What Should Beginners Spend on Golf Clubs?

Getting started as a new golfer, whether it is for you or for the kids, can be costly and distracting! Not only do you need a set of golf clubs (remember, only fourteen allowed in your bag) but also accessories, clothing...and let's not forget a qualified instructor! Today, let's focus on golf club choices.

This guest post was written by Dan Winger (see below for bio) and edited by Golf for Beginners. Enjoy.

Name brand golf clubs can cost a lot of money, dollars that could be spent on green fees for actual playing enjoyment...however, there is no substituting the quality of a name brand...or is there?

Costs of the name brand clubs average as follows:

·        Driver – $250 (My Callaway X2 Hot Driver currently retails at about $225 -Stacy)

·        Two Fairway Woods – $320

·        Irons, set of 7 – $650 My Ping Karsten Irons w/Graphite Shafts retail at around $899 -Stacy)

·        Wedges, 3 – $300

·        Putter – $130

·        Golf bag – $160

That’s an average total of $1810, a stout sum for the average guy or gal. Golf for Beginners suggests attending demo days at the very least, if that is the route you choose.

If money is no object, go for it, but there are other options. As most beginners have no idea if they’ll like the sport and stay with it, it seems more prudent to start out with a lower cost option.

Lower Cost Options

Low Cost/Used Outlets: There are several online sources of low cost and used golf equipment:

·        GlobalGolf.com (used-new)

·        GolfGalaxy Stores (used-new)

·        Ebay.com (used-new)

·        Amazon.com (used-new)

·        Overstock.com (new)

·        Costco.com (new)

·        2ndswing.com (used-new)

·        3balls.com (used-new)

Often, you can find some excellent golf clubs from these sources. Just be sure that you are buying clubs that fit you. Ask the sales person to check the shaft flex to be sure that it’s right for you.

Garage Sales: I have several golf buddies who regularly play clubs that they bought at garage sales. If you know your swing, you’ll know if a used club will be a good fit for you. Normally this the lowest cost method to buy clubs.

Clone Golf Clubs: Whatever you want to call them, knock-off golf clubs, discount golf clubs, clone golf clubs - they’ll save you money and should provide just as much playability as the name brands.

A set of new clone golf clubs (a set as described above) will cost an average of $600, one third of the price of the name brand clubs. 

The Acer XDS React Titanium Driver by Hireko, for example, is similar to Cobra and tests rate it 97/100.  At $69.95, this club is worth a swing...editor's note.

Good club hunting - there many opportunities to save some cash.


Author Bio: Dan Winger is owner/writer of 2 clone golf club review websites, DW Golf and Golf Shop Bolton.

He worked most of his professional career as a mechanical engineer/designer. Dan has been testing clone golf clubs and writing reviews since 2004. He resides in St. Joseph, Michigan, and can be reached at dwinger[at]rocketmail.com




Have you just purchased your first set of golf clubs? Which did you choose? Tell us in our comments section and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


photo credit: dwgolf.com, pgatoursuperstore.com

Best #Golf Course in Ohio? You Decide!

I received an email about Longaberger stating that it was the Best Golf Club in Ohio. After reading their note as to why, I would love to hear comments from Golf for Beginners readers to let me know if you have ever played golf there and if you agree or disagree, along with any comments you may have.

Located in Nashport, Ohio, about forty miles from downtown Columbus, the Longaberger Golf Club maintains that they have a reputation as the top rated public golf course in the state.

More accolades are listed below but GolfWorld has rated Longaberger the fourth top Public Course in America, they are number fifty-one in the US Top 100 Courses You Can Play from GOLF Magazine and have a four-and-a-half star rating from Golf Digest.

Longaberger doesn't seem to need to toot it's own horn - some of the largest magazines have already done that for them!

The Golf Course:
The Longaberger Company commissioned renowned golf course architect Arthur Mills to build the par-72, 7,243-yard parkland-style course, which opened in 1999. The course is notable for its combination of natural creeks and lakes with a varied terrain, all of which is framed by majestically tall trees. There are multiple tees on each hole, thus making the Longaberger Golf Course more accessible to less experienced players in terms of play-ability.

Amenities:
Longaberger golf course is known for its vast array of luxurious amenities, serene setting and unique course design, outstanding dining options and a varied collection of player development programs.

Featured prominently at the Longaberger Golf Club is a 60,000 square-foot clubhouse which provides a great place for dining and socializing, a golf pro shop where visitors can purchase top-tier golf equipment and merchandise and upscale locker rooms nestled within to complete the experience.

The Club, however, is much more than just a place to play golf. Inside the clubhouse is a full-service restaurant with a soothing aura of rich wood paneling, bay windows that stretch from the floor to the ceiling, an expansive outdoor verandah,and panoramic views of the 18th hole.

Events:
The unique multipurpose feel of the Longaberger Golf Club make it an ideal place for various events. The huge clubhouse, for instance, can accommodate elaborate wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, anniversaries, fundraisers and more.

Accolades:
Within its first year of existence, the Longaberger Golf Club was the recipient of Golf Digest’s Best New Upscale Public Course award for 2000. Also, Golf Week Magazine has rated the club the number one public-play course in Ohio for thirteen consecutive years, from 2002 to 2014. Other honors include being in Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Public Golf Courses in America for 2013-2014” list (at #51) and Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” list (at #55).

Planning to visit Nashport, OH? Want to play golf at Longaberger? Book a tee time and enjoy the experience.

So now, what do you think? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners!