The 10 Best Golf Club Sets
Editor's Notes
October 05, 2020:
A lot of the big names from our last ranking have come out with upgrades to their sets, like the Tour Edge Bazooka 370, which has seen the addition of a #4 hybrid club. For overall quality throughout the set, however, it's hard to beat the Cobra Airspeed, which contains well-designed clubs from the driver down to the putter, including an iron set that boasts perimeter-weighted heads to give you a boatload of loft and drop the ball right where you want it.
We've continued to include sets for younger players, as well, with the Callaway XJ Junior presenting four size classes for a range of kids, and the Wilson Men's Ultra occupying a quality space that's suitable for teens and adults alike, though it might not be the best choice for either group playing in serious competition.
Keep an eye on the balance among shot-helping technologies, your playing frequency, and your budget, as well. Something like the TaylorMade Sim Max OS is among the most forgiving thanks to their thin faces, but that can result in dings and scratches if you're a frequent player (or you spend a lot of time in the rough). Paying a little more for a higher quality club that might not be so forgiving could last you longer and force you to rely on your skills instead of your hardware to get a better score.
April 12, 2019:
It can be hard to choose a set of golf clubs. There are many low-quality options on the market that look nice, but perform poorly. We have taken all the guesswork out of finding the right set by providing you with a variety of great sets in a range of prices. If you are a beginner and not ready to invest a lot of money before you determine if you are going to stick with the game, take a look at the Wilson Men's Ultra and Pinemeadow PGX. These are great starter sets that offer reasonable hit consistency and distance. Experienced golfers on a tight budget should consider the Callaway Men's Strata Ultimate or Tour Edge Bazooka. Both of these are full sets that include drivers, woods, putters, etc and play better than some might expect based on the price. Don't be mistaken though, these are not bargain bin, budget clubs. Rather they offer the right balance of cost and quality for the average golfer. If you are serious about your game and either currently competing in, or thinking about getting started playing, tournaments, the Cobra F-Max Complete should help you shave a few points of your score. These are pro-level clubs that anybody should be satisfied with. Since golf is a game suitable for all age ranges, we have also included the Majek Golf All Hybrid, which feature flexible shafts that dampen vibrations for seniors, and the Confidence Junior, which comes in sets for kids as young as four years old.
The Basics Of Choosing The Right Golf Set For You
To you, every set might look the same, but every set certainly isn’t created the same.
If you’re looking into purchasing your very first golf set, the options available might be overwhelming. To you, every set might look the same, but every set certainly isn’t created the same. There are some visually subtle differences that make a huge difference in your experience. One of the first descriptors that might pop up is the shaft. Is it graphite or steel? What’s the flex like? Shaft flex is simply how much a shaft bends when you swing the club. The different levels of flex are denoted by different letters like L for Ladies Flex or S for Stiff Flex.
Graphite is lighter and requires less effort to get a fast swing in, so it can help generate swing speed. If you don’t have very strong arms, you might appreciate a graphite shaft because it can put some oomph into that ball that you couldn’t on your own. Sturdier players can appreciate a steel shaft because, while it’s heavier, it’s both more durable and more affordable. If you are purchasing a set for an elderly person, consider graphite shafts with flex, so they don’t need to swing too hard.
You’ll also want to consider different styles of club heads. Typically, you want to look for a game-improvement club. It’s just what it sounds like — a club designed to improve accuracy and distance.
Since every player has a different handicap, a club that improves the game for one player might hurt the game of another. But a few things remain true, no matter the player. For example, with a Woodhead, as the size of the head increases, so does the moment of inertia. Meanwhile, as the club’s weight decreases, the loft angle increases.
Why You Should Get A Custom Fitting
Once you’ve selected the type of clubs you would like, you also have to make sure that your clubs fit. Just like you have a fitting for a suit or shoes, you can have a fitting for golf clubs. Most pro golf shops will happily have one of their employees measure you to make sure your clubs fit.
Here, you can observe the ball flight in real time and adjust club features like the shaft, lie angle, and grip to make sure you leave the store with the right set of clubs.
If your clubs are too short or too tall, this will interfere with good posture when you’re playing which can affect your scores. The majority of off-the-shelf clubs are fitted to a man who is 5-foot-10. If you are much shorter or much taller than this height, then failing to get a custom fitting can seriously damage your game.
When you opt for a custom fitting, you end up with clubs that are made with your height, your strength, your swing characteristics, and your club head speed in mind. Most shops will do your fitting for free so long as you agree to pay for your clubs in the end. For most hobby players, a fitting only takes 30 to 45 minutes, but professional players usually go through fittings that take half a day.
Don’t be shy to try your custom fitted clubs in front of the pro who selected them for you. That’s the only way you can know for sure that they fit. That’s also one of the reasons it’s best to get your fitting at a store that’s all about golf because they’ll have a small range where you can take some swings. Here, you can observe the ball flight in real time and adjust club features like the shaft, lie angle, and grip to make sure you leave the store with the right set of clubs.
The Quirky History Of Golf
Golf clubs weren’t always the shiny, pristine devices you see in pro shops today. In fact, golf originated from games of a similar nature played as early as the 1000s. The Chinese Song Dynasty used to play a game called chuiwan through which they would hit balls into holes with a set of clubs, but Scotland received official credit for inventing golf in the 1400s.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that we saw lightweight graphite shafts.
It wasn’t until the 1800s that the game found its way to the United States, though back then a player would use between 20 and 30 different types of clubs to hit balls. The balls weren’t like the balls of today either — they were leather and stuffed with feathers.
As for player history, 1931 saw the first golfer win the U.S. Open. His name was Billy Burke and he had only three fingers on his left hand. In 1932, the creator of the sand wedge, Gene Sarazen, used his new invention to win the British open. 1959 saw the invention of the putter by engineer Karsten Solheim.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that we saw lightweight graphite shafts. Up until then, it had been all wood or steel clubs. When lightweight graphite clubs first came on the market, mostly women used them, but eventually, pro players caught on, and hobby players of all levels began to feel no shame in requiring a club with a little more give.