First "real" set of clubs for my 12 year old son

[ScottL]

I have been golfing for a few years now (think about 5) and although I do not get to play as much as Id like, I do take it very serious and love the game. I guess you could say Im borderline obsessed.

That being said, my son is just now starting to show a little interest in the game. There is a nice course by me that also has a little 3 hole practice course. Its kept in perfect shape, but is perfect to take my son out on because there arent a million people playing it pressuring us to speed up.

To date, he has probably only gone to the driving range 2-3 times and played maybe 1 round of 9 holes. never really showed him and "tips", just let him swing naturally and do his thing..

well about 2 weeks ago i took him out to the front yard and tried showing him a few things with these orange calloway sponge balls. I just showed him grip, stance and a few other minor things. Then we headed out to the 3 hole practice course and played 6 holes. He actually got 2 legit pars (playing from the reds). one par 4 he hit is great down the middle, then approach about 10 feet from the pin on the green. Then one a par 3, hit it about 20 feet from the pin... then the other 4 holes were probably double bogeys or worse... but i can see some potential.

He just started 7th grade and I have already been talking to his coach a little. there is a 7th grade golf team and the tryouts are in April. He said 10 kids will make the team and usually about 35-45 will try out. He said they usually shoot anywhere from 36 to 66.

So I want to get him some real clubs. right now he only has a set of these cheap junior clubs. Comes with a driver, hybrid, 7, 9 and putter. They are a brand Iv never heard of and they seem ok i guess, but no wedge, sand wedge, long iron, etc. Id really like to get him a full set. So we went to Golfsmith yesterday just to dink around and had him measured. He is right on the edge of juniors to mens size clubs. Juniors is about his perfect size RIGHT NOW, but im sure will outgrow them by the time tryouts come around in April. So I was thinking of getting a real mens set, but having them fitted and the shafts cut down. The guy there measured and said he would need to take 1.5 to 2 inches off the shaft and reccomended I get a ladies or senior flex graphite shaft and cut them 1.5/2 inches for him... then in a year or whatever when he outgrows, can either reshaft again or buy a new set.

so i was thinking of find a decent used set on ebay/craigslist or golfsmith, but im not really sure what is best for a 12 year old just starting out. Should I get some kind of OS game improved club? or just a regular cavity back or what? Any ideas on something really good, but maybe a couple years old so I can get them cheap? Having them reshafted is going to cost about $30-35 per club. I was thinking maybe just 6-PW and a wedge, driver and maybe hybrid or 5 wood.

im open to all ideas and suggestions.... thanks

[rustyredcab]

Tom Watson started his son with a less-than-full set: every other iron. He said he did it so his son would learn to hit shots. The deal was the kid played those short sets until he broke 80. Tom got his clubs for free. This was not a money thing.

The other thing I'd say is plan to keep getting him fitted and keep him in clubs that fit him. Clubs that do not fit create swing issues that he'll be stuck with for years.

[ZeroTaylor]

I don't know about others but when I started at 10 years old I was playing hockey, baseball, soccer and swimming at the same time. My parents told me if I wanted to play golf I had to use money from mowing my grandparents lawns for clubs. Obviously I didn't have much and was at a friends house who's dad played golf when he was younger but didn't have the time for it anymore, he had a bag of mismatched blades from the late 70's that all still had leather wrapped grips on them and persimmon woods. one way or another he ended up giving/selling them to me so I could start to take lessons and get into jr golf.

I am gratefully every time I walk on the course that I started with a blade in my hand and not a cavity back as you truly learn how to swing a golf club when thats what you start with. I used that same set of mixed irons until I got to high school and made the mistake of buying some cavity back irons to help "improve my game" well leaving my blades at home and carrying the cb's took me from a 4 handicap to a 12 handicap. I didn't have to be nearly as precise and tight with my swing and that introduced hooks and slices into my game that werent there before and I was literally only good enough to make the team with them for my fresh and soph years. I went back to blades my jr. year and made the move to highest handicap to my varsity teams #2 player and back to competing with Overton (from the same city) not just standing watching him win everything anymore.

[kregan]

I found a nice junior set made by LaJolla on ebay for about 40.00.  I cut them down for my 8 year old and he loves them.  The swing weight is a little high but not an issue for him.

For a Driver and 5 wood we found a .99 cent Callaway Big Bertha driver and a $5.00 5 wood in the used bin at the golf shop... a 2.00 grip and he has a nice driver and 5 wood for about 15.00 total.

His putter is an old Ping my father left behind when he passed away... It was to light for me and thought he, dad, would have loved to see my son sinking putts with it! We cut it down and he loves it!