The essential beginner set
A great starter bag is about 8 to 10 clubs:
- Driverforgiving and high-launching (driver fitting)
- A fairway wood or hybrideasier off the tee and turf than long irons (wood & hybrid fitting)
- Irons 6 to PWgame-improvement cavity backs (iron fitting)
- A sand wedge (~56°)for bunkers and greenside shots (wedge fitting)
- A puttera forgiving mallet is the easiest to start with (putter fitting)
Prioritize forgiveness over everything
As a beginner, the most important quality in every club is forgivenesshow well the club holds up on off-center hits. Game-improvement irons, high-MOI drivers, and mallet putters all make mishits less punishing, which means more solid shots and faster improvement.
Should a beginner buy new or used?
Used clubs are a smart way to start: you can get quality, only-slightly-older game-improvement gear for a fraction of new. Once you know you’re sticking with the game, upgrade the clubs you use most. See our new vs. used guide.
Get a free beginner-friendly recommendation
Select “Beginner” and your budget, and we’ll build a forgiving, current-model starter set matched to your game: with new and pre-owned options for each club.