Golf Clubs Archives - Grumpy Gopher

Best Drivers for Beginning Golfers

Posted on by wheeler

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As a beginning golfer, one of the first clubs you are going to want to purchase is the driver. You don’t actually need a full set of 14 clubs to get started in this game, but you are certainly going to need a driver (in addition to a putter, a sand wedge, and at least a few irons). By picking out a quality driver to add to your set, you can get your golf equipment collection off to a good start. As you gain experience in this game you can slowly add to your bag until you have a well-rounded set of clubs.

Of course, if you don’t have much experience in golf, heading to the local golf store to purchase a driver could be a rather intimidating experience. There is an incredible number of options to pick from, and they are all marked with information that may not mean much to you at the moment. Fortunately, all of this is pretty easy to learn, so let’s walk through a few of the key points to keep in mind before you make a purchase.

What to Keep in Mind When Buying a Driver?

When you set out to purchase your first driver, there are a few key points to keep in mind. Those points are as follows –

Club head size – This is the easy one – you are going to want a driver with a large club head. Golf club heads are measured in volume, and 460cc’s is the largest allowable club head under the rules of golf. Using a large club head is going to provide you with added forgiveness in your swing, as the face will be large and you will be able to miss-hit the ball slightly while still achieving decent results. Fortunately, the majority of clubs on the market feature a 460cc head, so this point will not be difficult to locate.
Shaft flex -The next key point to watch for when shopping for your driver is the flex rating of the shaft that comes in the driver. While naming conventions vary slightly from brand to brand, most of the shafts you will find will be rated for flex as Regular, Stiff, or Extra Stiff. There are also Senior and Ladies flex shafts, if you happen to fall into one of those categories. It is absolutely critical that you find the right shaft flex for your swing. As a beginning golfer, you will likely need a Regular flex shaft, although that is not a given. The best thing to do is to visit a local golf shop for a quick club fitting session. By measuring your swing, the golf shop will be able to recommend the right shaft flex for your needs.
Loft – Another element in this equation is the loft of the driver that your purchase. While most professional golfers use a relatively low-lofted driver, you are not on the same skill level as those players (not yet, at least). So, as a beginner, you are going to want to purchase a driver with plenty of loft to help you get the ball up in the air nicely. 10.5-degrees of loft should be considered a starting point, but don’t hesitate to go even higher if you find a club that you like with 12-degrees or so of loft. Today’s clubs are usually loft adjustable as well, so you may be able to tweak your loft after you purchase the driver.
Cost – It would be a mistake to end this list without briefly touching on the subject of cost. Golf clubs can be expensive, which is a fact that you have no doubt learned as a beginning golfer. When just getting started in the game, it is important to keep your budget relatively under control. Sure, you want to purchase nice clubs, but you also need to make sure you give your game room to grow and develop. The right driver for you as a beginner may not be the right one for you in another year or two, so don’t look at this as a long-term investment. Purchase a club that has a reasonable price point with enough quality to get you started – shopping used is a great way to go. There will be time later to spend more money on a nicer driver after you learn the ropes of this difficult game.

As you get started on the search for the right driver, consider taking a look at the three options listed below. Each of these would make for a solid driver for the beginning player.

Cobra Bio Cell

Cobra is one of the leading names in golf equipment, and their Bio Cell Golf Driver is an option worth careful consideration. There are a number of unique features which make this club attractive, including eight adjustable loft settings, a neutral/draw bias weighting to help you eliminate that dreaded slice, and a sole design that helps you set up square at impact. Also, as an interesting touch, you can order this driver in a number of different color options including Silver, Black, Red, and Blue.

Cobra was acquired by Puma SE in March 2010.

Callaway X Hot Driver

Continuing with the theme of respected, trusted brand names, we turn next to Callaway. This model is called the X Hot Driver, and it carries all of the quality and performance characteristics that you would expect from such a well-known brand. The X Hot is adjustable in the hosel to allow you to customize the face angle, it has a lightweight design, and a lightweight Project X Velocity shaft. While the loft cannot be adjusted on this model as it can on the Cobra, this remains a strong pick to consider.

TaylorMade M2 Driver

We end our list with a driver from the leader in the driver market, TaylorMade. This is the company that brought golf the first metal driver many years ago, and it continues to lead the way today. The M2 Driver has many of the features that TaylorMade has made famous, such as adjustable loft from 8 to 12-degrees, as well as moveable weights that help you control the pattern of your shots. Many consider TaylorMade to be the gold standard when it comes to drivers, so this is naturally a model that you will want to see for yourself.

Best Junior Golf Club Set

Posted on by Dan Wheeler

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You’ve probably seen the videos of Tiger Woods as a kid striping the ball and thought ‘why can’t I do that now?’. His good foundation for golf started at a very young age and continued to build on it. Many golfers start the game at an older age and it is tough to train that natural ability when it hasn’t been polished from the start. If you have kids, giving them an opportunity to be great in anything usually starts with an interest and grows into a love for it. Golf can be addicting and one of the best games to teach all of life’s lessons.

If your son or daughter has a passion for the game or just looking to take up a new sport, the first step is selecting the best junior club set that enables them to enjoy the game. Something that does not look good or fit properly gives less of chance for enjoyment out on the course. The first goal at a young age is to always have fun and then to develop as a player. No one wants to work at something that isn’t fun!

To create a great fit, there are four main considerations you need to keep in mind when choosing the best junior club set:

Length
Weight
Flex
Skill

Length

The first step in choosing the best junior set is to ensure you get the right length of club for your child. Club fitters will measure the child’s height and fit accordingly, but if that is unavailable they make certain sets for different age groups that can fit pretty close to perfect. If a child uses an adult length club, the club head won’t sit on the ground properly and makes good contact with the ball next to impossible. Having the correct length will also allow for a swing that creates speed and good timing.

Weight

The weight of the club is important for junior players. The most common mistake is having a club that is too heavy, the child will have a tough time swinging the club and ball contact will suffer as a result. Timing is a big key for young players because they like to “grip and rip” (which is good). Younger players tend to take less time and naturally hit at the ball, but if a club is too heavy it can slow down the natural rhythm and be frustrating for a beginner. Simply cutting down the length to take off weight from the shaft of an adult club will not do, because the head weight is made with an adult length shaft in mind and will be affected as well.

Flex

The next consideration is the flex or stiffness of the club shaft. You might think that saving your old clubs and cutting them down to save cost would be a great idea for your young players. That is far from the truth. The club may look like it fits them but it does not. Cutting a club down, especially from the tip end more than an inch can increase the stiffness dramatically. If a young player plays with a club that’s too stiff, it can be maddening when they may have a good swing but the ball is not getting airborne.

Skill

If a junior is just starting the game, it’s unlikely that they will require a full set of 14 clubs. Generally, a driver or lofted wood, an iron or two, and a putter will suffice when learning the game. A lot of young players will build confidence if they learn to trust their limited set. It can also teach a new golfer to become creative if they don’t have the “right” club for the shot. An example of this would be in the short game area; players that are forced to see different shots with the same club can create feel and touch. If the player is starting to play in junior tournaments, it’s more likely that they will need a full set of wedges and a variety of irons when distance control starts to become more crucial.

As a helpful way of splitting up the junior club market, we can segment junior players into three categories:

Beginner
Intermediate
Transition

The beginner category speaks for itself, and is for the junior player just taking their first steps into the life-long addiction called golf. Intermediate players are junior players who have been playing for some time and may be looking to enter some tournaments, whilst the transition category covers those junior players who are playing tournaments and starting to get more serious about the game.

Best Junior Club Sets for Beginners

Golphin For Kids

Constructed with ultralight aerospace-alloy aluminum, Golphin introduces golf to kids through a fun-looking set that features four clubs. The bag includes a driver, mid-iron, short-iron and putter which all have a sweet spot 35% larger than average sets for added forgiveness. This set is designed for a child height of 48”-52.5” tall. This is typically between the ages 6-9 years old. It comes in pink and blue sets for both right and left-handed kids.

Confidence Junior Golf Set

A very simple beginning set for kids around the ages of 4-7. The four club set comes with a lofted 3-wood, 7 and 9-irons, and a mallet putter. The junior flex graphite shafts are easy to hit with their larger-sized heads. The set includes a stand bag that will hold all of the essentials.

Best Junior Club Sets for Intermediate

U.S. Kids Ultralight

The US Kids Ultralight is exactly that – ultra light! The set has five clubs including a driver, three irons and a mallet putter. The “ultralight” feel allows a younger player to swing a club how it should be, with speed! Not only a great product, the best feature of the US Kids brand is the fact that you can exchange old clubs for credit, which means that when a growth spurt happens, you don’t have to throw the clubs out with the trash. Your kid will love you and so will your bank manager.

Tour Edge HT Max-J Set

Tour Edge delivers a five-club set for kids between the heights of 52” to 60” tall. All of the shafts have low kick-points to assist in getting the ball airborne and carrying farther. There is a driver which has 15-degrees of loft, the hybrid has 29-degrees, a 7/8 iron for mid-range shots, and a 9/PW for short-range shots and short game. The stainless-steel woods, hybrids and irons are ideal for performance and getting adjusted to a set that requires feel and touch.

Wilson Junior Profile Complete Package

Wilson includes six clubs with graphite shafts to boost the young player’s game. A driver, hybrid, two cavity-back irons, blade style wedge and a blade-style putter make up the whole set. The intermediate player will start to appreciate a wedge in the bag for short game along with a driver that can send the ball a long way. The set is ideal for kids around 9-12 but it comes in different sizes with their blue=large, yellow=medium, and red=small sizing to accommodate a younger player that is more advanced than others.

Best Junior Club Sets for Transition

Callaway XJ Hot

Callaway has offered great products for adults and is now putting the same technology to use with their junior sets. A 360 cc driver is lightweight and has a lot of forgiveness off the tee. It is complemented with the fairway wood and 5-hybrid which allow the ball to rise quicker and more effectively. There are three irons including a 7-iron, 9-iron and sandwedge. To finish out the set they include an Odyssey 2-ball mallet-style putter which is great for teaching a young player to align the clubhead square to the ball. Bag is included in this great set.

Tour Edge Junior Varsity

Tour Edge has created a very logical full set for players looking to get serious about the game. The set holds 11 clubs including a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, oversized stainless-steel irons and a blade-style putter. The set differs from most beginning sets because it has graphite shafts for the woods and hybrids and steel shafts for the irons and putter (like most adult sets). The oversized irons still give maximum forgiveness for a younger player’s skill level but adjust them to the feel of steel shafts. A great set for tournament play because it offers options when out on the course for different distances.

Best Golf Clubs for Seniors

Posted on by Dan Wheeler

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Golf is a game that is great for senior players. Golf courses all across the country are filled with seniors because it is a great way to spend time outdoors, maintain and create friendships, be physically active, stay competitive, and more. If you are heading into your senior years – or you are already there – golf is a great way to keep yourself busy. If you’re shopping for a set of clubs, we’ve complied this guide on the best golf clubs for seniors.

Of course, aging comes along with some specific challenges, and you might not quite be able to swing the club in the same manner that you did in your earlier days. If that is true, picking up a set of senior golf clubs should be one of your top priorities. Senior clubs include softer shafts and a lighter overall weight, meaning they are easier to swing and easier on your body than clubs designed for younger golfers. Don’t worry – you can still play great golf with senior equipment. In fact, by having equipment in your bag that is well suited to your capabilities that this point in life, you will be more likely to find success on the course.

Below is a list of some of the best senior golf clubs on the market today. If you are starting your search for some senior gear, this is a great place to begin.

Orlimar Men’s Sport Fireline GI

To kick off our list, we are going to look at a set from Orlimar, a name that has been around the game of golf for quite some time. If you have much experience with golf and golf equipment, you probably remember the Orlimar fairway woods that were rather popular more than a decade ago. This set offers much of the same quality and performance found in those previous models, however these clubs are aimed at the senior player.

The set includes a driver, three wood, four hybrid, five hybrid, 6-PW irons, and a putter. Each of the clubs is fitted with a senior flex graphite shaft, which should suit your needs nicely. There is also an included stand bag, which will make it easy to walk or ride the course, depending on your preference. Head covers also come standard with this set, as does a double carry padded strap to make carrying these clubs a bit easier on your shoulders. Thanks to a combination of playability and power, these clubs are likely to help you move your game to the next level in short order.

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Majek Golf All Hybrid Set

Many senior players have difficulty hitting their irons, since iron shots require plenty of speed to keep the club moving through the turf nicely at impact. With that in mind, this senior men’s set from Majek includes all hybrid clubs to simplify the game for you in your senior years. This full set of hybrid clubs comes in a variety of lofts and lengths so you can cover just about any shot necessary as you go around the course.

As you would expect, these clubs all include graphite shafts to help you achieve higher swing speed and to make it easier to get the ball up in the air. Senior sized grips have also been installed on the clubs, which can be particularly helpful for those who struggle with arthritis in their hands. From top to bottom, this is simply a set that has been created with the senior golfer in mind. Before you pick a set to put in your bag going forward, be sure to at least take a look at this interesting option.

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Petite Senior Women’s Majek Golf Clubs All Ladies Hybrid Set

This is a very similar set of clubs to the one list above, with the exception that this set has been designed specifically for ladies. Female senior golfers have a specific set of needs that have to be matches by their clubs of choice if they are going to be able to live up to their potential on the course. With this set from Majek, the senior lady player should be able to make a swing that gets the ball up into the air with ease. There are ladies’ graphite shafts in these hybrid clubs, and a total of eight clubs are included with the set.

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Linksman Golf Men’s X9 Senior Flex Complete Graphite Golf Club Set

This is another complete set that is a great way for the average senior golfer to outfit their equipment needs for a fair price. The set offered by Linksman includes a driver, fairway woods, irons, and a bag. Senior flex shafts are included with this purchase, meaning you won’t have to work too hard to bend the shaft appropriately on the way into impact. Also, the iron heads in this set have a wide sole which will help you avoid hitting your shots fat as you get down to impact.

Another one of the promising features of this set is the offset design to the irons that are included. Offset means that the face of the club head is set back slightly from the shaft, which gives you more time to release the club head through the hitting area – in other words, it will be easier to avoid a slice when you are swinging offset clubs. Since the slice is something that affects an incredible number of golfers, there is a good chance that you will be able to benefit from the use of clubs with an offset design.

In addition to the sets that we have listed above, it is important to understand that you can shop for most ‘regular’ clubs as a senior golfer, as it is always an option to have senior shafts installed in any clubs that you happen to like. That means that you don’t necessarily need to be restricted to shopping in the ‘senior’ section – rather, feel free to check out any clubs that might grab your attention, and simply make sure that you wind up with the right shafts to allow the clubs to perform properly. Also, senior grips can be installed to just about any club, so that is always an option as well, if necessary. Good luck finding the right clubs for your game, and play well out there!

Best Golf Clubs for Beginners

Posted on by Dan Wheeler

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When you decide that you are going to get started in golf, one thing is clear right away – you are going to need some clubs. You can’t get started in the game without a set of clubs, so this should be your first task once you decide that golf is the right hobby for you. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to buy your first set.

Sure, there are plenty of expensive sets of clubs on the market, but you can save those for the more experienced players. When just getting started, look for an affordable set that offers the performance characteristics you need to make your experience a good one. This guide on the best golf clubs for beginners should give you the information you need to make an informed purchase.

So what are those performance characteristics that you should have your eye on? First, you want to look for clubs that are going to be forgiving at impact. Beginning golfers typically don’t have their swings finely tuned just yet, meaning they often struggle to hit the center of the club fact at impact. Pick out a set with oversized heads – both in the woods and the irons – to give yourself the best chance at success. Also, you will likely want to find a set with graphite shafts, as those will be a bit easier to hit than their steel counterparts.

Another nice option to look for as a beginning golfer is a complete set that comes with just about everything you need to play your first round. More experienced golfers tend to buy their gear piece by piece, but you can take an all-in-one approach at this point in your golf timeline. Some beginner sets will include all of the woods and irons you need, along with a putter, a bag, and more.

As a beginner golfer, if you’re looking for a good putter to get started I suggest checking out a mallet putter. Mallet putters are nice for beginners since they have a larger head which allows for an alignment aid Also because of how mallet putters are weighted, they allow for a more logical swing path for a beginner (at least in my personal opinion).

If you are looking for golf balls as a beginner, check out this guide on the best golf balls for beginners that I put together.

If you would like to review some of the best golf clubs for beginners on the market today, please continue on to the content below.

Callaway Men’s Strata Complete Golf Club Set with Bag

This first option on our list provides you with most of what you will need to get started in golf. Offered up by one of the best names in the golf business – Callaway – you will receive 13 total pieces when you order this beginner set. Included in the set is a driver, 3-wood, hybrid club, set of irons, a putter, and a stand bag. While there will be a few other things for you to pick up (such as shoes and balls) before you make your first tee time, this set will take you most of the way toward being ready for the first tee.

As you would expect, the clubs in this set have been designed with the beginner in mind. That means that the irons are perimeter weighted to promote forgiveness, and the woods have graphite shafts to help you develop as much swing speed as possible. It is also an advantage to have the set include a stand bag, as you can use this kind of bag either while walking or riding.

The stand will be a huge advantage when you need to set your clubs down to hit a shot, as you don’t want to lay your entire bag down on the ground every time. Of course, this kind of bag will work just fine when you choose to ride, so either option is in play when you pick this beginner set.

13 clubs
Driver, 3 wood, hybrid, putter, irons (6-PW), stand bag
460cc driver

These clubs are perfect for beginners or people getting back into golf. Therefore, these clubs are not made with the highest quality. They are a bargain set. If you use them heavily, you will have some small dents. One thing that is missing is a higher lofted wedge. This might be an issue if you are a beginner and are struggling to get the ball off the ground. Sometimes a sand wedge or lob wedge is perfect for that.

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Wilson Ultra Men’s Complete Package

If you are a true beginner who is looking for your first pieces of golf equipment in order to try your hand at this difficult but addictive game, the Wilson Ultra set is a strong contender for your business. This set includes standard length clubs, head covers for the woods and hybrid, a putter, a bag, and more. Additionally, this set even comes with a package of 15 golf balls, so you will have plenty of replacements available if you happen to lose a couple along the way.

This is a great set when you are trying to find your way on the course early in your golf ‘career’. This is a game that can be a big intimidating at first, but this set will provide you with most everything you need to start to learn the game from the ground up.

You aren’t going to be an expert after just a round or two, but you will likely be addicted to the process of getting better and better as you go. Wilson is a brand name that has a long history at all levels of the game, from supplying beginners up to the best players in the world. Before you place an order for a beginner set, be sure to at least consider this solid option.

14-piece package golf set complete with a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 5-PW, putter, bag and head covers

This set is a great beginner bargain set. It includes good club diversity and the clubs are made to accommodate a wide range of swing speeds. If you do not play often, but want a cheap set of clubs that has all the tools, but you are not on the hook for a major purchase, this is a great option for you.

The bag comes with many extra pockets which is nice for balls, tees, rain gear, etc. the bottom line is this set is made for a low budget, and for casual rounds. The clubs themselves are durable for their price, but should not be worked too often.

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Any of the three sets of clubs in the list above would make for a great choice as you seek to get started in golf. Remember, you don’t have to break the bank right away when buying golf equipment, as there will be plenty of time later to upgrade as your skills improve. Also, since you have to pay for other things like greens fees, range balls, shoes, balls, gloves, and more, you don’t want to blow your whole golf budget on your set of clubs. Have fun shopping and good luck with your first round!