Awkward Moment Guide

Do Not Buy New Clubs Yet

You just started golf and you're staring at a $400 driver. A beginner-friendly guide to buying used clubs, what to look for, and where to find them.

Equipment
Beginner Basics

You bought a few rounds, you didn't hate it, now you're in the pro shop holding a $400 driver. Put it down.

You'll need clubs to start. Used ones do the same job and cost a tenth of what new ones cost. This is the one purchase where being cheap is also being smart, and most beginners get talked out of that in about 4 minutes by the guy on commission.

The Beginner Gear Cheat Sheet

Budget: $50 to $250 for a full used set.
What's in the set: driver, putter, 7 iron, pitching wedge. Mismatched brands are fine.
Inspect: clean clubface, straight shaft, no deep rust.
Where to buy: Facebook Marketplace, Golf Galaxy's used section, or 2nd Swing online.
Skip the fitting until you're shooting in the 90s consistently.

The why behind each one is below.

Why It Matters When You're Starting Out

Clubs are the easiest place to waste money on this sport early. A new set from a retailer runs $300 on the low end and over $1,500 if anyone helps you. Your swing at month 1 looks nothing like your swing at month 6, so a club fitted to you in May won't fit you in November. Reps are what make a beginner better. Most people figure that out around month 6, after they've already paid for a driver they could barely make contact with.

What Most Beginners Get Wrong

Buying the matching set off the rack because the salesperson calls it "the beginner package." It's a markup with a bow on it.
Getting fitted at month 2. Your swing is still inventing itself. You're paying to fit a moving target.
Spending up on the driver because the YouTube clips made it look fun. Most people hit a driver 12 to 14 times in 18 holes. You'll putt 2 to 3 times as often.
Skipping the putter to save a few bucks. The putter is the club you'll touch most. A worn one ruins more rounds than a worn driver.

What To Actually Do

Budget: $50 to $250 for the whole set. A full beginner setup runs about the cost of a nice dinner out. Past $300, you're paying for clubs you'll outgrow before the season ends. If a seller insists their used set is worth $400, walk.
Set composition: 4 clubs is enough to start. Driver, putter, 7 iron, pitching wedge. Add a hybrid if it's in the bundle. Mismatched brands don't matter at all. What you want is one club you can hit off the tee, one you can hit from the fairway, one for short stuff, and one on the green.
Inspect before you pay. Clubface should be clean with no deep rust or chunks taken out of the grooves. Sight down the shaft to check for bends. Worn grips are a $5 swap each at any pro shop, so a tired grip isn't a dealbreaker. A bent shaft is.
Where to buy. Facebook Marketplace gets you the cheapest sets (search "golf clubs" in your city, sort by lowest price, message the listings under $100). Golf Galaxy's used section lets you grip the clubs before paying. 2nd Swing online has the widest selection with a return window, which is useful if you've never held a club outside of a Top Golf bay.
Skip the fitting for now. A club fitting matches the club to your swing. Your swing is going to change every month for the first year. Pay for a fitting once you're playing regular rounds and shooting in the 90s. Before that, you're fitting a swing that doesn't exist yet.

The Bottom Line

Your first set of clubs is going to be the wrong set of clubs. That's true whether you spend $80 or $800. Buy used, hit a few hundred range balls, figure out what you actually want from a club, then sell the used set and upgrade. The cheap path gets you to the same place. You just get there with $300 still in your pocket.

Next Step

Screenshot the cheat sheet before your next trip to Marketplace. Start with the terms — Stupid Golf Questions →

Still confused? Ask the dumb follow-up.

The guide gets you started. Mully opens a chat for the exact thing you are still unsure about.