3 of 6

Write now Article Tools

"Son, this is the most important club in a golf bag."

My father handed me a putter from his assortment of used golf clubs. The putter was the first clubs he was given in his adolescence. He handed me the putter when I was five years old.

I set up plastic cups around the house and tried to hit golf balls into them from various distances. Before I took a full swing with an iron or a wood, I was putting on practice greens at the local driving range. For golfing beginners, the putter is the first club they should learn to control.

Beginners should never purchase a new golf club set until they discover a passion for golf. New golf clubs are an unnecessary expense for someone who is trying to get a feel for the difficult game. Used golf clubs, preferably from someone that can impart some golf wisdom, is the only financially viable option for a beginner.

Most golf experts advise beginners to learn the game with a half set of clubs. A full set consists of fourteen clubs that includes three woods, eight irons, two wedges, and a putter. A beginner needs only a half set and the clubs chosen invariably should include one wood, alternating irons, both wedges, and a putter.

Long irons, like the 1, 2, and 3, should be avoided since they require more precision off of a tee or in a fairway. A 5 wood is capable of traveling as far as a 3 iron, even if it is struck off-center from the club head's sweet spot. Any lofted wood like the 5 is more forgiving for a swing mistake than the thin, straight blade of a long iron.

The best way for a beginner to purchase used golf clubs is to hold and swing them to get a feel for what you want. There isn't a specific definition for the feel of a golf club; it depends on a golfer's comfort with the length, weight, and flexibility of a club.

Beginners should use golf clubs with heads that are stainless steel. Perimeter-weighted and hallowed club head designs are what professionals recommend for a beginner. Club heads that have a larger sweet spot are recommended to produce distance with a less than accurate ball strike. Graphite shafts are lighter than less expensive steel shafts, allowing a beginner to swing the club with more velocity. Purchasing used clubs is once again the best option to defray the expense of a graphite shaft.

Beginner clubs must have loft and that means they must have sole weighting. Sole weighting ensures the center of gravity is lower on a club which places the weight of the club under the ball. Lower center of gravity lifts a

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Best golf clubs for beginners?
We want to hear your view. Write now!