Buying guide for best golf club sets
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Golf is a difficult sport to master, so if you’re just getting started, you’ll want to focus on the basics. A beginner set of clubs is the best way to do that because it gives you everything you need for a complete 18-hole round.
A complete set includes a driver, hybrid woods, fairway woods, irons and a putter, but make sure each one consistently gives you enough launch and distance. And you’ll want one that offers forgiveness with every club to help you nail the basics on the course.
After researching dozens of options, our top choice for new golfers is the Callaway Golf Men's Strata Complete Set, a popular men’s sets that's consistently praised for its consistency and high-quality design.
Editors' picks
Callaway Strata Ultimate Men’s Complete Golf Set
Editors' Favorite
Hand: Rights | Shaft: Steel | Flex: Regular | Number of Clubs: 16
Neatly packaged in a black-and-blue Strata carry bag, this golf club set features a wide selection for those who want to experiment with shots, lofts and angles. The included driver has a steel shaft and a 12-degree titanium head with a large sweet spot. That makes it easy to hit straight and true, decreasing the strokes needed to finish the hole.
The fairway woods have a more aerodynamic head shape for increased distance while gaining loft, and the titanium-head hybrid clubs are a nice alternative to flat-faced irons. The complete set includes four headcovers, a 46-degree pitching wedge and a 3.5-degree putter.
Precise M5 Men's Complete Golf Clubs
Great Value
Hand: Left | Shaft: Graphite | Flex: Regular | Number of Clubs: 9
Left-handed players rejoice: This is one of the best sets you could ask for. It’s often difficult to find a set for lefties, but this graphite and True Temper Steel set includes all the clubs you need to get from the tee to the green.
It includes a large 460cc driver with a loft angle of 10.5 degrees for extensive distances with lots of forgiveness. So even if you don’t connect the ball accurately, there’s a good chance it will pull in the right direction.
In addition to a multi-pocketed club bag, you also get 3-wood, 21-Hybrid and 5-9 irons. While there’s no sand wedge, it includes a pitching wedge, a putter with aiming assistance and three headcovers.
Wilson Profile SGI Men's Complete Golf Club Package Set
Best for Beginners Needing Custom Sizing
Hand: Right | Shaft: Graphite | Flex: Regular | Number of Clubs: 13
If you want a set of clubs you can customize to perfection, the Wilson Profile SGI Men's Complete Golf Club Package Set is worth a look. They’re best for beginners who want to customize based on size, flex and hand orientation.
The low center of gravity helps improve distance and accuracy, especially for golfers with slower swings. It includes everything you need for a full round of golf, including a sand wedge with very low weighting and a wide sole for better control around greens. The carry bag is also top-tier compared to many beginner sets, with breathable straps, a self-activating stand and multiple pockets.
It doesn't get much better than this if you’re a beginner or novice golfer. The fact that you can customize this set makes it one of the best options if you’re serious about improving your game.
Callaway XR 13-Piece Complete Set
Best Premium Set for Committed Beginners
Hand: Right | Shaft: Alloy Steel | Flex: Regular | Number of Clubs: 13
Although it’s an older set from 2023, the Callaway XR 13-Piece Complete Set is an excellent value pick for intermediate or beginners who want a reliable set of clubs. It’s on the higher end for a beginner set, so it’s best for players who already have a feel for the game.
Each club’s shaft is made of alloy steel, and the regular flex suits most players. You’ll get plenty of launch and more forgiveness on off-center shots, meaning straighter shots even when your swing isn’t perfect.
Even if you’re a little more experienced than a novice golfer, these clubs are a solid set for weekend play or rounds with friends. They’re also a great choice if you have a slower swing speed.
Cobra Fly-XL Men's Complete Golf Set
Best Performance Under $1000
Hand: Right | Shaft: Graphite | Flex: Regular | Number of Clubs: 13
We love the 2024 Cobra Fly-XL Men's Complete Golf Set for beginners and novice golfers who want a complete, more forgiving set. It includes 13 clubs, including a putter, two hybrid woods and two fairway woods, so you’ll have everything you need for a full round.
These lightweight, forgiving clubs deliver solid launch and distance. Each club uses advanced technology to improve consistency, and the driver features an oversized head and heel-biased weighting to help you get longer, straighter drives.
It’s a fantastic entry-level set for new golfers who want clubs that make the game easier to learn. Experienced golfers will probably prefer a more comprehensive set, but it’s a great choice for any novice player.
Types of golf clubs
Before purchasing a men’s golf club set, find out what’s included. Note that when a manufacturer says a set has a certain number of pieces, that number includes every item in the set, including the bag and headcovers.
Woods
Woods are golf clubs designed to hit the ball long distances. The club face on a wood has the shallowest angle of any golf club type other than the putter, allowing for less loft and more distance. Woods include drivers, fairway woods and hybrid woods.
- Driver: A driver is made for use off the tee and delivers the most distance. It can be tougher to control than other woods. Drivers have differing loft angles, the most common being 10.5 degrees.
- Fairway wood: You can use fairway wood off the ground or off the tee. It doesn’t deliver the distance of a driver, but it’s a little easier to control.
- Hybrid: A hybrid wood incorporates the benefits of a wood and an iron. It’s the easiest type of wood to control, but it doesn’t offer the distance of other woods.
Irons
An iron has an angled face that lets you make more precise shots than woods. You use an iron off the ground most of the time, but you also can use it off the tee on shorter holes. The face of the iron is grooved to put backspin on the golf ball so it stops quickly after hitting the ground.
The number on the iron indicates the angle of the club face to the ground. An iron with a low number has a wider angle; an iron with a higher number has a sharper angle. Irons in a set typically run consecutively from a 3-iron to a 9-iron.
An iron with a low number, such as a 3-iron, has a shallow angle and is designed for distance and a lower ball trajectory. You might be able to find a 1-iron (extremely rare) or 2-iron (less rare, but far from common) for sale, but few golfers carry them today.
An iron with a high number, such as a 9-iron, has a sharp angle that delivers a high trajectory, yielding a higher level of accuracy over a shorter distance.
Wedge
Wedges, such as pitching wedges or sand wedges, are also irons, but they are unnumbered. Wedges have a sharper angle and higher trajectory than 9-irons. They are typically used to chip balls onto the green when no other club is suitable. A sand wedge, on the other hand, is used exclusively to dislodge and lift golf balls out of sand traps and bunkers.
Putter
Putters are flat-headed golf clubs used only on the green. It creates no lift and pushes the ball on the smooth grass. Once the ball lands on the green, a putter is used to direct the ball into the cup, completing the hole.
Gear
If a men’s golf club set has 14, 16, or 18 pieces, that number probably includes other gear besides the clubs.
- Golf bag: You’ll want a bag to carry your clubs, regardless of whether you’re carrying it or using a cart. The bag has a strap so you can carry it over your shoulder. Nearly all entry-level golf club sets include a bag.
- Headcovers: A headcover (sometimes called a sock) is a sleeve that fits over the head on woods and drivers. You can find them in almost limitless styles, designs and colors. The headcover protects the club head from scratches and collisions with other clubs while exuding a bit of personal style.
What to look for in a quality set of golf clubs
Material
The majority of golf clubs are made of a blend of metals including aluminum, zinc, graphite, steel and titanium. Aluminum and zinc are usually only used in the most budget-friendly beginner clubs. Most casual and serious players may want to avoid them.
Those looking for something affordable that offers greater durability and better quality than aluminum or zinc will want to consider stainless steel clubs. Just know that these tend to be heavy. That’s okay for players with fast swings looking to maximize their power, but it may feel unwieldy to others.
Graphite clubs can be pricey, but they’re significantly lighter and more flexible than steel. This combination of properties makes them suitable for beginners and others who don't have a lot of power in their swings. The reason: It can help increase clubhead speed, which translates to more distance.
Tour professionals and serious players often choose titanium clubs because they’re more durable than graphite and lighter than stainless steel. Manufacturers craft them with very large heads, which makes them forgiving of mishits but not very heavy. When buying a set of clubs, note that they may not always be made from the same material.
For example, you may find that the included irons are made of stainless steel, but the drivers are graphite or some other combination of metals.
Loft
Not all clubs have the same type of loft, and loft is key to how a club plays. You'll experience a different ball trajectory when hitting with two woods or irons of different lofts, and the ball will travel a different distance.
Some players prefer a higher loft; others like a lower loft across their set. If you tend to hit your balls with a flat trajectory, you’d probably fare better using clubs with a higher loft (and vice versa for those who tend to pop their balls up too high).
Bag
Most golf club sets come with a bag. Whether you walk the course or not, it’s a good idea to have a bag that travels well. It should be lightweight with comfortable carrying straps.
It should also have enough dividers to keep your clubs organized and several pockets for balls, tees and any other accessories in tow. Ideally, there will be enough room to add a couple of clubs as you expand your set.
Headcovers
Keep your club heads protected when not in use. This is especially true for woods, which damage easily. Some sets include head protectors; others require you to purchase them separately.
Men’s golf club set prices
You can expect to pay between $200 and $1,500 or more for a men’s golf club set. Price varies with the number of included pieces as well as quality. Generally, entry-level men’s golf club sets with more clubs cost more than sets with fewer clubs.
Woods tend to cost more than irons in these sets. So, if a set has three woods instead of two, it probably costs more. Also, not all men’s golf club sets include a putter. Adding this club tacks on another $25 to $300, depending on whether it’s an entry-level or advanced putter.
Beginner
A complete set of entry-level men’s golf clubs for an average player costs anywhere from $200 to $1,000.
Advanced
Players of advanced skill usually buy irons and woods separately. It can cost $1,500 or more to assemble a full set.
Other costs
Even if you have all the clubs you need to play, there are other costs involved with golf.
- Golf balls cost between $20 and $60 per dozen.
- Tees cost a few dollars for a bag of 50 or 100.
- A round of golf at a golf course can cost anywhere from $20 to $300, depending on the course.
- Hitting a few dozen practice balls at a driving range can cost you $5 to $15.
How we analyzed
It’s challenging to compare golf club sets, as plenty of factors can make or break a set. Most of the time, it’s subjective and based on the player’s preference and characteristics. For example, one of the greatest golfers, Rory McIlroy, uses the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver. It’s an excellent club, but it retails for about $600, placing it out of reach for many.
For the purpose of price parity, accessibility and skill level, we analyzed 10 golf club sets for this list. We looked at price in relation to shaft material and flex. We also looked at whether the club is available for right-handed and left-handed players, the overall quality of the complete set and whether it’s a good value for the money according to the specified skill level.
Tips
- When comparing the prices of sets with various numbers of pieces, look at what’s included in each set. Figure out whether you’re paying for extra clubs or inexpensive headcovers.
- If you’re a golf beginner who’s less accurate and consistent with irons, note that having a set that doesn’t include even-numbered irons shouldn’t hamper your game much.
- For most beginners, a large set is probably more than you need. However, if you’ve played several rounds of golf already, a large entry-level set might better fit your needs.
- Expensive golf clubs often have features only experienced players can use successfully. Entry-level golf club sets suit most beginning players just fine.
- Players new to the game should avoid blade-style irons and opt for clubs with cavity backs. They help you get the ball in the air more easily and are better suited for beginners.
FAQ
Q. How many golf clubs do I need to start playing?
A. Beginner men’s golf club sets vary from just a few to 14 clubs. Carrying more clubs gives you the ability to make more precise shots. But a set with more clubs is also heavier to carry, and it costs more. You could probably carry five to seven clubs as a beginner with relative success. Experienced players often carry 14 clubs, which is the maximum allowed by the rules of golf.
Q. Why do some golf club sets cost so little compared to some individual clubs?
A. Golf clubs sold in sets are often aimed at beginners. They don’t have the advanced engineering or high-end materials of expensive clubs. Beginners can still enjoy learning the game with an inexpensive set of golf clubs. Advanced players benefit from the quality of higher-priced clubs that enhance their precise control of the ball.
Q. What are some other options if I don’t want to buy an entire golf club set?
A. Some golfers pick their favorite brands and models of clubs and put together their own set. Perhaps you have a favorite driver you want to pair with irons from another manufacturer. Or maybe you want a certain type of golf bag that simply isn’t available in a set. There’s no rule that says you have to use all of the same brands and models of clubs from woods to irons to putters.
Q. How do I know which clubs to use and when?
A. The best way to figure out how far you can hit each club is by going to a driving range and practicing. An average golfer can hit an 8-iron about 125 to 140 yards, for example. But an inexperienced player probably won’t be able to match that distance at first.
On the golf course, determine how far you are from the pin by using a GPS system or markers on the course. Then, decide which club to use based on your practice sessions.
Q. How long do golf clubs last?
A. As with anything, the longevity of a club depends on how often you use it and how it’s treated. Most clubs last between five and seven years. But if you play often, you may have to replace them in as little as three years. And if you only play once in a while, a good set could last you 10 years.
Q. What brands of golf clubs are best?
A. Because golf has been around for such a long time, several golf club brands have become popular in the golf world. Many people like those made by TaylorMade, Callaway, Strata (made by Callaway) and Top-Flite.
