If you have been on any golf retailer sites, it should be reasonably clear that golf clubs can be very expensive. However, believe it or not, this doesn't have to be the case because there are high-quality clubs out there which won't break the bank.
This is where this guide comes in! Firstly, we have done a lot of thorough testing to see which are the best golf clubs money can buy for less than $500. Why this number you may ask? Well, it's primarily down to the fact that it is more realistic for most golfers to have that kind of money to spend on golf clubs compared to $1000 and above.
We also chose this number because, across all sections of clubs, from package sets, to drivers, to irons, $500 is a price for which you can still get very, very good models. If we went any lower in price, we would find it harder to recommend a good set of irons for example, because the cheaper you go in that section, the more likely the performance will diminish.
Below, we have taken a look through the best models for under $500 but, if you are looking for a specific aspect, why not also check out our best budget drivers, best budget irons, or even the best cheap putters.
Quick List
A functional set that helps get the ball airborne, the CG4000 Package Set from MacGregor is an excellent model for those wanting to start their golfing journey.
This is great value and expansive offering for beginner golfers. In testing the driver, hybrids and irons were super forgiving and offer plenty of distance.
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.
This is an excellent driver and the price makes it even more appealing. The combination of ball speed, adjustability, looks, and feel on offer here is fantastic.
This is a very impressive driver from Tour Edge. Feel is exceptional, ball speed comparable and this E725 can compete with almost anything on the market in terms of forgiveness.
An excellent all rounder that provides a good blend of distance and forgiveness. Add to that the aspirational aesthetics and powerful feel.
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This is an affordable, user-friendly iron aimed at the mid-to-high handicapper seeking an easier way to hit more greens. It may not be super long, but it is consistent and during testing proved to be one of the more accurate irons.
A mightily impressive lightweight iron set that is easy to launch and forgiving off center. Users should look up to see a high and consistent draw-biased ball flight while enjoying a springy, stable feel off the face.
With plenty of grind and bounce options, the Hi-Toe 4 is a versatile wedge that will suit a golfers of all abilities and playing styles. The new finish looks sleek and clean and will also appeal to many golfers.
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The Pro T-3 wedge provides a little more forgiveness than the Pro T-1 wedge whilst maintaining the high standard aesthetic that Mizuno are notorious for.
Wilson's Infinite Bucktown Putter provides decent forgiveness, ample alignment help and an all-round solid, stable feel. A great cost-effective option for golfers who enjoy a firmer feel.
This putter certainly performs on all lengths of putt while also providing a more refined look and solid feel. A premium model without the premium price.
Best Golf Clubs Under $500
Package Sets
We start with the CG4000 from MacGregor which replaced the CG3000, another package set that could've easily made this list. The 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.
When it came to testing the hitting of the clubs, 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 rather easily.
In the set you get a 460cc, 13-degree driver, an 18-degree fairway wood, and a 24-degree hybrid. Furthermore, there is a 6-iron through to sand wedge and a putter, with there also being a choice of a stand or cart bag. Overall, though, all the clubs have been designed with forgiveness in mind, as thick top lines and large heads provide ample confidence.
- Read our full MacGregor CG4000 Package Set Review
Strata Men's Golf Package Set
One of the best golf club sets on the market, you get a lot for your money with the Strata Men's Golf Package Set. Firstly, there are 11 clubs to choose from, as well as a nine piece set, and both feature a range of irons and hybrids.
The number of clubs means you can add more to the set, such as a lob wedge or sand wedge, with the overall performance very impressive. The particular stand-out came in the driver and iron department, with both aspects providing plenty of forgiveness and confidence-inspiring looks when you take the address position.
Although the putter is perhaps the only downside, you do also get a lightweight stand bag to hold all of your clubs. Along with the accessibility, there are a lot of pockets available which means you can store your necessities.
- Read our full Strata Men's Golf Package Set Review
Wilson Prostaff SGI Package Set
Our final set in this guide is from Wilson, the Prostaff SGI, which is a set you should consider if you are new to the game. The clubs in the set are large and forgiving, whilst the heads inspire confidence via thick top lines.
We begin with the lower portion of the bag, with the putter feeling very solid off the face. There is also a handy alignment aid on top to help with accuracy and, moving up to the wedges, both have a wide sole to help get out of a range of different lies.
Featuring a 10.5° driver, three wood, hybrid, 6-iron to sand wedge and an excellent putter to match, the cost is another plus as it comes in at an attractive price point, something which will appeal to those who are new to the game of golf.
- Read our full Wilson Prostaff SGI Package Set Review
Drivers
First up in the driver section we have the C725 driver from Tour Edge. A low-spinning, lower launching model, it has a premium aesthetic to it, despite its more budget-friendly price. This is thanks to the carbon fiber crown and a banner strip of matte black along the leading edge which looks excellent and frames the ball beautifully. The rounded profile looks good as does the head at address too.
Moving to performance, it really did compete well with the best drivers on the market. Ball speed and distance numbers didn't quite reach the top models, but it was pretty close. On top of the impressive numbers, I enjoyed the feel as well. It offered a lively combination of power and feedback, and the consistency of ball flight was notable as well.
Overall this is a very impressive driver. When you consider the speed, adjustability, premium visuals and the solid, powerful feel on offer here for $400, the value for money is genuinely exceptional.
- Read our full Tour Edge Exotics C725 Driver review
Tour Edge Exotics E725 Driver
Another Tour Edge driver worthy of inclusion here is the E725, which is the brands highest MOI driver ever. Performance wise it delivered, being right up there with the TaylorMade Qi35 Max in terms of forgiveness levels, and it was very competitive in terms of dispersion as well.
At impact the feedback and feel was excellent as well. It was lively enough to know you’ve struck one, but just absorbent enough to not offer any unpleasant feedback, and the sound matches.
Looks wise the driver suggests it is more premium than the price tag would suggest as well. It has a lovely carbon-fiber crown and the black strip really looks good along the leading edge, and it helped with alignment. It also has a pear-shaped look with a strong playing profile. Overall this is a high-quality driver at a very attractive price.
- Read our full Tour Edge Exotics E725 Driver Review
Mizuno ST-Z 230 Driver
Mizuno has introduced an array of new features to maximize the potential of the ST-Z 230, with the development coming in the shape of a new CORTECH Chamber that encases a stainless-steel weight with elastomeric TPU. In testing, and through impact, it delivered a very powerful, lively sensation.
Distance-wise, it was extremely solid, with a high launch and ample spin putting it in a comfortable window during testing. What really stood out though, to us, was the playability, even on off-centre strikes it still had that high launch and a good amount of distance. Certainly, this puts it in the most forgiving driver category.
Aesthetically, we also loved the way the ST-Z 230 looks, with the Mizuno-blue finish on the sole (which highlights the CORTECH Chamber), making it look high-tech and premium. This only adds to the shelf appeal and the performance on offer.
- Read our full Mizuno ST-Z 230 Driver Review
Irons
Cleveland are known for producing some of the best golf wedges on the market, but they also know a thing or two about forgiving irons, with the Launcher XL arguably one of the most forgiving irons that money can buy.
To begin with, at address, the iron is extremely long from heel to toe and, although that may not suit all, it will certainly inspire confidence as there is plenty of club available for the strike. Also, thanks to a V-Shaped sole, it interacts with the turf well and, in our testing, it encouraged us to attack the ball by hitting downward.
The feel at the point of strike is also notably satisfying - the ball fizzes off on a strong trajectory with notable stability. We really saw the forgiveness on off-centre strikes, as the flight kept its line well.
- Read our full Cleveland Launcher XL Iron Review
Cobra Air-X Irons
Lightweight and forgiving, these irons should help average golfers swing the club faster for longer carries, assisted by increased perimeter weighting of the heads themselves. In testing, this claim was certainly backed up, with the Air-X an absolute pleasure to hit.
Despite not being aimed at ‘stronger’ players, we were still able to strike long and accurate approach shots, with the flight of the ball extremely consistent. What's more, the stable feel off the face and the resulting ball flight will appeal to a wide range of golfers, especially those who struggle to get the ball airborne.
The last point is the aesthetics, which we were really impressed with. Featuring flashes of red which will pop off the shelf, there is a thick topline and wide sole, with the generous amount of offset helping those who slice the golf ball. What we really liked was how the amount of offset is progressive, so the short irons have less of it and therefore look better in the playing position.
- Read our full Cobra Air-X Irons Review
Wedges
Now, in it's 4th iteration, the Hi-Toe 4 Wedge offers maximum versatility, performance and some significant improvements over it's predecessor—the Hi-Toe 3 wedge.
Right out of the box, we noticed the face and groove pattern is the same as those found on the TaylorMade MG4 wedges, which we consider one of the top models for spin control. We were big fans of the new aesthetics here, with the copper finish combining nicely with the raw face.
Thanks to the new Spin Tread technology on the face, we achieved remarkably high levels of spin and control from both the fairway and the rough. We tested the ATC grind option with 8° of bounce which made enabled us to slide our club under the ball easily and land the ball softly with spin. It allowed us to be creative around the green and we think this grind could easily be considered one of the most forgiving wedges on the market.
- Read our full TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 Wedge Review
Mizuno Pro T-3 Wedge
If you enjoy the look of Mizuno irons, you'll almost certainly love the visual package on offer from the Pro T-3 wedge. It has a shallow cavity design which offers more forgiveness, whilst the longer blade length is designed to help with turf interaction.
It’s by no means intrusive or as large as some of the most forgiving wedges but more so offers greater leeway on strike that not all of the best wedges for low handicappers do.
Unsurprisingly, this is a fantastic looking golf club and looks identical to the beautiful Pro S3 irons released earlier this year. As far as wedges go, the Mizuno Pro T-3 is like a Swiss Army Knife. It was excellent out of the rough and uneven lies and is available in three different grinds o no matter what turf type you regularly play on, there will be a model to accommodate it.
- Read our full Mizuno Pro T-3 Wedge Review
Putters
Wilson’s hardware doesn't get the attention it deserves. This is especially true for its Infinite range which we have tested several clubs, and one of our absolute favorites is the Bucktown.
The mallet putter's stock Pistol Karakal flat-sided grip felt comfortable in our hands and overall the putter had a solid, stable feel to it. This firm sensation would pair nicely with a soft, low compression golf ball. The strike pattern is very helpful and is perfect for mid-to-high handicappers.
We liked the alignment on offer here as well. The white lines on the head contrast with the black finish beautifully, and the middle of the three is slightly thicker to help center the ball at address.
On the whole, we think this is an incredibly well-balanced model that will definitely help golfers set the face square and see their stroke path more clearly. And obviously with its inclusion in this guide, the price point is attractive too.
- Read our full Wilson Infinite Bucktown Putter review
TaylorMade TP Hydro Blast Bandon 3 Putter
Despite looking like a premium model, the Bandon 3 putter from TaylorMade comes with a comparatively small price tag, making it a worthy addition to this list. When hitting putts it feels solid and offers up a surprisingly firm and loud sound at impact given the deep grooves on the face insert. This remained consistent across its length and the speed was enough to impart a short, controlled stroke and still get the ball to the hole.
In terms of aesthetics, we loved the sandstone finish of the head because it really looks premium. Indeed the putter sits flush to the ground and the winged shape helps players square the club to the golf ball at impact too.
Overall, we felt it had a similar feel to a blade putter but in a mallet form which means it may suit a wide range of players.
- Read our full TaylorMade TP Hydro Blast Bandon 3 Putter Review
How we test golf clubs
Our testing for golf clubs is built upon a comprehensive process combined with the knowledge and expertise of the Golf Monthly test team. Our team usually attend product launches and then when it comes to our actual testing, we first try clubs in a controlled environment. This usually takes place on an indoor simulator at Foresight Sports, with premium balls and the GCQuad launch monitor.
Next up is outdoor testing, which normally takes place at several different golf clubs. We think it is vitally important to do both and continue to test the clubs so they have been comprehensively put to the test in different conditions. It should also be mentioned that manufacturers cannot pay for a good review and we make our conclusions from the testing and our experiences. This is because we strive to give the best reviews possible so you can get a greater understanding of the clubs themselves.
FAQs
What is the best budget golf set?
At Golf Monthly we have tested a lot of golf package sets at different price points, and specifically lots of models that fit into that budget bracket. As such there are plenty of models to choose from but our top pick is the Strata Package Set, which comes in 12 and 14-piece designs. That being said the MacGregor CG4000 and Wilson Prostaff SGI sets are also models with good performance and budget prices.
