Youth Golf Clubs

Youth golf clubs may very well be the biggest scam in the golf market today.  Your son or daughter has just learned that golf might be a fun pastime, and since you don’t have any golf clubs lying around for people less than five feet tall, you have to go out a purchase an entirely new set.  You’re happy to do it, because you can’t wait to show your child the joys of golfing, but you find that everywhere you turn someone is trying to sell you a set of youth golf clubs that are more expensive than your own set.  Here are some things to consider as you set out to purchase your child a set of clubs.

Longevity

You may be used to making golf purchases (or any purchases, for that matter) with the longevity of the product in mind.  How long will this product last?  When purchasing youth golf clubs, this need not be a consideration.  Children grow much faster than their golf clubs will become worn and unusable.  Even the least expensive set of clubs will last your child for two or three years, and that’s only if he or she is still the right height to use them.  Don’t get conned into believing you need to buy a certain set of youth golf clubs just because “they’ll last a lifetime!”

Height

Standard golf wisdom says that when you’re buying a set of clubs, you determine the correct height by gripping the top of the 3-iron, getting in a correct stance, and drawing your hands towards your body.  If your hands hit your body just below your belt buckle, those clubs are the right height. 

Although this little nugget of wisdom can still be correctly applied to children, you may want to modify it slightly when you’re purchasing their youth golf clubs.  Instead of having them grip the end of the club, have them choke up an inch or two, then bring their hands back towards their bodies.  This will ensure that you buy clubs that are technically an inch or two too long for them, making the set of clubs last considerably longer.

Quality

Let’s face it; the quality of a set of golf clubs is not directly proportional to their price.  Yes, it is related, but a $1,500 set is not of three time’s higher quality than a $500 set.  The same is true of youth golf clubs.  To be honest, unless your child is the second coming of Tiger Woods or Michelle Wie, the quality of their golf set is not going to make a bit of difference in their score.  Don’t be afraid to tell a salesperson that you’re looking for a low-end set of clubs.  They may look at you like you’re the world’s worst parent, but you can be secure in the knowledge that you’re not.  Callaway and Titleist both make excellent sets of affordable youth golf clubs, so these might be great places to start.