Best Golf Clubs for Beginners to Intermediate

Congratulations, if you have landed here then I’m guessing you need some help with choosing a set of golf clubs.  Getting the necessary gear can prove daunting and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.

If you’re a beginner or intermediate player, you probably don’t want to spend a huge chunk of change on expensive clubs. At the same time, you may be unsure of what exactly you need. Take a look at some of the best golf clubs for beginners to intermediate to remove some of your angst.

Golf Clubs for Beginners to Intermediate Reviews

Callaway Men’s Strata Complete Golf Set (12-Piece)

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Callaway has put together a very basic set for the new or intermediate golfer. This set gets you into the game relatively inexpensively. It also has some advanced engineering to help give you a bit more distance and accuracy with your shots. Each club has been designed to provide as large a sweet spot as possible to encourage you in your game.

The 12-piece set includes 1 driver, a fairway wood, a hybrid, 4 irons, a wedge, a putter, lightweight stand bag, and 2 head covers. Each shaft is made of graphite and has been designed to give you great distance with each drive.

The woods have been designed with lots of forgiveness and to provide exceptional distance; while the hybrid club has been developed with versatility in mind. Irons and wedges, with their perimeter weighting and modern sole width technology, will give you improved control. Finally, the putter, a mallet with T-style alignment gives great accuracy.

All this fits into a lightweight, durable stand bag which has 5 exterior pockets plus a cooler pocket, rain hood, and a backpack strap system. Although the fully loaded bag weighs about 17 pounds, the backpack style carrying strap makes it easier to tote around the course. The bag also has a fold-out stand that will keep it upright at an angle while you choose a club.

All in all, this is a relatively inexpensive set of good quality clubs from a well-known and respected manufacturer since 1982. All the basics are here to get you started in the sport and you can add clubs as your skills grow. However, the set does not include a sand wedge, so if you find yourself needing one, you will have to add that on your own.

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Pros

• Comes in right- and left-handed sets
• Has a fold-out stand to keep up at an angle
• Relatively inexpensive
• Black and silver with red accent bag very attractive
• Designed specifically for beginners and intermediate players
• Very professional looking

Cons

• No sand wedge included
• Driver may prove a little weak for some players
• Some players may prefer an older style putter

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Callaway Men’s Strata Ultimate Complete Golf Set (18-Piece)

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This golf set is another Callaway product, but contains 18 pieces: a driver, 2 fairway woods, 2 hybrids, 4 irons, 2 wedges, a putter, lightweight stand bag, and 5 head covers. All clubs have steel shafts.

The titanium driver is designed to give the beginner or intermediate player a large sweet spot and forgiveness to give the ability to get a great start from each tee. You can expect to get long distance drives from the tee with this driver.

The aerodynamic head shape of the woods will also give you lots of forgiveness and you may surprise yourself with the distances and accuracy you will achieve. The high flight technology of each stainless steel iron, wood, hybrid, and wedge gives more control, distance and is designed with forgiveness in mind.

The putter has been developed with precise face milling to give higher accuracy and distance control. Such engineering detail will help you sink those tough putts. The loaded stand bag weighs about 21 pounds and has exterior pockets, tee holders, and a carry back strap for more comfortable and easier carry around the golf course.

This bag also has a fold out stand to keep it upright while you choose your clubs. In addition, it has exterior pockets so you can take along extra balls, tees, and other things you may need on the course during a round of golf.

Overall, this 18-piece set provides the new golfer with a set of good quality clubs at a moderate price. However, this set includes 3 more clubs than Calloway’s 12-piece set and thus accounts for some of the price differential and weight differential between the two sets.

If you’re new to the game and are not too concerned with price, this set gives good versatility because of the additional clubs. But this set still does not include a sand wedge.

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Pros

• Good looking black and silver bag
• Has 3 more clubs than the 12-piece set
• Versatile set
• Moderately priced
• Works well with even tall players over 6 feet
• Available in men’s and women’s versions
• Available in left- and right-handed orientations

Cons

• Has no sand wedge
• Heavier bag to carry around

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Wilson Golf Men’s 2017 Ultra Complete Package Set

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Wilson, a long-time and much respected manufacturer of sports equipment, offers this Ultra Complete Package set. The set includes a driver, fairway wood, 4 hybrid irons (#6, #7, #8, and #9), a pitching wedge, a heel/toe putter, a carry bag and head covers.

These clubs were designed to help the beginner or the intermediate player get more distance. The large titanium driver uses a low center of gravity to give the ball that extra push into the air and get you that extra distance. The irons have perimeter weighting and the alignment putter helps to improve aim as well as distance.

The lightweight bag, at only 16 pounds, is ergonomically designed for comfort. In addition, it has a self-activating stand and several exterior pockets for additional gear. Made of durable material, it will stand out in a crowd with its black and yellow coloring.

This is a relatively inexpensive set of clubs to get you into the game. However, they are still good-quality clubs produced by a well-known manufacturer of sporting equipment. There is a good selection of basic clubs to cover just about any golfing situation the beginner will face. However, no sand wedge comes with this set either so you will have to buy one separately.

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Pros

• Self-activating stand
• Designed for the beginner or intermediate player
• Relatively inexpensive

Cons

• Has no sand wedge
• Comes in right-hand orientation only

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Callaway Men’s Strata Tour Complete Golf Set (18-Piece)

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Callaway offers this additional product aimed at beginner and intermediate golfers. More expensive than the other sets we’ve looked at, you might consider this a set for the more serious beginner.

This 18-piece set includes a driver, 2 fairway woods, 2 hybrids, 4 irons, 2 wedges, a putter, lightweight stand bag, and 5 head covers. The fully loaded bag weighs only weighs about 14 pounds and has a very professional look.

The driver has a quality titanium head with a large sweet spot. It’s designed for distance and forgiveness that will help you hit it farther off the tee, but the head could be a bit larger for the beginner.

The fairway woods have been developed with a very aerodynamic shape to give you those long, high shots. Stainless steel irons provide excellent performance and durability. Their modern engineering offers forgiveness and accuracy, both characteristics much appreciated by beginners and intermediate players alike.

The two hybrids, a 4H and a 5H, offer a very viable alternative to difficult long irons to give you confidence in your shots. Once again, the irons are engineered to provide both forgiveness and control on those difficult shots to give you the height and distance you need.

And the included mallet putter is of a more modern design that some players like very much. However, if you’re used to the older style putters, you may have to get used to this one. On the upside, it has a visual alignment aid to help you with sinking those tough shots.

All of this fits into the lightweight and durable stand bag. The bag has several exterior pockets, a cooler pocket, a rain hood and a backpack strap system for carrying your gear. And there’s plenty of room left to add anything else you may need for your game.

In the grand scheme of things, these are very good quality clubs. Made with titanium and stainless steel, these clubs will get you in the game with technology and style. Engineering and design have come together in this set to give a leg up to the beginner and help to encourage your game.

On the downside, this is a very expensive set when compared to some others we’ve looked at. So, if you’re on a budget, you may think twice before opting for these.

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Pros

• Attractive red, silver and black bag
• High technology
• Designed specifically for beginners and intermediate players
• Bag is light but sturdy
• Available in regular flex and stiff flex

Cons

• Very pricey when compared to other beginner sets
• Has no sand wedge
• Only comes in right-handed orientation
• Heads on irons could be more robust

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Conclusion

When it comes time to buy the gear that you need for your new attempt at golf, think very carefully about features and costs. If you’re on a budget, you can purchase a set of good quality clubs for relatively little money. If money is no consideration, of course you can find sets for as much as you want to spend.

Knowledge is also key here. If you don’t know exactly what types of clubs you need to take you through a round of golf, the sets come with the basics to get you started. Most sets contain the same types of clubs: drivers, fairway clubs, woods, wedges, hybrids, and putters. Some will include a few more of each than others. Most are made of stainless steel or graphite with a few constructed of titanium, a metal known for transferring power, thus giving you greater distances.

Beginner sets also come with clubs that have been designed with forgiveness in mind. That is, these clubs have been designed with elements that lessen the effects of bad swings and poor contact with the ball. As your skills improve, you may not need so much forgiveness, and can upgrade your clubs for design points that provide you with more power and distance.

The cart bags all run between 16 and 21 pounds fully loaded and all have exterior pockets for balls, tees, rags, and other accessories needed for the game. They all have carrying straps ergonomically designed to make carrying an easier task.

If you’re new to the sport, you may not want to spend a lot on a set of clubs because you may not be sure you’ll really like it. So opting for a less expensive set may be the way for you to go. If you discover you love the game, you’ll play more often and your game will improve. In that case, you always have the option of buying a better quality and more expensive set down the road.

On the other hand, if you have played in the past and loved it, or know you will love it again and don’t have to worry about budget, opt for the more expensive set. You’ll have the advantage of technology on your side and as a result will love the game even more as you experience success.

And if you really love it and don’t need to worry about costs, you always have the option of spending thousands of dollars on the best available gear. And who knows, you may even end up as a pro.