How to Build a Quality Set of Sticks on a Budget
The initial cost of acquiring a golf habit discourages most newcomers, thereby perpetuating the game’s exclusionary nature. One club can cost hundreds of dollars, and lessons and rounds quickly add up. Even a set of clubs from Robin Golf, an inclusion focused company established during the recent pandemic-prompted golf boom would set you back about 800 dollars, which is out of the question for most people. And it makes little sense to invest tons of money into golf before you’ve even developed some skill, been professionally fitted for equipment, or even figured out if you really like the game.
A better approach is to shop for golf clubs the way we shop for clothes in this day and age. In the same way that secondhand clothing sites have given people access to designer brands they never thought they’d own, secondhand club sites like 2nd Swing are making it possible for beginner golfers to put together a quality set of clubs they can use until they feel ready to spend a rack or two on a fitting session and an all-new set. Even more cost-effective, however, is visiting your local golf shop and having a look at the used club bin so you can avoid the shipping costs associated with online shopping. The following is a guide to help beginner women build a bag of used clubs, Metalwood-style.
Best Places for In-Person Shopping:
Roger Dunn Golf Shops
PGA Superstore
Any other golf based sporting goods store
Best Places for Online Shopping:
eBay
2ndSwing
3balls
Global Golf
Rock Bottom Golf
Mercari
Now… What to look for?
Clubs
Women’s clubs tend to be cheaper than men’s due to the general lack of investment in the women’s sector of the industry, so there are many affordable options for women at each stage of the game.
Drivers: TaylorMade R series, Callaway Big Bertha series, or PING G series. Pick one that looks pretty and feels good. Take it to a Roger Dunn or PGA Superstore and make sure it’s weighted neutrally (if you say that they will know what you mean).
Irons: Ping, Callaway, TaylorMade, Cleveland, or Cobra irons made after the year 2000 cavity-backs (most forgiving type of iron). They should include clubs with the letter P, then the numbers 9,8,7,6,5. I do not suggest having a 4-iron or lower. Too hard to hit for beginners.
Wedges: Cleveland or old Titleist Vokeys. The numbers on your wedges are important—they indicate the loft of each club face, which affects how high the ball goes when you hit it. Choose one of two approaches: a set with 60, 56, and 52 or 50 degree wedges, or a set with 58, 54, and 50 degree wedges. Either of these set-ups will work just fine.
Putters: Odyssey putters like the Two-Ball are great for beginners, but just find anything that looks and feels good to you when you try a couple putts with it on the practice green. Ask a salesperson at the golf shop if the height of the putter is good for you. You might also try a SuperStroke grip (the salesperson can help you decide which grip you like and put one on your putter for $30-35 in a matter of minutes). These are super popular and help you get too “handsy” or “wristy,” meaning you hit at the putt, instead of stroking it smoothly.
*For most beginner women, ladies’ graphite shafts (it will say L on the shafts) are best for your drivers, irons, and wedges. But if you’re strong and can generate a good amount of clubhead speed, regular steel shafts (R) might be more suitable. Try both and pick what’s comfortable and what makes the shots go straighter.
**If the driver, woods, or hybrids you bought are missing headcovers, you can search eBay for a headcover that at least matches the brand. If you’d rather curate your headcovers for maximum personalization, see if your favorite golf clothing company or golf course pro shops sells their own headcovers or search eBay or Etsy for some cool vintage ones.
Bags
Your golf bag is special. You turn to it for information and supplies during a round and never leave it behind. Because of that, it can often feel like the caddy you never had—especially if you glue some googly eyes on it. That being said, quality bags can also be found on second hand sites. Sun Mountain is known for making some of the lightest bags. Ping’s Hoofer model is also super lightweight. It’s trendy right now to use old-fashioned single-strap carry bags, but if you’re a beginner, it’s important to be as comfortable as possible, so go for a double-strap lightweight bag with a built-in stand.
Balls
The relationship you have with your golf balls is less intimate than the one you have with your bag. You scuff them up and lose them, and you should actually change them out after a few holes—they get more and more misshapen with every hit they take. If you’re a beginner in the deepest sense of the word, consider buying balls in bulk from Costco (yes, they really do make Kirkland brand everything). Once you get a little better, search eBay for bags of used or refinished Titleist ProV1 balls. And when you’re good good, buy your ProV1s fresh (the ProV1 is considered the best ball for women, as they’re softer and therefore stop quicker on greens than the ProV1x).