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The Beginner’s Golf Equipment Guide: What you Need to Get Started

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As a beginner, you can be inundated with how many different kinds of golf equipment are available in stores and online.  The different brands, sizes, colors, shapes, lofts, degrees, balls, tees, etc., can become overwhelming when all you want to do is get the essentials and go play 18 holes.

The goal of this article is to make it easier for you by showing you what we feel is the best beginner golf equipment for getting the job done without burning a hole in your wallet.

Although most intermediate and advanced players will most likely be carrying fitted clubs, GPS devices, and the latest adjustable drivers, keep in min that as a beginner you do not need to spend time researching or money buying these things just yet.  The key as a beginner is to buy just the equipment you need to get out there and start learning to play the game.  Then later, when you have a better feel for your style of play, you can go back and start investing in better equipment to meet your more specific needs.

Clubs

Wilson Profile HL Complete Package Golf Set

Wilson Profile HL Complete Package Golf Set

You may not know it yet, but if you were to buy a great set of irons, a couple of fairway woods, a good driver, and a bag a la carte you’d probably end up spending close to $1,500!  As a beginner, all you need is a reliable bundled set of a decent brand to get you off and out on the course to start learning.

With that said, for new golfers we like the Wilson Profile HL Complete Package Golf Set, which you can get on Amazon for $299.00 with free shipping (if you’re an Amazon Prime member).  This 15-piece complete set comes with a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, irons 5-SW, putter, golf bag, and head covers.  For that price, you’ll have all the clubs you need to learn the game, with some change left in your pocket.

Balls

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need to have superb, expensive golf balls as a beginner.  Odds are you’re going to lose most of them (even advanced players lose balls) and as a beginner you don’t need any fancy spin or compression stats.  Your focus should be on finding an affordable and playable ball that will suit your needs early in your game’s development.

Steer clear from the Titleist ProV1’s and Callaway Tour Is golf balls, but instead, look for the Wilson Titanium 18 pack for $9.99 or the Noodle Long and Soft 15 pack for $15.99.  Both are perfectly suited for a beginners game and if you loose a few you won’t be nearly has upset with yourself as you would be if you put a $5 ProV1 in the lake.

Advanced level golfers spend more on golf balls that fit their playing style, desired spin, softness, etc.  You’ll get there sooner or later but in the mean time spending big money on golf balls as a beginner is like buying an airplane when you get your driver’s licence.  It makes no sense!

Tees

Golf tees come in all different lengths so before you shop it’s a good idea to first determine your correct tee height.  Once you discover your height, then you can shop.

It’s often true that you can’t go wrong with the large tees because you can always adjust the size by pushing it more into the ground.  But not everyone likes using an unweildy 3″-plus tee.  The key is to just find the height that makes you most comfortable and gives you the most  confidence.

Once you’re ready to shop check out Orlimar.  They make a decently rated golf tee which comes in a pack of 75 for less than $5.  Keep that price in mind when buying tees, because in our opinion, when it comes to a beginner’s game there is no tee that stands out as more superior then others.

Gloves

Gloves are designed to help you grip the club better, prevent blisters, and some days, keep (at least one hand) warm.  Like balls and tees, any glove will do, as long as it’s comfortable and has a good grip.  Of course the name brand gloves may cost more but they also tend to last longer, as golf gloves tend to ware out and rip.   You can score a nice glove for about $10 on Amazon and usually you can get a decent brand.  The same glove will probably run you about $20 in the course pro-shop so try to steer clear of purchasing there unless it’s a wet day and you need one right away.

No matter what glove you choose keep in mind that fit is far more important than any other factor.  With that said, here is an excellent video showing how to choose the right fit:

Shoes

Golf spikes/shoes are necessary on the course.  They give your feet the traction and comfort that you need when walking a long round and hitting shots from the bunker and rough.  A good pair of golf shoes will pay dividends on a long 5 hour round with hills and tough terrain.   The problem with these items is that they can be costly.   The name brand shoes by Nike and FootJoy can run you easily north of $100.   However, we were able to find some of these name brand shoes for a cheaper price.   Take a look at the Nike Heritage Golf shoes.  Water resistant and pretty stylish, these shoes will go a long way for half the cost of a fancy pair.

Beginner’s Golf Kit - Nike Golf Shoes

Nike Heritage Golf shoes are affordable, stylish, and all you need to get started on the course.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on one-day deal sites like Divot.com or golf outlet stores like the Golfsmith Outlet which can often provide steep discounts on higher ticket items such as these (as long as you’re willing to wait for a deal to come around).

Apparel

Basic golf apparel is a must on the course. You don’t want to show up for your round in jeans and a t-shirt because most golf courses (public and private) have dress codes that you have to adhere to in order to play.

Typical golf attire consists of a polo shirt (long or short sleeve), golf pants or khakis, a hat if you have one, and golf shoes.  You see the guys on TV all decked out with colorful gear, but don’t be fooled by that.  They actually get paid to wear that stuff and as a beginner, you don’t need it.  As with most things you can score some really comfortable and stylish golf shirts on Amazon for a great price, but we also highly recommend checking out stores like Target and Walmart.  Both discount stores will often carry unbranded but still entirely acceptable golf attire that often costs 1/4 of the what you’ll spend to wear big name brands like Cobra and FootJoy.

Also, keep in mind that you may need to have some additional gear in your bag to help you with your round.  Check out our Golfer’s Survival Kit to assist in making your round more comfortable, enjoyable, and less of a headache!

Lessons

As a beginner you’ll need to learn the basics of the game.  Find a local pro or golf store near you and inquire about beginner golf lessons.  Here, you’ll get what you need to learn the basics of how to swing the clubs, make impact, follow through, and how far you hit your clubs.   Also, understand what to expect from your first golf lesson which we provide you with here as well as in Episode 2 of the Golf Podcast.

Last Note

While you’re learning the basics of swing and stroke during your lessons, remember to keep up to speed on some of the unwritten rules of the game.  We’ve provided our readers with the 10 Unwritten Rules of Golf, a guide to keep you abreast of the rules when you’re playing with friends and other golfers.  Following these guidelines will help you feel less like a “newbie” and more like someone on their way to learning, and enjoying the game.


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