What does a good set of golf clubs include?

julz: What does a good set of golf clubs include?
My husband wants to take up golf and is looking for a set of clubs. Which clubs–irons, woods and putters, and sizes–should he start off with?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Jared M
They are usually 3-PW. That includes, 3 Iron, 4 Iron, 5 Iron, 6 Iron, 7 Iron, 8 Iron, 9 Iron, and Pitching Wedge.

You can customize most nice sets too as long as you keep it to 8 irons, but you will be charged extra for any additional clubs. For example, if you don’t want a 3 Iron, but want a SW, you can substitute. Or if you want 3-PW and a SW, you will pay an extra $ 110 or so (depending on the club) for the SW.

Answer by knh959
If he’s just starting out I would suggest that he not spend a huge amount of money on equipment. He may decide the game isn’t for him. Having said that, this is what he should have to start off. Driver and 3 wood. Irons should include 5,6,7,8,9, Pitching Wedge, Sand wedge and a putter. The rules of golf allow him to carry a total of 14 clubs so what I’ve listed above will leave him room in his bag to add additional clubs as he becomes more comfortable with the game. Assuming your husband is of average height, he should be able to buy off the rack clubs. I’d suggest he look for a good quality used set. You could try e-bay or if that’s not an option, many golf retailers sell used clubs. He could also check around a local course to see whether a member might have a set for sale. If he wants to go new, then he should visit a retailer and try out different brands to see what works best for him. Golf equipment can get quite expensive so he needs to be prepared to put out five or six hundred dollars at a minimum for a ‘fair’ quality new set. Top of the line sets (iron sets, woods and putters are generally sold separately) can be well over a thousand dollars initial outlay so he does need to be sure that he’s getting what he likes and not what the salesman is trying to sell him.

Best of luck, golf is a great game.

Answer by obx_surf_lover
3-pw, driver, 3 wood, 56 and 60 degree wedge, putter. Thats 13 clubs….you are only supposed to carry 14 (golf rules) so you have room for any 1 “comfort” club of your choice. could be a 5 wood, 2 iron, different loft wedge. I personally carry a 3rd wedge because there are much more different shots to make within 100 yds of the green than there are from the tee.

Answer by JOSEPHLB
Everyone suggesting a 3 or 4 iron, may be a little way off base, honestly. A beginning golfer isn’t going to generate enough clubhead speed to be able to succesfully hit a 3 iron.. or possible a 4 iron..

An idea set makeup for a beginner would consist of:

Driver – 11.5 degress of loft.. No less. Loft = more carry distances.. higher loft = helps negate any sidespin..

Woods = Avoid the #3 Wood.. most beginners honestly cannot hit the #3 wood.. most of them are tall faced and are hard to hit from the fairway lies.. I would go with a #4 (17 degrees) or a #5 (19 degrees) for your first long fairway wood.

Irons : Alot of sets today go 4-PW.. a decade or more ago.. it was 3-PW..
What is happening is lofts are being jacked up, for longer distances.. at least the manufacturers are claiming this..
Todays 4 iron has the same loft as a 3 iron from ten years ago. As a beginner I would avoid a set of irons that has a 3 iron.. and possible a 4 iron. This is where hybrids come in for your #3 and #4 iron replacements. I would go with a #3 and #4 hybrid for your long irons. They are easier to hit than the traditional #3 and #4 irons. Next, you would start your traditional irons at the #5 through the PW (pitching wedge).

Add a SW (sand wedge ) and putter.. and you have a good makeup for a beginners set.
The reason I do not suggest the GW (gap wedge) and the LW (lob wedge) are:
LW is a tricky club to hit, due to bounce angle of the club.
Also, I do not suggest a GW due to its really an unnecessary addtion to the total number of clubs you need. What happens is, you get confused on club selection, due to so many clubs in the bag. You can achieve the same distance of the GW, by using only a 3/4 swing with a pitching wedge (PW). As a beginner.. you want to make golf fun.. not more confusing by having so many clubs to choose from.

So.. to sum it up:

Driver – 11.5 degrees, Regular flex shaft, graphite

5W – 19 degress, Regular flex shaft, graphite

#3 & #4 Hybrids – 21 and 24 degress, Regular flex shaft, steel

#5-PW & SW – Regular flex shaft, steel

Putter

Avoid shafts that are labeled as “High bend point” or “High kick point”. These produce a low trajectory and are not really ideal for a high handicapper / beginner.

Look for a “Low kick point” or “Low bend point” for your shafts.

Answer by James N
it all depends on it you are buying a full set or an iron set a full set would consite of a driver, 3wd ,5wd,3-pw, and a putter but some full sets instead of having a 3 and 4 iron they have hybirds and an iron set consite of 3-pw