Guest Author: Bess (Quick) Walczak
Golf Instructor with the Ladies Professional Golf Association, and a US Kids certified coach who specializes in teaching juniors and beginner golfers.
Bess can be reached at [email protected] and you can also follow her teaching tips on social media (TikTok/Instagram) by following @birdieswithbess.
Book a Lesson: https://birdies-with-bess.square.site/
The game of golf is one of the best gifts you can give to a child. Golf is much more than just a game; it’s a way of life. From the time you begin learning until the day you die; life lessons are learned from this challenging yet addictive game. If you’re lucky, maybe you were even able to start at a very young age.
Although you see mostly adult women and men playing and competing on television, junior golf is booming. From small town clinics, to junior national championships, kids are learning to play, excel and love this wonderful sport!
So, how do you get your child involved? The answer is to just start, and the best way to do so is to introduce the child to their first golf club or set. Let us now go through appropriate club length for height, how to fit your junior and great clubs/sets to invest in!
Appropriate Club Fitting Starts by Determining Height, NOT Age.
Let’s start with a junior example. Katie is 51 inches tall, Connor is 60 inches and Matt is 57 inches. Based off their height, it would be difficult to know that each one of these kids are all nine years old.
Each child in this example has a very different height which indicates that they will all need different length golf clubs. Just because a child may be the same age as another, doesn’t mean that they will benefit from the same size golf clubs.
When fitting for clubs, height is the determining factor, not age. In other words, as a beginner there is nothing worse than a club that is too long, or too short!
A 51 inch nine-year-old hockey player wouldn’t play with an adult length stick, would they? No. Inappropriate clubs for juniors can create swing flaws that will be difficult to break as they get older.
Start them off right… here’s how below!
Instructions on How to Fit Children for Clubs
Whether your child is starting golf at age three or seventeen, height will be the first thing to consider. There are a few junior club brands that have broken down their sizing to make it simple but what about those other sets that you see online? Are those any good? The answer is yes and they can be just as effective and at a similar or lower price.
The best way to determine the appropriate length for these sets, is to go off the Driver length. Each other club in the set will be adjusted based off the longest (driver) club in the bag and thus will fit accordingly.
To ensure that the Driver is the correct length, stand the club up (head on ground, grip pointing to the sky) on the ground in front of the child with his or her shoes on. The top of the grip should end at the belly button and chest.
If you choose to go with one of the bigger junior brands, you will most likely only need the height of the child to determine the correct club set.
So, now that you know how to properly fit clubs for your junior, let us take a closer look at some of the best sets both online and in stores.
Sets you can find on Amazon
Ray Cook Golf Manta Ray 5 Piece Set
Size: Children 36-42 inches tall
Included Clubs: Driver with head cover, Short iron (wedge) & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right Handed Set
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and backpack straps
Price Range: $$$
This set has everything that your child needs as a very new beginner. Three Clubs including a driver, iron and putter fit perfectly in its orange bag with kickstand. The orange theme is targeted for boys however girls and boys of this height can use these! This lightweight set with backpack straps is great for learning how to properly carry the bag while on the course.
Precise XD-J Junior Complete Golf Club Set
Size: Children 36-42 inches tall
Included Clubs: Driver with head cover, Hybrid with head cover, Seven Iron & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and backpack straps
Price: $$$
This set takes it up a notch as it has the basic needs of a beginner as well as a hybrid for when they’re ready to learn the longer shot! A lightweight bag with kickstand and backpack straps makes it easy to carry down the fairway! Both right- and left-handed options are available as well as a pink or orange themed set.
Callaway Golf XJ Junior Golf Set
Size: Children 42-50 inches tall
Included Clubs: Driver, Fairway Wood, Seven Iron, Nine Iron, Sand Wedge & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and straps
Price: $$$
This is almost like a mini adult golf set! With its stylish carry bag and wide assortment of clubs, your junior will look and feel prepared for junior golf! This set has a few more clubs for the player who is ready to start experimenting with different yardages and shots!
Top Flight Junior Boys Complete Golf Set
Size: Children 48-66 inches tall
Included Clubs: Driver, Hybrid, Wide sole seven & nine irons, Low COG sand wedge & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and straps
Price: $$$
You may think of Top Flight as a standard golf ball brand but they have great golf clubs too, especially for juniors! This set has an awesome lightweight bag filled with everything your junior will need. From the driver, to putter and everything in-between, this set is sure to set your child up for success.
Aspire XD1 Teenager Complete Golf Set
Size: Children 57-69 inches tall
Included Clubs: Driver, Fairway Wood, Hybrid, Seven, Eight & Nine irons, Wedge & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right Handed Player
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and straps
Price: $$$
The next great step would be choosing this set for your teen as it not only has the essential clubs but also a hybrid and some more irons for those in-between yardage shots! With its lightweight kickstand bag with carry straps, your junior will very prepared for whatever the round brings!
Additional Golf Club Recommendations
The next series of junior clubs are those that you can absolutely purchase online, however they can also be bought in stores. If you are looking into clubs and are still unsure of the right fit, these brands have very specific height guidelines that may narrow gap if between sizes. A good place to start looking would be at your local sporting goods store!
U.S. Kids Yard Club
Size: Children 36-39 inches tall
Included Clubs: Yard Club & three practice golf balls
Shaft: Very light weight Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: No
Price: $44.99
Visit US Kids Golf at https://www.uskidsgolf.com/.
UL39-s 3 Club Carry Set by US Kids Golf
Size: Children 39-42 inches tall
Included Clubs: 26 Degree Fairway Driver, Seven Iron & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and carry straps
Price: $139.99
Visit US Kids Golf at https://www.uskidsgolf.com/.
Many teaching professionals and players alike believe that U.S Kids is one of, if not the best brand for junior golf clubs. This is mainly because they have so many sizes and a nice variety of sets you can buy based on ability.
Age is not a factor with these clubs. Height and ability are the determining factors when it comes to fitting with U.S. Kids.
This brand carries the following: The Yard Club for beginners that has a molded grip for ease and comfort, The UL Ultralight for beginner and intermediate players and lastly, The Tour Series, for children 51 inches and taller with swing speeds over 55 miles per hour.
U.S. Kids carries clubs for juniors ranging from infant-69 inches tall with both right & left-Hand options. They also have a “6th club free” program that is worth checking out!
Tour Edge HL-J Junior Complete Golf Set
Size: Children 42-50 inches tall
Included Clubs: Driver, Hybrid, 7/8 Iron, 9/P Iron & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and carry straps
Price: $179.99
Visit TGW at https://www.tgw.com.
Tour Edge is another good option for your junior as they too have multiple sizes depending on height. The set includes a irons that are between 7 & 8 and 9 & Pitch for more accessibility. The bag has a kickstand and carry straps for ease on course!
PING Junior Prodi G
Size: Children 52 inches and taller
Included Clubs: This brand is “a la carte” – clubs and bag are separate. This is a good option if you don’t want a complete set, or if you want to supplement an existing set.
Club Specs: PING offers the following: Driver, Fairway Wood, Hybrid, long and short irons, wedges and putters
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Two different options – 34” & 30” Hoofer Bag, both $175
Price: Each club has its own price
Visit PING at https://www.ping.com.
Callaway Junior XT 10-Piece Teen Set
Size: Children 63 inches and taller
Included Clubs: Driver, Fairway wood, Hybrid, 6-9 irons, Pitching Wedge, Sand Wedge & Putter
Shaft: Graphite
Setup: Right & Left-Hand options
Bag: Yes, with kickstand and carry straps
Price: $599.99
Visit Golf Galaxy to view this set.
PING and Callaway are designed for the junior who is ready to take their game to the next level.
They have shown that they are ready to practice and play with more intention and look forward to competition. You’ll probably recognize these brands and associate them with adult clubs.
However, these clubs are made just like the adult clubs, but with all the specs that your teen golfer needs. These clubs also are designated by height, and some places offer custom fittings.
19th Hole Wrap-Up
Gifting your junior with their first set of golf clubs will be the beginning of a new found love for the game. Juniors learn and play much better when they use equipment that is suited for them. Say goodbye to the days where a 5-year old had to choke way down on grandpas old 3-iron!
We live in a generation where golf is thriving and where juniors are starting to take center stage. Golf is becoming so much more accessible to kids of all ages and as you can see, there are endless options for golf clubs and sets to choose from.
Knowing how to measure and what to buy is crucial in making this investment for your junior
If you have a junior who has a bit more experience and who may not be growing much more, it may be time to get a bit more serious. In this case, if your child is at least 12 years old and is ready to specialize in golf (thinking about playing for a high school team or various junior tournaments) getting a formal golf club fitting would be highly recommended.
This is an amazing thing that any player can do for their game because it ensures that you will be playing with the correct clubs for height and ability. This comes with a time and cost commitment but a very smart one indeed.
When you are ready to take the next step towards your junior golfers’ future, don’t hesitate to reach out to a local golf facility and ask for help!
There are plenty of teaching and fitting professionals that would be more than happy to help with your decision.
Happy golf club buying!