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The 6 best golf club sets for beginners in 2024

Someone about to take a swing at a golf ball.
Mick Haupt / Unsplash
Man hitting a golf ball behind a bag of clubs
Golf Pride

Once you’ve got into golfing, you really need the best golf club set for your situation. You may currently still be renting golf clubs or you could simply have an old set of golf clubs that desperately need upgrading. Whether you’re dealing with hand-me-downs or you want to invest in a new set because of changing preferences, we’re here to help with the best golf club sets for every budget, need, and golfing ability. Pair them up with the best golf clothing brands and you’re all set to head out.

Of course, in an ideal world, go through a custom fitting process to find the right set of clubs for you. However, if you don’t want to go to that effort, keep reading while we take you through your best options. These package sets are best aimed at beginners and those with mid or high handicaps or those who simply don’t want to invest too much time or money into the process. From there, learn how to pack your golf clubs before traveling and maybe add on a golf umbrella too. Annoyingly, even the best golf club sets often lack a waterproof bag although they do tend to be showerproof at least. All set? Here are the best golf club sets you can buy right now.

The best golf club sets in 2024

  • Buy the Callaway Golf XR Complete Set for the best overall golf club set
  • Buy the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set for the best forgiveness
  • Buy the Cobra Men’s Fly XL Golf Package Set for the best golf bag
  • Buy the Strata Women’s Complete Golf Set for the best women’s golf club set
  • Buy the Wilson Men’s Profile Platinum Complete Golf Club Package Set for the best budget golf club set
  • Buy the Cleveland Golf Junior Set for the best golf club set for kids

Callaway Golf XR Complete Set

Best overall golf club set

The Callaway Golf XR Complete Set on a white background.
Callaway
Pros Cons
Premium feeling clubs Mixed reports about driver
Offers one of the best putters

The Callaway Golf XR Complete Set lives up to its name by providing all you could need for a complete golf club set. If you want to invest a lot into your golfing game without committing to arranging a custom made set, the Callaway Golf XR Complete Set is your solution. It includes 13 clubs in all. These include a 3-wood, 4-hybrid, 5-iron, pitching wedge, gap wedge, and others. Each of the woods have matte black crowns which match the general aesthetic you’d expect from Callaway. Similarly, the irons are shaped in a typical way for the company with a rounded toe area and thick topline according to reports. Some users have found the driver can be a little flimsy but for the most part, the Callaway Golf XR Complete Set is pretty flawless.

Crucially, it comes with an Odyssey putter which is easily one of the best putters around according to many sources. Callaway uses technology like Hyper Face Channel to promote faster ball speeds while aiding distance, with high launch from the irons, and the wedges being built well for better shots and improved confidence.

Even the bag is great with the Callaway Stand Bag easy to organize so you’re all set for a good day on the golf course. Whichever club you use, they feel good in your hand with a balanced and comfortable swing guaranteed.

Specifications
Clubs 12
Weight 15 pounds
Shaft material Steel

TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set

Best forgiveness

The TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set on a white background.
TaylorMade
Pros Cons
Very forgiving Cart bag isn’t very stylish
Well suited for mid handicap players

The TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set includes six irons, two hybrids, two fairway woods, a driver, and a putter. You’re all set for a good day on golfing here with each of the clubs looking classier than a regular beginner’s set. Crucially, they’re pretty forgiving which makes them perfect for improving your game. With the irons, there are thick towlines while there’s a stylish gray finish on the crown with a hint of green. They look good without being overstated. Crucially, they look expensive which is sure to make you smile while you get to grips with things.

Generally, the clubs within the TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set are considered to be easy to launch with high ball flight which lends itself well to newer golfers. Weight is reduced thanks to titanium which is layered onto the irons to keep them sturdy yet lightweight for the purpose. The 460cc titanium head of the drive has advanced aerodynamic shaping for a faster swing speed while the lightweight 180cc head of the Fairway provides high launch. Similarly great technology is offered with the wedges and irons.

The downside? The TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite Package Set’s bag is pretty mediocre. It doesn’t have a stand so you’ll need to buy one separately. It has eight pockets including an insulated cooling pouch but nothing about it feels as high-end as it should.

Specifications
Clubs 12
Weight 15 pounds
Shaft material Steel

Cobra Men’s Fly XL Golf Package Set

Best golf bag

The Cobra Men’s Fly XL Golf Package Set on a white background.
Cobra
Pros Cons
Very well made stand bag Fewer clubs than others
Excellent performance

The Cobra Men’s Fly XL Golf Package Set comes with slightly fewer clubs than the competition but the ones it does offer are very well-made. The set includes a driver, 5 wood, 4 and 5 hybrid, 6-PW, and putter. Notably, it lacks a little more variety but it’s focusing on the most important clubs for a beginner. For instance, its 5 wood is there to ensure extra loft and plenty of forgiveness. For the putter, there’s a blade based putter compared to a mallet-style one which isn’t ideal but works well enough.

The titanium driver is oversized so you can feel confident in hitting with it, while the hybrid and woods are made from stainless steel to offer some variety. The Fairway wood has a shallow profile and heel biased weighting to help correct a slice and improve accuracy. Continuing the forgiveness trend, the Cobra Men’s Fly XL Golf Package Set is also reported to offer some great irons with thick toplines ensuring they’re easy to hit with.

The highlight to the Cobra Men’s Fly XL Golf Package Set, however, is its bag. It has a 14-way top, a velour valuables pocket, and seven zippered compartments while still managing to be lightweight and sturdy. It’s a stand bag too so it’s simple to take around with you although you can always buy a model with a cart bag if you prefer. It even has a matching rain hood.

Specifications
Clubs 10
Weight 20 pounds
Shaft material Graphite

Strata Women’s Complete Golf Set

Best women’s golf club set

The Strata Women’s Complete Golf Set on a white background.
Strata
Pros Cons
Plenty of clubs Blade putter isn’t as good for beginners as mallet
Great distance achieved

Keen female beginners to golf will love how much the Strata Women’s Complete Golf Set has to offer. There are other bundles available but we recommend the Ultimate women’s set. It has a large collection of clubs including a 12-degree driver, fairway wood, 4 and 5 hybrid, 6-9 iron, PW, SW, and a putter. The putter is a blade one where beginners would likely prefer a mallet style, but the clubs overall are pretty great. You get excellent distance and forgiveness off the ground which lends itself well to starting out.

Confidence will come in bounds too as the Strata Women’s Complete Golf Set favors clubs with large footprints so it’s effectively impossible to miss the ball. Each club looks great as well thanks to a glossy chrome finish although sometimes the silver finish can lead to sun glare depending on angles.

For the stand bag, you get a lightweight build with velour padded double straps which make it easy to carry. There are also plenty of pockets with a big ball pocket, as well as an exterior scorecard holder pouch. There’s also a main side pocket which will fit a jacket if you need it to, although bear in mind that the bag is shower proof rather than water proof. Not that, hopefully, you’re going to be out on the course just as a truly fearsome storm kicks in. Besides the bag, headcovers are also included for your main clubs if you need or want to use some extra protection.

Specifications
Clubs 16
Weight 16 pounds
Shaft material Graphite

Wilson Men’s Profile Platinum Complete Golf Club Package Set

Best budget golf club set

The Wilson Men’s Profile Platinum Complete Golf Club Package Set on a white background.
Wilson
Pros Cons
Perfect for starting out Occasional durability issues
Easy to hit with

If you want to keep costs down when buying a golf club set, check out the Wilson Men’s Profile Platinum Complete Golf Club Package Set. It’s perfect if you’re just dabbling in golf and you’re not entirely set on it being a major pastime for you, or even if you just need a set to tide you over until you get some custom clubs. Here, you get 10 clubs including a driver, 5 wood, 5 hybrid, 5-SW, and a putter. The putter is the more beginner friendly mallet-style which is sure to delight many people.

With the driver, you get a durable black PVD finish which cuts down on glare while looking good. It also has an easy to hit hybrid which has a tip reinforced graphite shaft so you’ll gain improved distance. In all cases, the lower center of gravity heads improve launch trajectory while producing greater distances. The thin, hot iron face is perimeter weighted so you get a large sweet spot for better spots, while the heel/tow head shape is great for cutting down on glare while looking good. There’s also a soft putter grip and offset face design which improves hand position at impact so you putt better.

Besides the clubs, the Wilson Men’s Profile Platinum Complete Golf Club Package Set comes with a premium, lightweight stand bag, and three matching head covers. The bag has a self-activating stand which is useful. It also has pockets, including one which is lined, zippers, and straps. However, there’s no rain cover so bear that in mind when adding on accessories.

Specifications
Clubs 10
Weight 20 pounds
Shaft material Graphite

Cleveland Golf Junior Set

Best golf club set for kids

The Cleveland Golf Junior Set on a white background.
Cleveland
Pros Cons
Well made for kids Your kids will grow out of them
Well balanced clubs

If you’ve just got your children into playing golf, they need their own dedicated set of clubs. With the Cleveland Golf Junior Set, they’re available in two different sizes to cater for the youngest of children and then 10 to 12 year olds. Each club is lightweight at 6 pounds so your child can hold them easily enough. For the youngest age, there’s a 22-degree fairway along with a 7 iron putter. For older kids, there’s a seven piece set with an oversized driver, 22-degree fairway, 28-degree hybrid, along with a wedge, putter, and a 7 and 9 iron. The stand bag is lightweight and practical with a self-activated stand, storage pockets, and adjustable padded straps.

The weight is positioned very low in the oversized driver to help your child launch the ball better, while the irons have large hittable faces for plenty of forgiveness, and the heavy sole wedge helps move through the golf ball. The putter has an alignment aid to help promote correct setup to the target. It all comes together nicely to make the Cleveland Golf Junior Set a perfect introduction to the sport for many kids.

Of course, the downside here is that one day, your kids will outgrow the Cleveland Golf Junior Set and you’ll need to invest in an adult set. Still, introducing them to high-quality clubs mean they’re more likely to stick with the sport in future.

Specifications
Clubs Up to 7
Weight 6pounds
Shaft material Graphite

How we chose these golf club sets

Buying the right golf club sets is an expensive investment but one that’s sure to enrich your golfing experience. As we mentioned at the start, in an ideal world, you might prefer to get custom-fitted golf clubs but for many people, simply being able to buy a set off the (virtual) shelf is far more convenient. Still, while making your purchase, it’s important to think about certain factors before you commit to anything. Here’s what we considered while we picked out the above best golf club sets.

Check the golf club set size

We don’t mean quantity of golf clubs — we mean actual size. Your height and the golf clubs you use can make a huge difference. You need to make sure that the clubs you pick aren’t too long or too short for your height. If you buy the wrong size, it’ll be uncomfortable at best and disastrous at worst. Obviously, when buying clubs for kids, this is less essential as the child will grow but for everyone else, it’s important to measure up accordingly.

Understand what clubs you need

It’s important to think about what clubs you need most, whether you need a fairly full complement or whether you’re good with some basic essentials. If you’re a newbie, spend some time learning what each club offers but if you know what you’re doing, it’s still worth thinking about. In particular, what kind of putter do you need? As we’ve mentioned, some putters have a blade style while others are mallet-style. For novices, mallet-style tends to work better but you may find your putting nature suits blade better. Keep an eye on that putter as some of the sets included above include particularly good putters.

Aim for good forgiveness

Some clubs are better at handling off-center shots or other errors. That’s where you want forgiving golf clubs. Look for golf clubs that have perimeter weighting or large club heads. Either will help you make up for your newer skills or simply making a mistake. In particular, if you’re new to golfing, it makes sense to look for golf clubs which are forgiving as it’ll be less frustrating and help you learn to play better over time. If you’re a more experienced player, you’ll still appreciate the added assistance. It’s a good example of how the golf clubs you use can make all the difference.

Don’t forget about weight and your bag

Most of the best golf club sets are pretty lightweight but it’s important to consider the weighting as it’ll be easier on your limbs if a golf club is lighter. Related to that, look for convenience from the bag. A stand bag is useful for support but also one with plenty of carry straps is helpful too. Look for a bag with plenty of pockets including ones that are well-suited for certain items. As well as that, think about shower proofing or water proofing if you’re worried about poor weather conditions affecting your session. In all these cases, remember you’re likely to be spending the day with your bag so you want it to suit all your needs such as by offering sufficient numbers of pockets or simply an easy way to carry it.

Think about your budget

How dedicated a golfer are you? Are you keen to turn golfing into a major hobby or are you just dabbling for a little bit or joining some buddies? If it’s the latter, you probably don’t need to spend thousands. However, if you plan on dedicating a lot of time to golf, invest as much as you can. That’s why we’ve included different price ranges above. If you can, spend plenty on the very best golf clubs but don’t worry about it if it’s just an occasional interest.

Jen Allen
Freelance Writer

Jen Allen is a technology and lifestyle writer with over 10 years of experience.

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