap putters under £100 if you don't want to spend a huge amount here.
- Read our full Strata Men's Golf Package Set Review
Best for approach play
A trusted brand have delivered a fantastic package set for the inexperienced or new golfer, offering high-quality components with a genuinely premium feeling design. Like with the best Callaway drivers and best Callaway irons, the look is a slick and sophisticated one that won't blow anyone away but won't turn anyone off them either - manufacturers can tend to be a little patronising with the color and design choices, but not so here.
The Mavrik set is a complete package, offering everything a beginner (and even the more experienced player) could need. It includes a driver, 3-wood, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-iron through to sand wedge, a putter, and a quality stand bag. Said stand bag is worth highlighting - a lot of package sets cut corners when it comes to the stand bag, but Callaway's here has quality double straps and extra padding for your lower back, ensuring a comfortable walking and carrying experience.
The Mavrik driver, much like the rest of the set, is built with forgiveness in mind, and it certainly delivers. Its large sweet spot handles mishits impressively, maintaining strong ball speed even on off-centre strikes. The 3-wood and both 4 and 5 hybrids offer a similarly lively feel off the face, helping players generate distance without needing to swing too hard.
The highlight of the package is the irons - they're right up there with the best irons I have tried in any package set I have reviewed over the past couple of years. Forgiving and delivering a lovely feel, they tick every box a beginner would want from a set. The icing on top of the cake is the traditional blade putter - The White Hot Pro 1 was considered one of the best putters of its era, so it is great to see it make an appearance here.
- Read our full Callaway Mavrik Package Set Review
Best value for money
To begin with, the TE-400 from Tour Edge features 12 golf clubs that are tailored towards the upper end of the bag. For example, there is a driver, 3 and 5-wood, 4 and 5-hybrid, as well as 6-iron to sand wedge and a putter. Because there are two free spaces left to complete the full 14-club line-up, players may opt to add one or two more of the best wedges to the bag but, overall, there's a lot there for your money.
Performance-wise, the TE-400 felt solid on impact, was easy to launch and, most importantly of all, were extremely forgiving on mis-hits, something which is crucial when starting out the game of golf. All the clubs performed well, but the main stand-out was the driver which, for the modest price tag, certainly over-performed!
Admittedly, the looks of the fairway woods and putter in this package set won't set the world on fire. Personally, we felt the small ‘T’ logo on the crown looks a long way out of alignment, whilst the putter features some unnecessary colors and some less-than-optimal paintwork. We appreciated the effort that had gone into it, but it could have been executed better.
- Read our full Tour Edge TE-400 Package Set Review
Best for adjustability
Another set that is on the higher side of the price spectrum but justifies the price tag, TaylorMade have delivered another great set of beginners clubs here with the RBZ set. Golf nerds like myself will reminisce over the classic Rocketballz of yesteryear (specifically the hybrid, for me) so were a little disappointed not to see the flashy white color scheme on show here, but the clubs have a very clean, modern aesthetic nevertheless.
The full set includes: Driver, 3 Wood, 4 Hybrid, 6-PW irons, putter, and a cart bag, ticking every box you need. Although the bag cannot be compared to any of the best golf cart bags on the market, it stills provides ample storage for users. The star of the show clubs-wise is the driver which, like most drivers in this guide, is designed to provide ample forgiveness and high launch. The adjustable hosel is a fantastic addition, especially in a package set, as it allows golfers to fine-tune the loft and face angle to better suit their swing and preferences, and importantly, allows this driver to grow along with your ability if you are just starting out.
Along with the brilliant irons, the high quality putter tops off the set. They have brought in a version of the popular Spider range, one of the most popular and best putters on the market. The Spider Splitback putter looks great and has symmetrical wings that make alignment very easily, whilst plenty of MOI is crammed into the face to provide the most forgiveness possible. The Pure Roll insert gives a nice feel and caps off a really well-rounded set.
- Read our full TaylorMade RBZ Package Set Review
Best for intermediate golfers
This set is more suited to those who already have a bit of experience in the game and want an upgrade from their original package set. With the Stix Jack Nicklaus Essentials Package Set you can get your hands on a premium set but without the sky high price tag.
The stand bag sets the tone for this package set, delivering a slick colorway and design, whilst the sock-style headcovers look great and the combination of the matte and gloss finish on the driver head looks very cool. During testing we saw generous launch from the 10.5°, 460cc driver head and relayed pleasant feedback when hit well. The mishits were punished at little more than on the most forgiving drivers, but I thought the overall performance was outstanding for a package set driver. The irons helped separate this set from many of the competitors on the market. The thinner top line will appeal more towards an intermediate golfer rather than someone needing the extra forgiveness and confidence-inspiring look a thicker, larger head would offer.
The putter was a little disappointing - the small mid-mallet is an unusual shape and didn’t suit my eye when down behind the ball, but this would typically be the first club I'd recommend users swapping out and getting their own of when using package sets.
- Read our full Stix Nicklaus Essentials Package Set Review
Best forgiveness
The Wilson Prostaff SGI package set is aimed at the new golfer who is not looking to spend too much but wants a good quality set that contains everything they need. We think this set provides excellent value for money. You get 10 clubs in total, including driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 6-9-iron, two wedges, a putter and a bag.
In our view this set is ideal for anyone new to golf because it is designed to provide plenty of help in getting the ball in the air and offers plenty of forgiveness for when you don’t find the centre of the clubface. Our testing showed that the sweet spots on the clubs (especially the irons), are large and forgiving, while the heads themselves inspire confidence due to their shape. We also noted that the wide sole of the sand wedge made escaping bunkers far easier. This is worth mentioning as sand shots is an area of the game where most beginners really struggle.
This is an 11 piece set, so the option of adding extra clubs to the bag is very viable. For example, we would look at adding another fairway or hybrid, as well as a couple of specialist wedges for those shots around the green.
- Read our full Wilson Prostaff SGI Package Set Review
Best for looks
Vice Golf has traditionally been known for offering premium quality golf balls at an affordable price direct to the consumer and this extends to their package set offerings via the Boost Starter Set. It's a slick, sleek and premium feeling set for those looking an easy avenue into the confusing world of purchasing golf clubs.
The nine clubs included in this set look and feel top quality which is something we can't say about every package set we test. The driver, for example, feels and looks just as good as some of the best drivers on the market! Although the 10° of loft on the oversized, confidence-inspiring driver head may be a little low for out-and-out beginners, golfers can stay in this driver once their skills develop rather than outgrow it after only a few months.
I was impressed with the distance output and feel from both the driver and the 4-hybrid, whilst the irons felt and looked fantastic in hand. The set provides you with a 6-iron through to sand wedge, the perfect combo for a beginner golfer or higher handicapper looking to upgrade their set. This is comfortably one of the most well-rounded package sets we've ever tested.
- Read our full Vice Boost Starter Set Review
Best women's set
Strata may not be the most well known brand to many women golfers but it has a rich history in golf and it’s great to see it making a comeback. As mentioned above, we love the package sets they offer and when it comes to the best sets for women this is our pick. It's an all encompassing, 16-piece package set which consists of a fantastic 12° driver, fairway wood, 4 and 5 hybrid, 6-9 iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge and a putter. All of this is kept together in a tidy stand bag.
In our testing, the clubs delivered impressive distance along with plenty of forgiveness. Off the tee, shots flew straight, and the irons offered excellent turf interaction. Visually, the set looks fantastic and far more premium than the price tag would suggest. The irons’ glossy chrome finish even reminded us of the Callaway Big Bertha Irons.
If we had one small reservation, it would be the blade-style putter. Some beginners might prefer a mallet design for added stability and forgiveness. That said, this putter has a sleek look and features a useful alignment aid on the top line to help improve accuracy. If you prefer a more forgiving putter then, as this set costs only a little more than some drivers, you could use the savings to pick up a putter more to your liking.
- Read our full Strata Women's Package Set Review
Best premium women's
We would describe the Callaway Reva as the Aston Martin of women's package sets. It has been engineered for premium performance, it's positively luxurious in looks and everything is made from high-quality components. Basically the Reva has been put together to give the woman golfer everything needed from tee-to-green, and while not exclusively aimed at the new golfer, it is perfect for anybody who is relatively new to the game.
You get a driver, three wood, 5 and 6 hybrids, 7-9 iron, a pitching and sand wedge and a putter, as well as a lovely cart bag and five headcovers. When we tested this set we particularly loved the driver performance. It launched high with a nice ball flight and also had a nice, powerful feel. The big circular target-style sweet spot on the face is so inviting as you feel like its impossible to miss. The three-wood and hybrids continued this theme as well, which will certainly appeal to golfers who struggle in this area.
As for the irons, they are large, cavity backs that have been designed to offer forgiveness on mis-hits. Our testing seemed to confirm this, as they felt effortlessly light to swing thanks to the stability and forgiveness on offer. In our view the main thing that makes this one of the best women’s golf sets is that the putter is fantastic and unlike anything you would normally find in a package set. The fang design, coupled with the Stroke Lab shaft technology, helps with tempo and consistency and we absolutely loved it, especially in the blue finish.
- Read our full Callaway REVA Ladies Package Set Review
Best value women's
The best beginner golf clubs for ladies are often the ones that are easiest to hit. Golf is hard, especially when you're starting out, so equipping yourself with a set of clubs that cater to this can prove to be seriously beneficial, both in the short and long term.
The complete set includes all the essentials - driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 7-SW irons and putter, plus a very user-friendly golf bag, making it a sensible choice among the best women's golf sets. The sky blue colorway is appealing on the eye and is a nice switch up from the common color of pink we see with women's sets.
Given this is a set of clubs for beginners, our resident golf newbie Liv Wilford was given the chance to test these clubs and found the driver particularly helpful in terms of fixing her alignment. She also found the 18-degree 3 wood helpful in terms of achieving easy high launch at a stage in her golfing career in which she admits she remains intimidated by fairway woods. To quote Liv directly when talking about the entire set, she said the MacGregor CG4000 set "made my golf journey more enjoyable and accessible".
- Read our full MacGregor CG4000 Ladies Package Set Review
How we test golf clubs
At Golf Monthly we pride ourselves in our testing and reviews as our process has been fine tuned over more than a decade of testing thousands of the best (and the worst...) golf equipment - from clubs and bags to rangefinders and launch monitors, if you see it on the shelf in your local pro shop or golf store, chances are we've reviewed it. Golf clubs sets are no exception for our testing ethos and methodology.
Depending on which set we are testing, our review process is typically separated into two parts - indoor and outdoor testing. When testing beginner sets like the MacGregor CG4000, we only test them on the golf course due to their design being catered to those with less experience in the game, but sets that are designed for more competent players are tested both on one of the best golf launch monitors to help us understand performance through the data on offer before we try them on the course.
Sam De'Ath testing the Stix Jack Nicklaus Essentials Package Set
In terms of our outdoor testing, we aim to try out each club set across multiple days across multiple golf courses to put them through the most thorough test possible. Testing in different conditions as well as on different courses helps us understand the level of performance more, leading to a fairer and more informative review for our readers.
Our reviews are also conducted by golfers, for golfers. We feel we have a commitment to our readership to provide informative, factually based, bias-free reviews so you can make the best purchases to suit your golf game. It has never been more important to do so considering the increase in the price of playing golf in recent years. We stress that no brand gets preferential treatment, nor can a manufacturer 'buy' a good review - we simply call it how we see it based on our testing ethos, extensive knowledge of golf equipment and passion for the game.
How to choose a golf set
What comes in the set
Not all sets are the same. Some come with all 14 clubs, from driver and the way to putter. Most also include a golf bag, but not all. If browsing online, be sure to check how many clubs the set you are looking at includes as some might only provide as many as eight clubs. If you're beginning to play the sport, eight may be all you need - when I was a kid my package set only had seven clubs and as I grew older I slowly filled out the gaps in my golf bag. Make sure to double check before your order arrives at your front door to avoid disapointment.
Forgiveness
We don't want to jump to conclusions but we imagine the reason you're considering a package set is because you're relatively new to the game of golf. That's absolutely fine, but it's also important to know what you want from a golf club. Some premium models focus on distance, others workability. What we want to focus on here is forgiveness because you'll almost certainly not be hitting the center of the clubface every time you swing. Often package sets are designed to give the maximum amount of forgiveness possible for the newbie or higher handicap in an attempt to make a very difficult sport that little bit easier. Keep this in mind during your search.
Quality
If you look on Amazon for example, you'll find hundreds of package sets across a range of price points. Some feel too good to be true - that's likely because they aren't very good. We'd recommend keeping it within the constrains of the brands we have listed in this guides - this is because we have tested these products and know that these brands can be relied upon for created good quality golf clubs. The last thing you want to do is pay hundreds for a set of rubbish clubs that give you very little forgiveness and distance, only for you to want to replace them after six months.
Budget
Everyone has a budget. If you're lucky enough, your budget is unlimited, but we know that only applies to a minority of people reading this guide. Having a smaller budget will rule out a few options listed in this buying guide but that is OK, there is still plenty of value to be had on the lower side of the price scale. Also, if you're only starting to play the game, blowing over $1000 on a set is frankly unnecessary. Try your best to find a sweet spot between good value and performance.
FAQs
What clubs come in a full package set?
This can vary depending on the set you have gone for but usually see package sets come with a driver, some kind of wood or hybrid, a set of irons (which often goes from roughly five-iron down to sand wedge) and a putter. Most also come with a golf bag as well which is something to think about when you are purchasing.
What type of players would golf package sets be good for?
Overall we think package sets are good for those players who are perhaps new to the game and want to tick off as many club boxes as possible with one purchase. As we have shown above, many package sets come from high-quality brands which means you can get good golf clubs that perform as you would want without having to buy each club individually. We also think package sets are good for kids as well.
For more buying advice on golf gear, take a look at our guides on the best cheap golf club sets, and best golf shoes.
