Having a hard time..

[pony2slow]

I am very very new to this game but have the bug.. (Hello..)

I am looking for my beginner/learning clubs and have narrowed it down to a few differnt sets and having a real hard time trying to decide what would be the best and most forgiving set. I have done some research and finding it really hard to find the excat answers I am looking for.

I have been keeping my eyes on craigslist/ebay for some sets but find most of the ones I see within my budget ($300 firm) are really no better than some of the ones I have found.

I have been looking at a few sets namely.

TopFlite XL7000 ($299)
TopFlite XL ($199)
Wilson Ultra package ($199)
Walter Hagen T3 ($179)

From what I have been reading alot recommend to find a set of used decent clubs. For what I would be getting for my money for the used clubs is far less than what one of the boxed sets would provide (bag,irons,fairway woods and driver)

Which brings me to one of my quesitons. How much would a used "decent" set of clubs help me while I am learning the game?
and also what above sets listed would be best suited for me to learn on?

And one of the biggest things I have found from my research on here and other sites is taking lessons. This is already setup. I start my lessons next week. I think about 4 -5 sessions will help me get a much better understanding of what I am doing wrong with my swing,grip,stance and whatever else I as a novice am doing horriably wrong.

Sorry for the ramble but from what I have read here this is by far one of the most visited forums I have found yet so I figured I would ask here due to the good advise I have seen this community give for other.

Cheers..

[Slammin' Sam]

Personally I think you should check the used sets at the golf stores and golf course pro shops in your area first to see what's for sale. If you have a Play It Again Sports in your neck of the woods you should check that as well. And there are plenty of reputable online golf stores such as Golf Galaxy, Global Golf, Edwin Watts, TGW, and 3 Balls Golf that frequently have very good deals on used club sets. I have nothing against the sets you're currently considering but the prices you've quoted seem rather high to me and none of those sets are exactly hot commodities on the used market, a factor I think you should consider because if you don't give up the game altogether you might want to get nicer clubs at some point and resale or trade value could be important to you.

You should be able to find a good used set of Ping Eye 2's, Titleist DCIs, Taylormade Burners, or Callaway irons for the kind of money you're wanting to spend. All of these are good clubs and will hold their resale value a lot better than the ones you've been looking at so far.

And definitely go for the lessons.

Good luck, and I hope you get to enjoy the game!

[FenderStrat62]

I think piecing together a used set will probably get you better clubs in the long run, but then you still need to buy a bag, plus make sure you put together a full set, etc.

If it comes down to it, I don't think you'd be in bad shape with one of the cheaper beginner sets new that comes with everything you need. I had a great experience with my first set of Wilsons. Then again, I bought them used, haha.

[surfnspy]

A year ago I started my search with a similar budget by clubs in the "Max Game Improvement" description.

I also read a lot of message boards such as this one and anytime I saw key words like "forgiving, value, etc." I made a mental note.

Lastly, I spent time at a volume golf shop (Roger Dunn Golf where I live) for trade-in sets. Ultimately, after many visits I got a set of Nike Slingshot 4D (4-AW) for $299 in great condition.

Good luck!

[WUTiger]

pony2slow said, ... I have done some research and finding it really hard to find the excat answers I am looking for. ...

Used clubs are a possibility, if you have some understanding of the game of golf. You might consider

boxed sets : You get a matching set of clubs, with a bag. You're ready to play. The TopFlite, Hagen and Maxfli sets are decent clubs. Several teaching pros I know recommend boxed sets as a good way for beginners to start. If you're taking lessons from someone, they could possibly help you select a set. If you want, take a look at a recent column on boxed sets. Several readers added comments at end: http://thesandtrap.com/bag_drop/club...der_boxed_sets