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Equipment and Fitting All clubs Beginner ⏱ 6 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Buying Your First Set of Golf Clubs: 6 Tips

Your first set of clubs is an investment, and it’s easy to make a mistake. Joel Tadman, equipment expert for Golf Monthly magazine, shares six lessons he wishes he’d known before making his first purchase—from driver forgiveness to choosing the right flex.

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Golf Monthly · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

11 minSame problemGolf Equipment for Beginners: The Complete ListKevin Faivre · Beginner5 minSame problemHalf-series or full series: When Should You Make the Leap?Ma Chun Teng Chan · Beginner / Intermediate8 minSame problemBuying a Golf Club: 3 Tips Before Making a ChangeJoël Bernard · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

First tip: Don't let marketing sway you nor by what the best players use. High-end drivers are designed for very good golfers; a beginner needs forgiveness on off-center hits, so a more affordable model is better. Second tip: Wedges and the putter matter. We focus on the long game, but the short game is what wins you strokes around the green. Third: the fitting isn't just for good players. With a larger budget and a desire to improve, it helps you choose the right tips, weights, and flexes.

Fourth: Choose a adjustable driver, at least when it comes to loft, even if it's used. Your swing will evolve as you take lessons; an adjustable driver adapts to your swing rather than needing to be replaced. Fifth: Choose your shoes carefully, half-set, or full set, because these are the clubs you’ll use for most of your shots—including right from the start, when your driver goes off course. Sixth: don’t assume that a beginner necessarily needs a flex regular. Some people have a fast swing: have your clubhead speed measured with a driver (during a fitting, using radar, or at a driving range equipped with radar) to choose the right shaft.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Set your budget without aiming for the high end right away.
  2. Choose clubs that are forgiving on off-center hits.
  3. Check the quality of the wedges and putter in the set you're considering.
  4. If you want to make rapid progress and can afford it, get a fitting.
  5. Choose an adjustable driver—at least in terms of loft—even if it's used.
  6. Take a close look at the irons: appearance, trajectory, feel.
  7. Have your driver clubhead speed measured before choosing the flex.

Key Takeaways

A beginner needs a forgiving club, not the driver used by the best players.
Wedges and the putter deserve just as much attention as the long game.
A fitting can help right from the start if you really want to improve.
An adjustable driver adapts to changes in your swing.
Irons are the clubs you'll use for most of your shots.
You should choose a flex based on your swing speed, not on whether you're a beginner.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Buy the driver you saw on TV.
  • Neglecting the wedges and putter in favor of the driver.
  • Believing that you have to play well to get in shape.
  • Choosing a non-adjustable driver when your swing is about to change.
  • Choose a regular flex as a general rule, without knowing your speed.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Measuring Clubhead Speed with a Driver
  2. Iron Test: Trajectory, Contact, and Feel
  3. Time set aside for the short game right from the very first sessions

Your Questions

Do you need a high-end driver to get started?

No, according to Joel Tadman. These drivers are designed for very skilled players. A beginner is better off with a more forgiving and more affordable model.

Why choose an adjustable driver when you're just starting out?

Because your swing will change as you take lessons, and your ball flight will change along with it. An adjustable driver—at least in terms of loft—can be adjusted without having to buy a new one.

Does a beginner have to use a regular flex?

No. Some beginners have a fast swing and have better control with a stiffer shaft. Have your clubhead speed measured with a driver and ask a professional or a sales associate for advice.

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