How to Get the Best (and Cheapest) Clubs for Your Kids
Many parents shudder at the thought of purchasing golf clubs for their kids as they begin to play the game because of the cost and how quickly children grow and outgrow things. Finding the right set can be daunting if you don’t know where to begin.
Never fear, cost-conscious parents. Here are a few ways to obtain quality beginner clubs your kids are sure to love at a reasonable cost.
For starters, when beginning to play, there is no need for juniors to carry around a full set of 14 clubs in their bag. Kids should begin learning the game with a limited set of core clubs, including a driver, five wood, five iron, seven iron, pitching wedge and putter – a total of six clubs.
If you can find hand-me-down clubs from a friend or relative that fit just right, power to you. If not, the next best place to look is a used sporting goods store, like Play It Again Sports or Nevada Bob’s, where you can create a set of clubs for approximately $100-200 total.
If you want to start your child off with a new set, here are some great websites to check before venturing out of the house.
Uskidsgolf.com offers sets for kids beginning at around $100. Clubs begin at 27 inches long and, if bought individually, range from $12-$20. A beginner’s set starts at $99.95, and features a set of six UL-24 (Ultra-Light) clubs with composite shafts (driver, four hybrid, nine iron, sand wedge, putter and golf bag).
While they may not be the most sleek aesthetically, these clubs are sure to hold up as they are fitted with titanium inserts that help with performance and durability, and will help your child learn the basics of the game.
The average junior golfer grows up to two and a half inches per year, and professionals agree that for every two inches your child grows, an extra inch should be added to the length of their golf clubs in order to achieve a proper fit.
Acculength.com focuses on the creation of junior golf club sets and features clubs with a shaft spacer system that allows you to add to the shaft length as your child grows. With Acculength, your child gets a custom fit golf club every year without having to buy a new set, saving you lots of mula. Additionally, each club has a lock at the top of the shaft that is designed to guarantee the grip will not unscrew or rotate during use.
You can also explore the major golf manufacturer’s websites as many of them, such as Callaway, Nike, Ping, TaylorMade, Tour Edge and Wilson have pre-boxed sets of junior golf clubs, designed for children of a certain age and height. They can also custom make sets for your children, as well.
But, with that comes a jump in cost. For example, Ping’s junior clubs, the Moxie K set (42″ – 47″) begins at $149.95; Nike’s junior SQ Machspeed – their only junior set (52″ – 61″) – begins at $169; Callaway’s XJ ’12 series for boys five to eight years old begins at $199; and TaylorMade’s Burner Junior set (42″ – 49″) retails for a staggering $239.99 but includes a hat, two headcovers and a matching towel.
Of the major manufacturers, TourEdge sells clubs fit for younger children, ages three to five years, for $89.99 (the 2×1 set includes one wood, one iron and one putter), and Wilson sells a 6-club set for younger children for $129.99.
Whichever way you decide to go, buying your child’s first set of golf clubs is a very special experience that neither of you will ever forget. Have fun with it and play well!
Great article. Check out this post for addition information on golf club sets for beginners. http://www.golfclubscenter.com/best-golf-clubs-beginners/
Great recommendations! We did an article here on selecting the best beginner golf clubs and the factors to consider. It is meant for adults but the principles will apply: hittingthegolfball.com/best-beginner-golf-clubs/