Strata Men's vs MacGregor CG3000 Package Set: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict

A package set is one of the best ways to get in to the game of golf. Here, we compare two of the best around

Strata Men's vs MacGregor CG3000 Package Set
(Image credit: Future)

Strata Men's vs MacGregor CG3000 Package Set: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict

There are a number of package sets on the market, with the Strata Men's and MacGregor CG3000 ranking as some of the best golf club sets that money can buy. Both provide the basic equipment you need to start the game of golf, including a driver, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putter and golf bag for a fraction of the cost of a premium set.

Although these won't offer the same performance as the best golf drivers, best golf irons or best putters, they are perfect for those starting the game and don't want to splash the cash on a custom-fitted set that could set you back thousands of dollars.

Two of the best we've tested this year in terms of value for money come from Strata and MacGregor. Below, we take a look at which might be best suited for your requirements by comparing them side by side.

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Set composition

The Strata set includes a driver, three wood, two hybrids, 6-iron to sand wedge and a 35" blade putter for 11 clubs in total, so you can add up to three more of your own if you want it. You also receive a sturdy and stylish stand bag to house and transport the clubs in. Strata also offers a nine-piece set if you want to spend a little less, with all the clubs featuring a standard regular flex steel shaft, except in the driver and fairway wood which is graphite.

The MacGregor CG3000 package set competes with the Strata when it comes to what you get for your money as a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 6-iron to sand wedge, putter (10 clubs in total) and lightweight bag once again allows for possible expansion in your set. The entire CG3000 set (except the putter) is fitted with graphite shafts instead of steel, which is lighter and should help beginner golfers produce more swing speed and get the golf ball airborne more easily. The clubs come in basic cart bag that has plenty of pockets, a good number of dividers, a decent grab handle and a main strap for carrying.

Looks

Taking the MacGregor set out of the box, it doesn't quite have that premium look and feel we experienced with other sets like the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite package set or PXG's 0211 Z golf club set. However, the MacGregor offering comes in significantly cheaper at around $350. It also provides a lot of confidence at set up, as all the clubs have oversized profiles specifically designed for the novice player.

The driver features a handy alignment aid on the top, whilst the woods offer a lot of offset, a slicer's best friend. Along with the top end of the bag, the irons provide a thick topline, again with plenty of offset, while the putter has a fang shape with two long red sightlines that assist with aim as well as a shorter white line at the front that helps position and strike the ball centrally. 

The clubs in the Strata set also offers a generous amount of offset throughout, which should suit those who tend to slice the ball. As well as the offset, the irons are particularly impressive, as a chunky topline is very confidence-inspiring at address but it is worth noting that the faces of the irons do scuff quite easily. Off the tee, the driver is an appealing club to look down on, as you can see a lot of the face at address. The only let down of this set is the putter - there's no milling or insert on the face, which means the feel is quite hard and harsh.

Performance

Both sets pleasantly surprised us in terms of performance. In the Strata Men's set, the driver and irons in particular performed well. The provide a solid and powerful feel and high ball flight. The shafts do feel a little soft, which takes time to get used to if you swing with a decent amount of speed, but the forgiveness of the heads themselves is sky high. 

The only negative aspect, in the upper end of the bag at least, is that the two hybrids in the set are fitted with steel shafts rather than traditional graphite. This makes them feel a little hard work and they flighted the ball lower than we'd have liked - most of the best golf hybrid clubs are fitted with graphite shafts to make them lighter, straighter and easier to swing. The flat steel face on the putter meant that putts had a tendency to slide either to the right or left and, as a result, we would personally take a look at some of the best cheap putters on the market to replace it with.

The CG3000 set has a 13 degree driver, which sends the ball high and is a perfect amount of loft for a beginner that tends to swing the club slower. It also feels fantastic off the face, lively and reassuringly solid. The irons also have a superb amount of forgiveness, something that is needed for those starting out in the game, whilst the wedges and putters felt surprisingly responsive too. A slight negative is the fairway wood and hybrid, which didn't feel as springy off the face as we'd have liked. 

It's worth noting that the loft gapping is just right for a 10-club set. This means that beginners and high handicappers will have plenty of clubs at their disposal to hit for a wide range of yardages.

Overall appeal

Both these sets provide ample performance for new golfers at a superb price point, with the package sets certainly strong in most aspects golfers consider important. They're not perfect but at this price point, you can't expect too much and overall the value for money on offer here in both options is exceptional. 

The Strata offers a solid performing driver, irons, wedges and bag, which is lightweight and features plenty of pockets and excellent club storage in the top. The only downside is the putter but because you get 11 clubs with this set, it does allow for the option to add a new putter along with other clubs, like speciality wedges, to the set up.

It's a similar story with the 10-club set of the MacGregor CG3000, as the driver, irons and putter are a particular stand out. Again, the fairway woods and hybrid perform well, but don't feel overly fast, and we would customise the putter if we had the choice by adding one of the best putter grips to enhance the comfort and control.

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Strata Men's Package Set if…
- You feel the extra hybrid would be useful
- You want a decent stand bag included 
- You are happy to upgrade the putter separately

Choose the MacGregor CG3000 Package Set if... 
- You want a set of clubs that are easy to launch
- You need offset to fight a slice
- You plan to utilise the putter in the set

Elliott Heath
Senior Staff Writer

Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news, features, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Elliott has interviewed some huge names in the golf world including Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bernd Wiesberger and Scotty Cameron as well as a number of professionals on the DP World and PGA Tours. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as four Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats anywhere between 2-6. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max

Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max

Irons: Mizuno MP5 4-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

With contributions from