Help me choose the best Golf Clubs for a Beginner?
December 17th, 2008
I am looking at buying some golf clubs, but have only been playing for a very short time. After doing some internet research here are the options I was looking at in my price range:
Top Flite XL 5000 – approx $300 – includes a Driver, Fairway Woods (3,5), Hybrids (4,5), irons (6-SW), a putter, and a bag. Only the driver is graphite.
Wilson Prostaff – Approx $275 – includes a Driver, Fairway woods (3,5), Hybrids (3,4), and irons(5-9,PW). No Putter or bag. Driver, woods, and hybrids are graphite, and the rest are steel.
Pinemeadow Command – approx $400 – Driver, Fairway Wood(3), Hybrids (3,4), irons(5-SW), and a putter. Bag not included. The Driver, wood, and hybrids are all graphite.
The last one was recommended on an article I read online, but I’m not sure if it was sponsored or not.
They are listed in the order from most to least interested, but would like some input from people that have been golfing and/or own some of these clubs.
Thanks
Replys
Top Flite clubs used to be pretty decent but i haven’t heard of them in a while.
I know that Wilson has been coming out with some pretty good stuff, i was playing a set of them 2-3 years ago and thing i liked about them was how forgiving they were, which is what a beginner is usually looking for.
Pinemeadow i know has been coming out with some alright quality clubs but with prices a lot of people love. My mother bought a couple wedges last year for $30 each i think. (I think that is why she bought them over the others)
Personally i think i would see myself purchasing the Wilson Staffs then the Top Flites and then the Pinemeadows if i was put in this situation.
Yup, I just started playing golf a few months ago and I remember asking through exactly what you are asking now.
I really like playing golf, I live next to a top notch 18 hole course and have been getting out to play several times per week. I’ve always been somewhat atheletic and have been taking to golf like a fish-to-water. My first scores went something like this 145, 133, 121, 107… and they kept getting lower. And now I have finally discovered a good way to get that slice out of my driver shot, i.e. my swing mechanics are starting to come together nicely. I’ve had all of two lessons from a golf pro.
Okay, so what I found out when looking for a set of clubs is that there is never going to be a perfect set of clubs out there for anyone. The wedges may be just right for you, but the woods suck, or the woods and hybrid are perfect but the driver sucks, etc. etc. etc.
Personally I looked at sets of Wilsons and other brands before settling the Aspire 460i, but here’s what I found out about this set:
The irons are great, especially the 6 iron (this one’s easily worth the price of the whole set).
The putter is very nice.
The bag is very nice.
Everything else sucks, especially the driver. Okay the woods and hybrid are probably okay too, I just don’t hit them very well at all. (The handles are just too damn long. Except for the driver, I just like to get closer to the point of impact.)
Also, this kit as with many, do not come with a lob or a sand wedge, very incomplete as a kit without these IMHO.
So here’s what I did:
Bought a Callaway driver FT-5 from the pre-owned Callaway site. HOT TIP —> this is a great site for clubs where you can get great clubs in near mint condition for a fraction of the original price – callawaygolfpreowned.com
Bought another driver that went on sale for a really low price, the TaylorMade Burner Draw. So yes, I use two drivers, the Callaway for the really long shots, and the Burner for the shorter control shots.
Bought a pre-owned Callaway x-20 3 iron to take the place of the two woods and the hybrid that came with my original Aspire kit. Yes, the x-20 is such a great iron, I can hit it with just as much distance and control as any of the woods and with that flexi-steel shaft, I somehow feel that I am more “connected” with the shot so the shots are now going very nearly exactly where I want them to, high or low, far or farther. Oh, and I bought a great Cleavland lob wedge and also got a used but very nice gap wedge out of the used barrel at my local pro-shop.
Okay so there you have it, I bought the kit and chucked half the clubs, kept the irons, the putter, the bag. Added two drivers, a couple of wedges and that great 3 iron to complement. And now I have a set that is much closer to being what I would call my own personal set of tools for the task.
So yeah, get a kit, but be prepared to do some pretty radical customizations along the way.
Oh and how did I get rid of that slice? Easy, I discovered a little trick that was very nearly not mentioned in any of the golfing-how-tos I found.
For me, the trick was to hold the driver shaft at 45 degrees through the point of impact. That is, when you set up to the tee, keep the shaft at a 45 degree angle with your arms almost straight down, then whatever you do on the back swing is fine as long as you get back to that 45 degrees upon impact with the ball. Of course, get your grip right, shift your weight correctly and all of that, but the 45 degree rule was one thing I was missing for the first months of play, and it was driving me nuts. No matter how I hit the ball, it would always veer off, way off to the right. But now if I can get a good turn on the ball and keep the shaft at 45 degrees on the down swing, the ball goes straight as an arrow, and very far, at least for me. Starting to get the best drives out there to 270 yards or more, and hitting the fairways most of the time. Something I thought I would never be able to do at first.
Companies like Top-Flite, Wilson and Dunlop manufacture very good quality clubs for the entry level market in the hopes of building brand loyalty and the sets from Top-Flite and Wilson that you mention are both well priced sets. I tend to think that the Top-Flites offer the best for the money value but you would be well satisfied with either set.
How much are you willing to spend? Personally, I would see about getting a used set of Callaway Big Bertha 2006 models, or a used set of Cleveland Hi-Bore hybrid Irons. I think you will like these better than the ones above.
IF not, I would go with the Top Flight. Top Flight is owned by Callaway, and Callaway is looking to make you a customer for life (from the Top Flight to the Berthas to the X series, etc.) So I think they will make a good beginner club.
Go to a pawn shop, a sports equipment resale shop, garage sales or a golf equipment store that takes trade ins. Buy a decent used set. Have them regripped, that will cost you about $5 a club.
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