How to choose your first golf set? Tips from golfers.

How to choose your first golf clubs: A guide for beginners.

If you are just starting with golf and looking for first golf clubs, you probably have a lot of questions running through your head. What is the difference between a men's and women's set? Is it worth buying a whole beginner golf set, or rather invest in custom fitting of golf clubs? In this article, we will advise you on how to navigate the offer, what to pay attention to, and what will help you improve faster.

1. Beginner set or custom clubs?

Beginner golf set is the ideal choice for those who are starting with golf and want to first try whether they will really enjoy this sport. The set usually contains a basic combination of clubs – driver, several irons, hybrid, wedge, and putter – packed in one bag. These sets are universal, affordable, and designed to forgive swing errors.

The disadvantage is that such a set is not adapted to your physique, swing, or tempo. Therefore, you have to make compromises, which can affect your technique and speed of improvement.

On the other hand, there is the option golf fitting – professional analysis of your game, based on which a specialist will recommend exactly the clubs that will match your body and playing style.

With custom clubs, you can achieve more consistent and accurate shots from the start. Even if you are a beginner, don't be afraid of fitting. Every golfer has dealt with imperfection at the beginning. However, if you are serious about golf, want to improve, and at the same time avoid health risks (wrists, elbows, lower back), it is definitely worth having your swing measured and consulting your game with our fitters.

Even if you don't hit the ball perfectly, we will measure your swing, swing tempo, and the size of your palms and based on that select the most suitable models of heads, shafts, and grips so that you enjoy golf, improve, and most importantly - so that your whole body doesn't hurt after golf (and your head from not improving).

2. Main parameters of golf clubs for beginners

When choosing your first clubs, it is important to focus on several basic parameters:

Shaft length (club)

Regular length of the golf club ensures good stance and balance during the swing.

A club that is too long or too short leads to posture errors and poor contact with the ball. With long clubs you will stand upright, with short ones you will hunch. In neither case will you be able to hit the ball in the center and enjoy the feeling of a perfect shot.

Lower back (lumbar) will definitely not thank you during rotations when you are too bent over a short club. Forearm attachments will suffer during deep cuts with long clubs. The correct length of golf clubs is fundamental.

Shaft stiffness (flex)

Shaft stiffness is chosen according to your swing speed. The selection today is really wide, you can encounter stiffness levels

• Ladies (marked L, W) - the most common stiffness for ladies
• Senior (marked M, A, SR) - for ladies with faster swings, or for gentlemen with slower swings
• Regular (designation R) - the most common men's stiffness
• Stiff (marked S) - for players with fast swings
• X-Stiff (marked X) - for players with very fast swings)

The correct shaft stiffness ensures cleaner contact with the ball, each shaft has a different torque in its lower part. If your shaft is too soft, it will twist upon contact with the ball and you will lose all consistency. On the other hand, a shaft that is too stiff will rob you of its flexibility, which helps get the ball into the air and to maximum distance. Trust that a higher trajectory and greater distance will definitely be useful to you at the start.

Shaft weight

Besides swing speed, tempo is also addressed. The correct shaft weight for your ideal tempo is the ticket to greater consistency. Players with slower speed and slower tempo will benefit from lighter graphite shafts, which help them get the ball into the air more easily and achieve greater distance. Players with faster swings and more dynamic tempo will gain stability and consistency with heavier steel shafts. 

Grip thickness

Properly chosen grip thickness ensures a firm but natural grip on the club. A grip that is too thin or conversely too thick can affect hand position and shot direction.

3. Differences in golf club heads

Beginner clubs usually have larger and more forgiving heads, which make it easier to hit the ball even with an inaccurate strike. These "game improvement" heads have a lower center of gravity and a wider sole edge, so they help with shot height and stability.

On the other hand, clubs for advanced players have smaller heads that allow better control and ball work but are less forgiving of mistakes. Their use requires more precise technique and greater experience.

What next?

If you are looking for golf clubs for beginners, you have two options – buy a basic set of golf clubs for beginners or have clubs custom adjusted through golf fitting. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages; it depends on your goals, budget, and desire to improve.

When choosing, don't forget to focus on:

• shaft length for the correct stance,

• shaft stiffness according to swing speed,

• weight for tempo,

• and the correct grip thickness.

In our brick-and-mortar stores in Prague and Brno, we have a wide range of golf clubs in stock and also the widest selection of test clubs in the Czech Republic. 

All our fitters are experienced players with many years of experience working with players from national team members to complete beginners - men, women, and children. You will be able to try all the clubs and consult on your choice.

Investing in the right equipment will help you build the right habits and enjoy the game from the very first shot.