If you're new to the game, finding the right set of golf clubs to start your journey can be a daunting prospect. To make the task of buying your first set as easy as possible, we've tested lots of models and put together this guide on the best golf club sets for beginners, to guide you through the process and allow you to purchase your first set with confidence. Before you go through this, we've put together a great guide on how to choose golf clubs for beginners, which will walk you through what type of clubs to buy, whether you need them custom-fitted, and how much you should look to spend.
VIDEO: We run through the best golf clubs sets for beginners
The best golf club sets are designed for new players and all the clubs in the bag will provide plenty of forgiveness. They also tend to have thicker top lines, so when you look down on the ball they will give you more confidence. Most of these golf club sets will feature all the clubs you need to get going: a driver; a fairway wood; a hybrid club; a set, or half set, of irons and a putter.
Within this list we've included package sets at various price points but, regardless of cost, all of the featured beginner sets will be a sound investment that will last you for as long as you need. If you'd rather buy your clubs separately, and spend a bit more money in the process, check out our guides on the best golf irons for beginners or the best game improvement irons to find clubs that can take you to the next level.
The Quick List
An outstanding package set that offers high levels of performance from driver to putter. In particular, we loved how easy to hit the irons and woods were.
This is a great value and expansive offering for beginners, with the driver, hybrids and irons all forgiving and offering plenty of distance.
An impressive 12-club line up that combines smart looks with plenty of forgiveness for a superb all-round performance.
The Cobra Fly XL package set is a superb option for those just getting into the game and want a new, good-quality set as a starting point.
An impressive set that will definitely suit the golfer beginning his/her journey, with the modest price tag giving you an awful lot for your money.
A complete set which has an impressive driver and some strong, forgiving irons. Although we suspect the clubs' good looks will fade rapidly, their good performance will remain.
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One of the best sets we’ve tested for beginners, a package set that offers excellent value for money. We'd recommend these clubs to anyone who was new to the game.
The MacGregor CG4000 package set is an excellent starting point for those looking to begin their golfing journey, with their functional, easy-to-use nature a real standout.
A package set with appealing looks that will flatter your ability if you're new to the game, helping you enjoy your time on the course so much more.
This all-encompassing 16-piece package set is perfect for beginners or lady golfers wanting something more user-friendly.
The Reva is the Aston Martin of women's package sets, engineered for premium performance, luxurious in looks and made from high-quality components.
A near-perfect introduction to the game for the beginner and keen improver, the Magnolia has everything you need from tee-to-green plus a complementing trolley bag in a stylish blue.
Best Golf Club Sets For Beginners
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Top pick
When we tested the Callaway XR Package Set, we felt that it was easily one of the best golf club sets on the market, with all of the clubs extremely confidence-inspiring at address and easy to launch into the air.
Admittedly, they do sit towards the premium end of the package set space but, when you take this item out of the box, you can tell a lot of time and effort has gone into it. Firstly, the driver is 10.5˚ which, although it is slightly lower lofted than other drivers available in package sets, has a really premium look, with the matte black crown screaming style and looking extremely generous down behind the ball. What's more, it sits slightly closed to help players battle the annoying slice.
The other woods in the set also provide a generous footprint down behind the ball, whilst we found them easy to flight too. Once again, it's a similar story with the irons, which are clearly a Callaway design, with there being a fairly rounded toe area and the topline. Finishing off the set is a putter that has an excellent head shape and helpful alignment features, and all of the above are kept inside a really nice, stylish carry bag.
- Read our full Callaway XR Package Set Review
Best set choice
If the Callaway set is out of your price bracket, then perhaps this Strata Men's Golf Package Set will fill the void. We ranked this as one of the best cheap golf club sets money can buy, with there being a lot for your buck!
The set is comprised of driver, fairway wood, two hybrids, 6-iron to pitching wedge, putter and a stand bag, with the forgiveness on offer being one of the main stand outs. Like other sets on this list, each club has been designed to get the ball airborne, as thick toplines on the irons make way for an oversized head and regular shaft in the driver and fairway woods.
If we were to list one negative, it's perhaps the putter, an area where brands tend to save money when it comes to package sets. One recommendation would be to replace it with one of the best cheap putters but, aside from that one small issue, this is an excellent value option that many will adore.
- Read our full Strata Men's Golf Package Set Review
Best mass appeal
TaylorMade are known for producing some of the best golf clubs on the market, with the company now branching out into the golf package set industry. Like the XR, the RBZ SpeedLite does come in at the more premium end but, from an aesthetic point of view, you will not be let down.
Providing users with a premium 12-club line-up, the woods feature a grey finish on the crown that has small flashes of green that we absolutely adored. The irons have thick toplines that strike the balance perfectly in terms of inspiring confidence at address without being too clunky and uninviting. It's a similar story with the wedges and compact, mallet putter.
Performance-wise, these clubs were easy to launch and did provide plenty of spin, which is a key factor in getting the golf ball in the air. The only slight downside is the cart bag which, although it had plenty of storage space and a smart look, was a touch flimsier than some of the best cart bags. Personally, we didn’t feel the bag quite reflected the quality of the clubs on offer.
- Read our full TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set Review
Best bag
Much like other package sets in this list, the Cobra Fly XL set looks the part and we were thoroughly impressed with how good these clubs looked when taking them out of the wrapper. Cobra are known for their value and, with the Fly XL set, they have continued this theme throughout.
So, what is included in the set? Well, along with 10 golf clubs, there is a really sturdy, lightweight stand bag with a 5-way divider, fleece-lined valuables' pocket and a matching rain hood for those who like to play come rain or shine. What's more, Cobra offer both a stand bag and cart bag version, depending on your preference.
Performance-wise, Cobra have thought about the target market, with the set itself featuring a 5-wood instead of a 3. You may wonder why, but the extra loft on the face will benefit most golfers opting to purchase this set who lack swing speed or ball-striking prowess. Importantly, all the clubs have been designed with forgiveness in mind, and the irons could even give some of the most forgiving irons a run for their money.
- Read our full Cobra Fly XL Package Set Review
Best forgiveness
There are two main things that new golfers tend to need more than anything else, forgiveness when you don't hit it out of the middle of the club face, and help getting the ball in the air. This Wilson set will provide both.
This set comes with a 10.5° driver, a three wood, a hybrid, a 6-iron to sand wedge and also features an excellent putter. Other sets may come with more clubs (this is a 10 piece set), but the advantage here is that you can add extra clubs as your game improves and you figure out what your needs are. That might be an extra hybrid or perhaps more variety in the wedges.
The sweet spots on these clubs are large and forgiving, which really helps the golfer who struggles to consistently find the middle. Additionally, each club frames the ball in such a way that it inspires confidence, and the irons feature a low centre of gravity for high launch. This makes them ideal for the golfer that finds it difficult getting the ball airborne, especially with the mid-long irons. At the higher end of the set, the wide sole of the sand wedge will provide good assistance in escaping bunkers, which is an area of the game where beginners can really struggle.
- Read our full Wilson Prostaff SGI Package Set Review
Best looking
When it comes to looks, this set from Stix Golf knocks it out the park Every club in the bag looks premium and we were extremely impressed with the performance on offer too.
What really stood out was, unlike some of the other sets in this list, this is a complete set that contains 14 clubs from driver through to putter. It's a fairly standard set-up that includes a driver, 3 and 5-woods, 4 hybrid, 5-iron through to pitching wedge, three wedges (52° 56° and 60°) and a putter.
In our testing, the star performer was undoubtedly the driver. It looks fantastic and it produced a nice aggressive, high ball flight without spinning up and losing distance, which is something you will occasionally find with package set drivers. This actually felt and performed like the premium models in our best golf drivers guide. Along with the driver, every other club was really solid and, especially in the wedges, you could really see the specialist design working. The only thing to be wary of is that the black finish can get easily scuffed over time.
- Read our full Stix Golf Complete Set Review
Best cheap set
If you are looking for a budget set that won't break the bank, then the Inesis 100 Package Set is the model for you. Providing 10 clubs and a carry bag, the 100 is an affordable starter option that comes with enough clubs to cover the vast majority of bases for the vast majority of golfers who are just looking to get started within the game.
Coming with a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 6-iron to 9-iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge and putter, the most impressive aspect of this set is the irons themselves, which are smart and simple. When we set them down behind the ball we instantly noticed that they are quite long from heel to toe, which makes them look and feel forgiving.
Wood-wise, there was a lively feel, with a higher pitch impact sound. For slightly slower swing players and beginner golfers, this is certainly no bad thing and, throughout the set, there was a good amount of distance and a strong ball flight. At the other end of the bag, the wedges also look really smart, whilst the fang-shape putter is a quite compact mallet with bundles of alignment assistance. Lastly, it comes fitted with a really good grip, which isn't always the case where package sets are concerned.
- Read our full Inesis 100 Package Set Review
Best high flight
Out of the box, the MacGregor CG4000 comes with everything you need to start your golfing journey, with a stylish green and black bag making way for 10 golf clubs and decent quality headcovers.
Performance-wise, the feel throughout the set was reasonable and, from driver to wedges, the ease of use was great and we found them incredibly easy to get airborne. The putter was also a real highlight, with excellent forgiveness on offer, the only slight gripe was that, with no headcover and not the most robust build quality, it chips incredibly easily.
In terms of clubs, you get a 460cc, 13-degree driver, an 18-degree fairway wood, and a 24-degree hybrid. Furthermore, there is a 6-iron through sand wedge and a putter. There is also a choice of a stand or cart bag, with all the clubs designed with forgiveness in mind, as thick top lines and large heads provide ample confidence.
- Read our full MacGregor CG4000 Golf Club Set Review
Best for dispersion
The PXG 0211 Z set is very much in keeping with the PXG look and we think the black and white contrast really pops. It's one of the more expensive options on this list but it is very much a premium offering.
In testing, the acoustics of the clubs were certainly higher than other sets. This may put some off, but some may like the loud noise as it gives the impression of the ball going further. Overall, we could tell that these clubs had been designed for those with slower swing speeds so, if you don't mind spending a bit extra, then these might be the ideal clubs for the beginner golfer.
Also, one last thing to note is that PXG offer customisation options. The 10 piece full bag has an RRP of $1695 and includes six hybrid irons (6-9 plus a pitching wedge and sand wedge), three woods (a 16° driver, 4 and 5 wood) plus a 0211 Hellcat Putter along with the PXG Bag and a hat. You can also buy just the three woods or six hybrid irons on their own for $795.
- Read our full PXG 0211 Z Golf Club Set Review
Top women's pick
We have already spoken about the Strata men's set, but the women's option is equally as impressive. It comes with a 12° driver, fairway wood, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-9 irons, PW, SW and a putter, as well as a nice stand bag.
Aesthetically, these clubs look fantastic, with a glossy chrome finish across the irons also providing a distinctive shaped cavity back, wide soles and thick top lines that makes them very easy on the eye, as well as being super easy to hit.
In our testing, we found there to be excellent distance and forgiveness. The big-headed driver might not be as fancy in terms of technology as some of the best drivers for women, but it was still really easy to use. Along with the driver, every other club performed well, but the blade putter, we feel, is a strange choice as most beginners are better suited to a mallet putter. However, it does boast a very sleek aesthetic and handy alignment aid on its top line which did help us with accuracy.
- Read our full Strata Women's Package Set Review
Best premium women's
Callaway has created the Reva package set, which they say is aimed at all abilities. However, when we took the clubs and bag out the box, we would, arguably, say it is better suited to ladies learning to play golf for the first time, rather than those who are more experienced.
The set comes with a driver, three wood, 5 and 6 hybrids, 7-9 iron, a pitching and sand wedge and a putter, as well as a snazzy cart bag and five headcovers. In testing, we especially loved the driver performance because of its high launch and ball flight that had a powerful feel. The big circular target-style sweet spot on the face looks impossible to miss, whilst the three-wood and hybrids continued this theme as well.
What's more, the large, oversized cavity back irons are designed to help on mis-hits and our testing seemed to prove this. They felt effortlessly light to swing and easy to use thanks to the stability and forgiveness on offer. What makes this one of the best women’s golf sets is that the putter includes the Stroke Lab shaft. The fang design, coupled with the Stroke Lab technology, is aimed to help you with tempo and consistency and we loved it, especially in the blue finish.
- Read our full Callaway Reva Ladies Package Set Review
Most stylish
This stylish-looking Wilson Magnolia Ladies Set of clubs includes a high-lofted driver, easy-to-hit 3-wood, 4, 5 and 6 hybrids, 7 iron through to sand wedge, putter and a trolley bag. For around $500 RRP, it really is a great value option and one that we adored.
Starting with the looks, the driver has a very rounded, oversize head with lots of loft that provided confidence and helped us launch tee shots easily. Thoughtfully, Wilson has replaced the longer irons with easier to hit hybrids and, when it comes to irons, the oversized heads have been cleverly thought out, as the weight is positioned to the perimeter for better balance and forgiveness.
In testing, our only criticism is that the Magnolia irons were slightly 'head heavy', but all were easy to launch. In terms of the bottom end of the bag, you get a bespoke sand wedge that worked well around the green, plus a fang-shaped putter which has a huge eye-catching head. Housed in a stylish blue trolley bag that’s really lightweight to lift in and out of your car trunk, the Magnolia Set is a really excellent offering from Wilson!
- Read our full Wilson Magnolia Women’s Package Set Review
How we test
Golf club sets are no exception when it comes to our testing ethos and methodology because we want to find the best golf clubs in the game.
We put sets to the test out on the course and over a number of rounds to see how they perform on different courses and in varying conditions. It is only through using each club out on the course and at the range that you can get an idea of how well something is made and how it performs.
Additionally we want to make very clear that no manufacturer can buy a good review because our testing team tells it how it is, and we often have to buy the sets ourselves to put them to the test.
How to choose
If you are new to the game and you are unsure what you need to be looking for, then here is some insight into the factors you should be considering when buying new clubs.
What comes in the set
The great thing about golf is if you want to buy single golf clubs for your bag you can, but you can also get entire sets with one purchase too. When doing the latter, it is worth checking which clubs come as part of the set to make sure you have all bases covered, and it is also worth getting a bag with the set too. You do not need to buy a full set when you're just starting out, as you can always add more specialist clubs (wedges for example) at a later date when you have honed your skills a bit more.
Quality
A common problem for beginner sets can be quality. Unlike the models we picked above, many can be poorly made and have issues with the head, shaft or grip, or even all three. You might think you are picking up something for a great price, but if you have to quickly replace it because clubs are broken or just not delivering on performance, then you are actually losing money. Therefore we would strongly advise that going for brands that are well-respected in the game of golf because the products will have been made properly, and have also been designed to give as much help to beginners as possible. Wilson and Callaway are especially strong names in this particular market.
Budget
Obviously there are different sets at different price points so it is worth thinking about whether you want to spend more or less here. This point also links with what comes in the set because the sets that come with bags, headcovers and so on, usually come with a higher price, but may end up saving you money in the long run if you were to go out and buy those items separately.
Forgiveness
The main factor when specifically looking at the clubs themselves is forgiveness. The most common problem for beginner players is mishit shots which limits distance and hinders accuracy. Beginner golf clubs are designed to have larger heads and sweet spots, and therefore more forgiveness to help players still make solid contact with the golf ball. A less forgiving club (those aimed at low handicap players for example) are not going to be much help to a new golfer.
FAQs
What is the exact price point for a good beginner set?
This is a difficult question to answer because some sets have been designed to come at a cheaper price point, whilst others are made by recognisable brands like TaylorMade or Callaway, and as a result come with a higher price. Realistically you can spend anywhere between $200 all the way to $1,000 so whilst this does not have an exact answer, we can say that you should be aware of how much you are willing to spend on a beginner set, and then choose accordingly.
What's the main difference between buying a set and buying clubs individually?
The main difference, or should we say advantage, of buying clubs individually is that you have a lot more freedom. There are lots of professionals out there who don't have equipment contracts because they want to be able to chop and change as they wish, and use different clubs they like the looks, performance and feel of. At the other end of the golfing spectrum, buying a set is ideal for beginners because it often saves a lot of time and money because all it requires is one purchase which can be very inexpensive as well.
What clubs should be in a beginner set?
A beginner to the game of golf needs to keep things simple and the same can be said for the clubs. Most good beginner sets, as a result, come with a driver, some kind of fairway wood or hybrid (or both), a half set of irons with regular loft gaps, some kind of wedge and obviously a putter. We usually see good beginner sets come with 9 or 11 clubs and once a player becomes better at the game then they can find out how to fill the last few spots in the bag.
Should a beginner get fitted?
At Golf Monthly we usually recommend most people get fitted for golf clubs these days but as far as beginner players go we think a better way to spend money is to invest in some lessons because this will allow them to get better faster. Once a beginner has started to improve and see some success with their shots, then would be a good time to think about getting fitted for a proper set of clubs.
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the best golf club sets for beginners. Additionally, we also recommend checking out our guide on the best golf club sets for kids if you want to get your children into the game, or some of the best golf drivers on the market.
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