Re: 'Fantasy football'-style beginners 14 clubs - what would you choose?

First, I would see a clubfitter/maker and get a club or two fit to your static numbers.

Then I would see a good coach and build a swing.

Then I would revisit my clubfitter/maker and get a set built around my new swing.

What you could just run out and buy is a putter. Go try a few, and figure out what length and look you like.

Re: 'Fantasy football'-style beginners 14 clubs - what would you choose?

I understand your point - really I do, but does anyone REALLY learn like this? I've played for several years, just took a long break and getting back into it more seriously now. Playing at the 9 hole par 33 Entry Hil course in Bath earlier in the week, I carded my best ever 42, including my first ever two birdies and 3 pars I did this with a knackered set of hire clubs and accordingly am thinking for me at the moment, the gear issue can't be what I need to play good golf. (playing 45 holes, I also carded some substantially worse rounds than this too! ).

I understand the received wisdom that lessons might be useful, but to be honest, at the moment, I'd rather spend the money on getting out there and enjoying it. I'm not knocking golf lessons, though I've heard more bad things said about them good.

Finally, I am 5' 10" - slap bang average height and average weight. If ever such a thing existed as an average beginner, here he is. So I'm not going to be at the wacky extremities of how Mother Nature made us, which of course might necessitate custom clubs.

Out of interest, before I borrow a set of my dad's unused clubs, I did indeed go out and buy a putter, which is being heavily used in my front room constantly

Re: 'Fantasy football'-style beginners 14 clubs - what would you choose?

To answer your question I would look at:
1. A driver something around at least 10* or higher, with a 460 clubbead and the maximum core. THese drivers are very forgiving. (I would stay away from the draw drivers)
2. 3 wood, as an option to tee off with.
3. 5 iron - PW set of Irons
9. A hybrid 3 and 4 Iron
11 Sand wedge
12 Lob wedge
13 either a 5 wood/2iron hybrid or gap wedge.
14 Putter

That is what I would say though until you get your distances down you may not use every club and may be better to concentrate on hitting just a few of the above. But you wanted 14. Also need to be careful just mixing and matching your wood, hybrids and irons it is important to have the right yardage gaps. Some irons are stronger or weaker then others same for the hybrids which can throw of your gaps.

Re: 'Fantasy football'-style beginners 14 clubs - what would you choose?

Similar thoughts here. D, 3W, 3IH, 4IH, 5I, 6I, 7I, 8I, 9I, PW, SW, LW, P - thirteen clubs. Then, depending on your strengths and weaknesses, add a 5W, a 2IH, or a GW. Also, depending again on your strengths and weaknesses, you may want to substitute IH’s for the 5 and/or 6 irons. I A blended wood to hybrid to iron set might also be a good choice.

A high handicapper should DEFINITELY have 14 clubs in the bag when they play so they have LOTS of choices in the long clubs, depending on what you’re hitting well on the days your play. Some days high handicappers can’t hit an iron to save their lives and other days it’s the woods. Go figure. If your going to play anyway, you might as well go fully armed. A lot of people will say to leave the driver at home, but I know a lot of high handicappers, especially ladies and folks with slow swing speeds, who can put the driver in the fairway EVERY time. They don’t do so well off the deck with the irons and woods because of the slow swing speed. Giving up 50 yards off the tee would kill them. Just because it’s in the bag, doesn’t mean you HAVE to pull it out and hit it. You can still hit 7 iron every shot, if you want.

Static fitting should be fine for now. There are several online charts to use. Likely standard length and lie for you. If your close, I’d recommend standard. It could take one to several years to build a proper and repeatable swing. DO NOT get clubs fitted to your "beginner" swing flaws.

None of this is to discount instruction, learning a proper swing and spending time on the range with just a few clubs.

Re: 'Fantasy football'-style beginners 14 clubs - what would you choose?

The 2 previous sets mentioned are pretty good. But I'd definately yank out the LW and put in a Gap Wedge instead.

You'll also want to make sure you get a nice set of Game Enhancement Irons or Super Game Enhancement Irons. These type of irons will produce a higher and straighter ball flight and will be more forgiving.

You can visit http://golfdigest.com/flash/hotlist/ for the golf digest hot list. These will be more expensive clubs but will give you an idea.

Re: 'Fantasy football'-style beginners 14 clubs - what would you choose?

I went to walmart and bought a set of electras that included
10.5 INTERMEDIATE FLEX driver, 3 wood, 5 wood , 3-9 irons,sw, pw, and stand bag for 145.00 dollers. I added a lob wedge and gap wedge also from walmart.
I played with these for two years before I decided my swing was ready enough to put down the jack for some fitted "nicer clubs".

I think the beginner needs alot of wedges so he can hit more full shots into greens . I still carry four wedges.