The Best Golf Clubs For Beginners, According To Golf Pros And Players

Club count: 14 | Shaft material: Graphite/steel combo | Flex: Regular | Bag included: No | Left hand available: Yes

Not only is Callaway a top trusted brand in golf, but this particular set comes recommended by Forbes Vetted’s director of strategy Lindsay Boyers, who cohosts an annual charity golf event with her golf enthusiast fiancé. “This set is great for beginners because the clubs are designed for maximum forgiveness,” she says. “It includes a large driver and perimeter-weighted irons, which provide greater stability and a larger sweet spot. This allows you to make better contact with the ball and get more distance, even if your swing needs some work,” she adds.

You’ll find that it comes with everything you need to get started right away so you don’t have to piece your own set together; in addition to 14 clubs, it includes protective headcovers and a lightweight stand bag to tote your equipment around the golf course. It also comes in both right- and left-hand versions, and with options for both men and women (however, we recommend the brand’s Reva set for women, also on this list). While there’s also a 12-piece Strata Plus set for about $100 less, Boyers suggests the 14-club bundle, since it offers excellent value. If you want two more additional clubs, there’s a 16-piece set, as well.

Club count: 9 | Shaft material: Graphite/steel | Flex: Stiff, regular, senior | Bag included: Yes | Left hand available: Yes

If you want a complete set of golf clubs and don’t want to spend much cash, this Top Flite set is a real ace. While the most fully-stocked golf bag have 14 clubs, experts agree that most new golfers won’t use nearly that many. “Newer golfers typically use five to seven clubs per round,” says Justan Johnson, PGA associate and golf instructor at Troon Golf Administration, so this nine-piece set will certainly suffice. The driver is made from a composite titanium material and measures a whopping 460 cubic centimeters—the largest driver size allowed by the USGA. And it’s a size that ensures maximum connectivity and power delivery. Plus, it’s a size most new golfers prefer.

Once you’re on the green, you’ll appreciate the visual markers etched into the putter that help you line the head up for a clean, well-aimed tap. And as you move between holes, you’ll take full advantage of the included bag’s many pockets and its broad carrying strap. You won’t get hundreds of rounds out of these clubs—they’re just not as durable as beginner sets that cost twice as much. But if you want to hit the course with your own set and give golf a try, this is a smart buy. 

Club count: 6 | Shaft material: Graphite | Flex: Light | Bag included: Yes | Left hand available: Yes

Any woman looking to hit the course with top-quality gear in hand should choose clubs specifically designed for female athletes, and this Callaway set fits the bill perfectly. It features a flexible driver shaft, irons tailored to match the average female swing speed and a putter inspired by insights from LPGA pros. Essentially, it’s a set built to help women succeed on the course.

“My students have almost exclusively been women, and keeping that in mind, I cannot recommend the Callaway Women’s Reva complete set more highly,” says golf instructor Douglas Bennink of TeachMe.To. “This set gives the beginner golfer the confidence to move from the practice range to the course in one fell swoop.” It’s worth mentioning there are just six clubs in this set, which is sufficient for most golfers but hardly ample, and it isn’t a cheap set either. Still, if you find yourself in need of a club as your game levels up, you can simply add it to the mix—these grow with you, so there’s no need to replace them as you get better.

Club count: 10 | Shaft material: Graphite, steel | Flex: Stiff, regular | Bag included: Yes | Left hand available: Yes

Callaway’s XR line is specifically aimed at mid-to-high handicappers looking for distance and easy-to-hit clubs. It’s not a cheap set, but if you’re struggling to improve your score, you’ll want to get your hands on top-notch clubs designed to be forgiving and easy to use. Callaway’s XR irons in particular are well-suited for high handicappers because they are designed as game-improvement irons, offering features like a large sweet spot, forgiving face technology and a high launch trajectory. All of these factors make them easy to use, help you get the ball in the air and down the fairway with more reliability, each and every swing. 

The fairway woods are also designed with forgiveness in mind, featuring a channel that helps send a ball straight down the line even after an off-center hit. And the massive 460cc driver will help you gain extra yardage off the tee. Finally, a putter designed for precision and control will help you inch closer to—and someday below—par. Again, these clubs are on the expensive side for a beginner set, but if you’ve been out on the links enough times to know you need better gear, go ahead and treat yourself.

Club count: 7 | Shaft material: Graphite | Flex: Regular | Bag included: Yes | Left hand available: Yes

This set from Tour Edge is available in different sizes for different age ranges, including kids three to six, five to eight, seven to 10, nine to 12 and 11 to 14, so no matter how young your aspiring golfer may be, you can match them with a set that fits just right. There are the seven classic clubs needed to constitute a complete set here, including a driver with a 350cc head—a great size for young players. Meanwhile, the irons have oversized heads with extra large sweet spots that make it easier to strike the ball with accuracy.

The included golf bag has plenty of pockets and a built-in stand, and it features a dual-strap carry system that helps evenly distribute the weight. The driver isn’t all that durable, as evidenced by several verified buyers who reported signs of damage with moderate use, so if you have a young golfer who seems committed to the hobby, consider leveling up. Otherwise, this is a fantastic set that helps them learn the basics without burning a hole in your pocket.

Club count: 12 | Shaft material: Graphite | Flex: Senior | Bag included: Yes | Left hand available: No

The “senior” golf club flex is specifically designed for older golfers with swing speeds between 70 and 85 miles per hour. It offers a good balance of flexibility and weight, making it easier to generate club speed and send the ball a good distance. And of course, it’s the exact flex you’ll find in this 12-club set from Tour Edge. The total number of clubs means you can always choose the best tool for the shot at hand, whether you’re teeing off, halfway down the fairway or digging your ball out of a bunker.

Many golfers who have used these Bazooka clubs call them forgiving and comfortable, though we do have to flag that among the many five-star reviews, several people reported breaking the heads off their irons during normal play. Obviously, this isn’t what you want to see when you shell out $600 for a new set, but these occurrences are rare, and Tour Edge offers a lifetime warranty on its clubs for added peace of mind.