Beginning playing golf is difficult. The sport itself isn't easy, that's why we love it so much, but for beginners even selecting the right clubs to buy can feel like a daunting task. With so many different clubs and brands it's easy to feel overwhelmed by it all. That's why we'd encourage anyone beginning their golf adventure to opt for a package set.
To make the task of choosing the right set as easy as possible, we've put together this guide of our favorite sets that we've tested to help guide you through the process. We've tested sets across a range of brands and price points to help with your selection, but we'd encourage you to have a read of our guide on how to choose golf clubs for beginners first - it will walk you through what type of clubs to buy, whether you need them custom-fitted, and how much you should look to spend.
VIDEO: We run through the best golf clubs sets for beginners
The best golf club sets are designed for new players and all the clubs in the bag will provide plenty of forgiveness. These clubs will have slightly chunkier heads to inspire confidence, sporting thicker top lines and weighing less than regular clubs. Not all of these sets will include 14 clubs, but they'll all have what you need to get going: a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, irons and a putter.
If you'd rather buy your clubs separately, and spend a bit more money in the process, check out our guides on the best golf irons for beginners or the best game improvement irons to find clubs that can take you to the next level.
The Quick List
An outstanding package set from Callaway that offers exceptional performance right through the bag from driver to putter. We especially loved how easy to hit the irons and woods were.
We found that the driver, hybrids and irons were all forgiving while offering plenty of distance, making this a great value and expansive set for beginners.
Combining mart looks with ample forgiveness, this impressive 12-club line up from TaylorMade delivers a superb all-round performance.
With its modest price tag that delivers a lot for your money, the Wilson Prostaff SGI is an impressive set that will definitely suit the golfer beginning his/her journey.
With an impressive driver and some strong, forgiving irons, this is an impressive set that looks sensational. While we suspect the good looks might fade quite rapidly, their good performance levels will certainly remain.
For those just getting into the game and want a new, good-quality set as a starting point, the Cobra Fly XL package set is a superb option.
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One of the best sets we’ve tested for beginners, we'd recommend these clubs to anyone who is new to the game. It is a package set that offers excellent performance for the money.
These functional, easy-to-use clubs from MacGregor really impressed us with their ability to get the ball up in the air, making the set an excellent option for those looking to begin their golfing journey.
This is a high end package set with very appealing looks that will flatter your ability if you're new to the game, thus helping you enjoy your time on the course so much more.
This all-encompassing 16-piece package set from Strata is perfect for beginners or lady golfers wanting something more user-friendly. In our view this is the best package set for high handicap women golfers or those just starting out.
The Reva is engineered for premium performance, it is luxurious in looks and is made from high-quality components. In short, it's the Aston Martin of women's package sets.
A near-perfect introduction to the game for the beginner and keen improver, the Magnolia has everything you need from tee-to-green plus a complementing trolley bag in a stylish blue.
Best Golf Club Sets For Beginners
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Top pick
The Callaway XR Package set is our top pick for beginner sets
After just minutes of testing, we already knew the Callaway XR Package Set was one of the best golf club sets out there. The premium-feeling clubs really help inspire confidence at address and help get the ball airborne with ease, arguably the two most important aspects to a set of beginner clubs.
This is a set nearer the higher side of the price scale, hence their premium looks and feel, but you very much get what you pay for here. When you take these clubs out of the box, you can tell a lot of time and effort has gone into it. The driver is 10.5˚ (which is slightly lower lofted than other drivers available in package sets) and has a really premium look. It sits a little closed too, which will help slicers.
The fairway woods also provide a generous footprint down behind the ball and we found them very easy to flight. As for the irons, it's a similar story. You can tell by the fairly rounded toe area and the topline that these are clearly a Callaway design.
I loved the putter during testing as well - the head shape is excellent and features helpful alignment features to give the best chance of success of the greens. Also included is a great-looking golf bag with plenty of style and storage on offer to round off what is a fantastic set of beginner golf clubs.
- Read our full Callaway XR Package Set Review
Best set choice
A very popular model, there are several options to choose from in this Strata set
If the Callaway set is out of your price bracket, then this Strata Men's Golf Package Set is a fine alternative at a significantly lower cost. For us this is one of the best cheap golf club sets money can buy as you get a considerable amount of bang for your buck!
The set is comprised of driver, fairway wood, two hybrids, 6-iron to pitching wedge, plus a putter and a stand bag. The forgiveness on offer with this set is second to none, which will please any new player of the game. Each club has been designed and manufactured with the rookie golfer in mind, allowing for high, easy launch and a confidence-inspiring look at address thanks to the thick top line, oversized heads and flexible regular shafts provided.
The one critique we have with this set is with the putter, an area of club sets that manufacturers all-to-often try and cut corners with to save a little money and increase those profit margins. This putter feels a little on the cheap side, but that shouldn't put you off buying the set - why not simply replace it with one of the best cheap putters on the market? Aside from that one small gripe, this is an excellent value option that new golfers will love.
- Read our full Strata Men's Golf Package Set Review
Best mass appeal
The RBZ SpeedLite from TaylorMade will suit a wide range of players
TaylorMade are one of the leading brands when it comes to golf equipment, so any new golfer with even the most remote knowledge of the sport will naturally be drawn to a name they know. As a result, the RBZ SpeedLite set is on the premium side of the price scale, but does the performance of this set fit the price tag?
The 12-club line-up includes woods that feature a grey finish on the crown with small flashes of green that we absolutely love. As you would expect the irons have thick toplines which we think strike a perfect balance of inspiring confidence at address without being too clunky and uninviting. It's a similar story with the wedges and compact, mallet putter.
These clubs were dead easy to launch high into the air and provided loads of spin which is very helpful for approach shots. The one major criticism we had was the quality of the golf bag - although it catches the eye and looks great, we didn't feel it matched the quality of the golf clubs within it. This can be easily rectified by opting instead for one of the best cart bags.
- Read our full TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set Review
Best forgiveness
The Prostaff SGI set is ideal for those golfers looking for more forgiveness
As mentioned numerous times above, there are two main things that new golfers need more than anything else; help getting the ball airborne and forgiveness when they don't hit it out of the middle of the club face. This Wilson set will provide both at an excellent price.
This set comes with a 10.5° driver, a three wood, a hybrid, a 6-iron to sand wedge and also features an impressive putter too. While other sets may come with more clubs (this is a 10 piece set), there is an advantage in having a few less as in reality you don't need 14 when you're just starting, but you can add specialist clubs as your game improves. Usually that would be an extra hybrid and more variety in the wedges.
The first thing we noticed in testing is how big the sweet spots are - obviously this is a massive plus, allowing greater opportunity for the higher handicapper to get a good contact on the ball given the struggles of finding the center of the club face. Like all the best golf clubs for beginners, the clubs sit nicely at address to help inspire confidence before the swing. The CG of the irons is lower than usual which helps promote high launch, another feature that is very useful for inexperienced players - particularly with the longer irons. The wide sole on the sand wedge is another big plus in my eyes, providing assistance for those tricky bunker shots or tight lie chips from around the green. Overall this is a really well-rounded set that will compliment a beginners strengths and weaknesses very well.
- Read our full Wilson Prostaff SGI Package Set Review
Best looking
The all-black finish of these clubs from Stix are a sight to behold
Looks are important - I operate by the mantra: look good, feel good, play good. Although this saying is more suited to dress code rather than clubs, it still applies to the clubs we have in our bag. If you don't like the look of a driver or a putter, your relationship with it will suffer as a result - as will your performance with it.
The Stix Golf Set has no such issues when it comes to looks, providing 14 clubs right through from driver to putter. It's a fairly standard set-up that includes a driver, 3 and 5-woods, 4 hybrid, 5-iron through to pitching wedge, three wedges (52° 56° and 60°) and a putter.
In our testing, the star performer was the driver, which not only looks fantastic but produced a nice aggressive, high ball flight without spinning up and losing distance, which can occasionally be an issue with package set drivers. We were blown away by the driver and it actually felt and performed like some of the premium models in our best golf drivers guide. The one main criticism we had was that the black finish on each club can become scuffed over time through consistent use, so try your best to clean and look after this set during and between rounds by regularly cleaning after shots so they can last longer!
- Read our full Stix Golf Complete Set Review
Best bag
A model with an excellent bag, the Fly XL from Cobra offered good performance
When it comes to aesthetics the Cobra Fly XL set certainly looks the part and we were thoroughly impressed with how good these clubs looked when taking them out of the wrapper. In fact, you could even say they look pretty 'Fly'. Sorry, couldn't resist!
Cobra is a brand known for providing excellent performance with great value and, with the Fly XL set, they have continued this theme throughout.
We think Cobra are one of the most underrated brands in golf and they've delivered their usual high levels of performance and value for money with this Fly XL set - a 10 club configuration complimented by a sturdy, stylish lightweight stand bag. It also includes a fleece-lined pocket and a handy rain hood for when the heavens open midway through your round. We also really liked Cobra giving us the option to choose between a stand bag or cart bag when opting for this set - a choice rarely given to players shopping in this market.
When it comes to performance it was obvious in our testing that Cobra have thought a lot about the target market. The set features a 5-wood instead of the 3 that you find in most package sets. This is a smart move as the extra loft on the face of the 5-wood will benefit golfers who lack swing speed and/or ball-striking prowess. In other words, beginners. Our other big take away from testing is that all of the clubs have been designed with forgiveness in mind, and we would even say that the irons could give some of the most forgiving irons a run for their money.
- Read our full Cobra Fly XL Package Set Review
Best cheap set
The ideal set for those looking for a budget option
The worst thing about golf is the financial commitment needed for a sport you may not even stick at - whether that be due to time constraints, cost of maintaining clubs and membership or simply frustration at how difficult the sport is! This is where the Inesis 100 Package Set comes in, suiting perfectly for those players who don't want to break the bank on a set of clubs they may not even use that much.
The set comprises a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 6-iron to 9-iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge and putter. Based on our testing we would say that the most impressive aspect of this set is the irons, which are smart and simple. The first thing we noticed when we set them down behind the ball is that they are quite long from heel to toe, which is ideal as it makes them look and feel forgiving.
Throughout the rest of the set we noticed a good amount of distance combined with a strong ball flight. The wedges look really smart and performed well, whilst the compact, fang-shape mallet putter offers plenty of alignment assistance and forgiveness. It also comes fitted with a really good grip, which is a bonus as that isn't always the case where package sets are concerned.
- Read our full Inesis 100 Package Set Review
Best high flight
If you need help hitting it high, MacGregor's CG4000 set can help
Out of the box, the MacGregor CG4000 comes with everything you need to start your golfing journey, with a stylish green and black bag making way for 10 golf clubs and decent quality headcovers.
Although the feel isn't something to shout to the hills about, it's solid and consistent throughout the bag and the ease of use of each club, all the way from driver to wedge, is really commendable. The putter in particular drew my praise, providing excellent forgiveness. However, it doesn't come with a headcover, so I'd recommend picking one up to avoid it bashing against your irons as you carry the bag and getting chipped as a result.
In terms of clubs, you get a 460cc, 13-degree driver, an 18-degree fairway wood, and a 24-degree hybrid. Furthermore, there is a 6-iron through sand wedge and a putter. Like the Cobra set, you're given the rare choice of a stand or cart bag with this set, a really nice touch.
- Read our full MacGregor CG4000 Golf Club Set Review
Best for dispersion
This is an excellent package set from PXG, a brand making big moves in golf equipment
The PXG 0211 Z set is a premium set very much in keeping with the PXG look and we think the black and white contrast looks fantastic. It's one of the more expensive options on this list but you expect to pay more for a premium offering and we don't think the cost is unreasonable.
The first thing that stood out to us during testing were the acoustics - they're absolutely fantastic when compared to the other options on this list. The loud noise doesn't appeal to all players, but it will to those who like the impression of the ball going further. These are clearly clubs designed with the slower swing speeds players in mind, so if you're a beginner who doesn't mind splashing out a little more cash, this could be the set for you.
One final thing to note is that PXG offer unrivalled customisation options and that is the case here too. The 10 piece full bag has an RRP of $1695 and includes six hybrid irons (6-9 plus a pitching wedge and sand wedge), three woods (a 16° driver, 4 and 5 wood) plus a 0211 Hellcat Putter along with the PXG Bag and a hat. However, you can also buy just the three woods or six hybrid irons on their own for $795.
- Read our full PXG 0211 Z Golf Club Set Review
Top women's pick
Our favorite package set for women right now
We have already mentioned the Strata men's set above, but the women's option is equally as impressive if not more so. It comes with a 12° driver, fairway wood, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-9 irons, PW, SW and a putter, as well as a nice stand bag.
These clubs look sensational. The irons have a glossy chrome finish and a distinctive shaped cavity back, wide soles and thick top lines that makes them very pleasing on the eye, both over the ball and in the bag. More importantly, they're also super easy to hit.
Our testing showed impressive results in terms of both distance and forgiveness. While the big-headed driver is not as advanced in terms of technology as some of the best drivers for women, we found that it was easy to use and performed well. We were also pleased with the performance of the other clubs in the set too, although if we have one slight gripe it would be that the blade putter is a strange choice for a package set as most beginners are better suited to a mallet putter. That being said, the putter itself is fine and does boast a very sleek aesthetic and handy alignment aid on its top line which did help us line up putts accurately. We just feel a mallet would be more suitable for the target market.
- Read our full Strata Women's Package Set Review
Best premium women's
Arguably the Aston Martin of women's golf package sets
Much like the Callaway XR Package Set on the men's side, the Reva Package set is arguably the highest quality set of clubs on the market. This is a set aimed at players of all abilities but we think the biggest beneficiaries would be those more inexperienced in the game, be that beginning for the first time or those who are still learning their craft.
The Reva comes with a driver, three wood, 5 and 6 hybrids, 7-9 iron, a pitching and sand wedge as well as a putter. You also get a snazzy cart bag plus five headcovers, so there's plenty there for your money. In testing it was the driver performance that really grabbed our attention. The high launch and ball flight was matched by a powerful feel, and the big circular target-style sweet spot on the face looks impossible to miss. Both the three-wood and hybrids continued this theme as well and beginners should quickly gain confidence from using these woods.
Moving down the bag and the large, oversized cavity back irons are designed to help on mis-hits and our testing confirmed this. We found them to be effortlessly light to swing and there was plenty of stability and forgiveness on offer. As impressive as the woods and irons are though, the thing that really makes this stand out as one of the best women’s golf sets is the putter, which includes the Stroke Lab shaft you find in the best Odyssey putters. The fang design, coupled with the Stroke Lab technology, is aimed to help you with tempo and consistency and we loved it, especially in the blue finish.
- Read our full Callaway Reva Ladies Package Set Review
Most stylish
A stunning combination of style, looks and performance
This stylish-looking Wilson Magnolia Ladies Set of clubs retails at around $500 RRP, making it a great value option that we absolutely love. The set includes a high-lofted driver, easy-to-hit 3-wood, 4, 5 and 6 hybrids, 7 iron through to sand wedge, putter and a trolley bag.
The driver has a very rounded, oversized head with lots of loft that serves the dual purpose of providing confidence as well as helping to launch tee shots nice and high. New golfers need all the help they can get with driver and this one certainly deliveres on that front. Further help comes from Wilson's decision to replace the longer irons with easier to hit hybrids. The mid-short irons have oversized heads that have the weight positioned to the perimeter to provide better balance and forgiveness.
I did notice in testing that the irons were a little heavy in the head, but they remained easy to launch. The bespoke sand wedge worked well for us around the green, while we liked the fang-shaped putter which has a huge eye-catching head and will provide a lot of reassurance behind the ball for the new golfer still trying to get comfortable on the greens. A stylish blue cart bag rounds off the set, a bag that is lightweight and easy to transport, whether that be from your club locker or from the trunk of your car. Overall, this is a set that ticks a lot of the necessary boxes.
- Read our full Wilson Magnolia Women’s Package Set Review
How we test
We take our testing very seriously here at Golf Monthly and golf club sets are no exception when it comes to our testing ethos and methodology. We want to find the best golf clubs in the game so we can pass on our experience and advice to you, in order to help you make the most informed decision you can when spending your money.
All the package sets featured in this guide have been tried and tested by our review team, both on an indoor simulator to gauge performance metrics like carry distance, spin rates and launch angle, as well as out on the course. This is done to ensure the fairest test possible, putting each set through their paces in a range of different settings, conditions and contexts.
We take pride on in our reviews here at Golf Monthly because we have the goal of providing the best informed buying advice to our loyal readership. Our reviews are free from bias - no manufacturer gets preferential treatment over another, nor can a brand 'buy' a good review. Instead, we base our reviews off the thousands that have come beforehand and compare directly, which means if we give a good review it's because we really like a product!
How to choose
Deciding on your beginner set can feel overwhelming at times given how many options are out there. To make that decision a little easier, here are a number of factors to look out for to help you decide and narrow down your search:
What comes in the set
The great thing about golf is if you want to buy single golf clubs for your bag you can, but you can also get entire sets with one purchase too. When doing the latter, it is worth checking which clubs come as part of the set to make sure you have all bases covered, and it is also worth getting a bag with the set too. You do not need to buy a full set when you're just starting out, as you can always add more specialist clubs (wedges for example) at a later date when you have honed your skills a bit more.
Budget
If you're only beginning to play golf or can only manage to get out for one or two rounds a year, we'd lean you away from the more premium brands that cost upwards of $1000 - this is because there are a load of really good, more budget friendly options on the market. However, if you're quickly becoming a golf nut or don't have many financial limitations, splashing out that bit extra on a premium set could be well worth the difference in price - try and decide where you land on the price scale and go from there.
Quality
A common problem for beginner sets can be quality. Unlike the models we picked above, many can be poorly made and have issues with the head, shaft or grip, or even all three. You might think you are picking up something for a great price, but if you have to quickly replace it because clubs are broken or just not delivering on performance, then you are actually losing money. Therefore we would strongly advise that going for brands that are well-respected in the game of golf because the products will have been made properly, and have also been designed to give as much help to beginners as possible. Wilson and Callaway are especially strong names in this particular market.
Forgiveness
The main factor when specifically looking at the clubs themselves is forgiveness. The most common problem for beginner players is mishit shots which limits distance and hinders accuracy. Beginner golf clubs are designed to have larger heads and sweet spots, and therefore more forgiveness to help players still make solid contact with the golf ball. A less forgiving club (those aimed at low handicap players for example) are not going to be much help to a new golfer.
FAQs
What is the exact price point for a good beginner set?
This is a difficult question to answer because some sets have been designed to come at a cheaper price point, whilst others are made by recognisable brands like TaylorMade or Callaway, and as a result come with a higher price. Realistically you can spend anywhere between $200 all the way to $1,000 so whilst this does not have an exact answer, we can say that you should be aware of how much you are willing to spend on a beginner set, and then choose accordingly. It's worth pointing out that for a beginner, a more expensive set does not necessarily equate to better golf and you may not see too much difference, so keep that in mind. You don't need to spend big but you might want to in order to have a set you're proud of and that you'll feel good about showing off to your friends.
What's the main difference between buying a set and buying clubs individually?
The main difference, or should we say advantage, of buying clubs individually is that you have a lot more freedom. There are lots of professionals out there who don't have equipment contracts because they want to be able to chop and change as they wish, and use different clubs they like the looks, performance and feel of. At the other end of the golfing spectrum, buying a set is ideal for beginners because it often saves a lot of time and money because all it requires is one purchase which can be very inexpensive as well.
What clubs should be in a beginner set?
A beginner to the game of golf needs to keep things simple and the same can be said for the clubs. Most good beginner sets, as a result, come with a driver, some kind of fairway wood or hybrid (or both), a half set of irons with regular loft gaps, some kind of wedge and obviously a putter. We usually see good beginner sets come with 9 or 11 clubs and once a player becomes better at the game then they can find out how to fill the last few spots in the bag.
Should a beginner get fitted?
At Golf Monthly we usually recommend most people get fitted for golf clubs these days but as far as beginner players go we think a better way to spend money is to invest in some lessons because this will allow them to get better faster. Once a beginner has started to improve and see some success with their shots, then would be a good time to think about getting fitted for a proper set of clubs.
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the best golf club sets for beginners. Additionally, we also recommend checking out our guide on the best golf club sets for kids if you want to get your children into the game.
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