14 year old first clubs

dankiz

Assistant Pro
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
275
Visit site
My 14 year old is looking for his first set of clubs. He is 5 - 4" ish, but after trying out a few clubs at AG, it is tricky as I am guessing these irons will last for 1-2 years at most! The AG pro recommended half an inch shorter shafts and senior lite shafts!

Am looking at a set of Benross Gold Speed graphite irons, any other thoughts? Any golfers with sons in the same position!

Just looking for best option

Cheers
 

ArnoldArmChewer

Tour Winner
Joined
Sep 1, 2011
Messages
4,061
Location
Welwyn
Visit site
My 14 year old is looking for his first set of clubs. He is 5 - 4" ish, but after trying out a few clubs at AG, it is tricky as I am guessing these irons will last for 1-2 years at most! The AG pro recommended half an inch shorter shafts and senior lite shafts!

Am looking at a set of Benross Gold Speed graphite irons, any other thoughts? Any golfers with sons in the same position!

Just looking for best option

Cheers

Times have changed I guess but when my son was this age (25 years ago) he was a similar height to your lad, we bought him a regular set of irons which he used perfectly well (he got down to a single figure h/c within a year) for about 3 or 4 years, he then upgraded to a fitted set.
 

MadAdey

Money List Winner
Joined
Nov 25, 2011
Messages
5,640
Location
Greensboro, North Carolina.
Visit site
I think it's not bad advice to get something with a senior shaft in it. But I really wouldn't be looking at anything new. Go on one of the online second hand club sites and pick some old Callaway or Taylormade up. I wouldn't advise spending too much on his first set as he could outgrow them pretty quick. If he picks the game up pretty quickly and starts to get a good swing on him then the senior graphite shafts might become useless to him very quickly. At least if you got some second hand Cally or TM you would pretty much get your money back on FleeBay. Then go and get him fitted on something that is more suited to his swing.
 

GG26

Challenge Tour Pro
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
1,826
Visit site
I am 5' 5" and use standard length clubs. If your son is just starting out then senior shafts may be the way to go as suggested.
 

El Diablo

Assistant Pro
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
233
Visit site
My son at this size had a half set of ladies Lynx graphite irons - did a grand job for over a year as he grew and his golf developed and swing speed increased and he moved onwards.

Sub £50 - so might be worth a look at something like that as ladies shafts would be similar and built for someone of that sort of size without adjustment.

Next was a John Letters graphite shaft set which were also pretty cheap and at 17 we are now another 3 sets on.

If he gets the bug be prepared !

I don't think you can go wrong with Benross as good value for money but given longevity if keen will be good for no more than 1 to 2 years as he grows and game develops might be worth considering 2nd hand options.
 

dankiz

Assistant Pro
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
275
Visit site
Thanks Guys! On Trackman he had a 68-70mph swing with a 7 iron and was definitely hitting the senior flex (callaway steelhead) best of all! 120 yard carry I think! Am possibly thinking ladies shafts as they would be shorter anyway or standard with senior or ladies flex but choking down on club a bit! Much appreciated anyway
 

MadAdey

Money List Winner
Joined
Nov 25, 2011
Messages
5,640
Location
Greensboro, North Carolina.
Visit site
Thanks Guys! On Trackman he had a 68-70mph swing with a 7 iron and was definitely hitting the senior flex (callaway steelhead) best of all! 120 yard carry I think! Am possibly thinking ladies shafts as they would be shorter anyway or standard with senior or ladies flex but choking down on club a bit! Much appreciated anyway

Best advice I can give is get a good quality second hand set in senior flex. It is really simple to cut a set down to size and put some new grips on, because he will probably need smaller grips anyway. All it would take is a pipe cutter and a Stanley knife and watch YOUTUBE. Then in a year or so if he grows quite a bit it is very easy to put some plugs in and lengthen them.
 

jim8flog

Journeyman Pro
Joined
May 20, 2017
Messages
15,690
Location
Yeovil
Visit site
Lie is important. If you can afford it get a set that can have the lie altered to suit his height at a various ages. As already said it is pretty easy to lengthen the shafts each time the new grips are fitted..

When I first started to play the pro sold every newcomer senior flex shafted clubs regardless of age. It is better to simply think of them as Active flex.
 
D

Deleted member 21258

Guest
Personally I think, unless he is a great golfer, then just go standard regular mens irons. My son changed massively from that kind of age(13-15), so we just bought a set of mens wilsons clubs and by mid 15s bought better irons.

They change to quickly at that age to worry unless they are a great golfer, within 6 months he could grow 2 plus inches etc, they have enough problems just coping with the change in body shape/height etc, let alone the same swing 3 months later, so think clubs/shafts for most young golfers aren't really very important.
 

shortgame

Tour Rookie
Joined
Jun 29, 2017
Messages
1,584
Visit site
Personally I think, unless he is a great golfer, then just go standard regular mens irons. My son changed massively from that kind of age(13-15), so we just bought a set of mens wilsons clubs and by mid 15s bought better irons.

They change to quickly at that age to worry unless they are a great golfer, within 6 months he could grow 2 plus inches etc, they have enough problems just coping with the change in body shape/height etc, let alone the same swing 3 months later, so think clubs/shafts for most young golfers aren't really very important.

👆👆👆 Agree

All 14 year olds will want the latest clubs/matching bag etc (don't we all)

However, for starting out, a standard mens set would be just fine

Maybe motivate him by dangling the carrot of a new set if he sticks with it and practices through the winter etc...by which time he'll probably have grown (in size & strength) and need a different set anyway

Good luck, always good to see new juniors' love the game
 
Top