Golf Set of Clubs: 6 Best Package Sets for Every Level

The right golf set of clubs matches your height, swing speed and budget. For most adults starting out, that means a 13-piece package set at around £290 to £320. The Ben Sayers M8 is our pick for men, the Ladies M8 does the same job for women, and a 7-piece half set from £183.99 suits anyone who plays now and then. Juniors need a set sized by height, and a big-name set from Cobra or Callaway costs roughly £700 to £1,500 at list price.

The trouble is that every listing counts pieces differently, mixes steel and graphite shafts and offers three or four lengths. Two sets that look the same can differ by hundreds of pounds. It is hard to tell what you are getting, and harder to tell what you can leave out.

This article explains what golf clubs in a set normally include, then goes through six sets one by one: what is in the bag, who each suits and what it costs. MoreSports sells golf package sets for men, ladies and juniors, so the first four picks come from our own range. The last two are brand-name sets for comparison.

What golf clubs come in a set

A typical package set holds about 12 clubs and a bag: a driver, a fairway wood, a couple of hybrids, irons from 5 to 9, two wedges and a putter. Sets differ mainly in how many clubs they leave out and what the shafts are made of.

How piece counts work

Piece counts include the bag, so a 13-piece set is 12 clubs plus a bag. The Ben Sayers M8 shows what that looks like:

• Driver, 3 wood and two hybrids (4 and 5)
• Irons 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
• Pitching wedge and sand wedge
• Putter and a matching bag

The Rules of Golf let you carry 14 clubs, so a 12-club set leaves two spaces free. Many players add a lob wedge or a different putter once they know what is missing from their game.

Half sets and full sets

A half set has around six clubs, usually a driver, one hybrid, two or three irons including a sand wedge, and a putter. It is lighter to carry and cheaper, and it works well on shorter courses or if you play occasionally.

A full set fills the distance gaps. If you play 18 holes most weeks, you will reach for the 5 iron or the 3 wood more often than you expect. A half set saves money but leaves gaps in your yardages, so choose it for the course you play.

Steel or graphite shafts

Graphite shafts are lighter and help slower swings launch the ball higher. Steel shafts are heavier and give more control once your swing speed picks up. Package sets usually pair graphite woods with steel or graphite irons.

Ladies and senior sets tend to use graphite throughout. If you are unsure, graphite irons suit most beginners, and steel is worth choosing if you already hit the ball firmly.

A 13-piece set is 12 clubs and a bag, which is all you need for your first season.

1. Ben Sayers Mens M8 13-piece package set

The Ben Sayers Mens M8 13-piece is the best golf set of clubs for adult beginners who want a full bag for under £320. It comes in a stand bag or cart bag version, and the clubs are built to be forgiving on off-centre hits.

What is in the set

You get 12 clubs and a matching bag, plus headcovers for the driver, wood and hybrids. The woods have graphite shafts, and the irons come in steel or graphite. Hybrids replace the long irons, which are the hardest clubs for a new player to hit.

• Driver 10.5° and 3 wood 14°, both graphite
• 4 hybrid 21° and 5 hybrid 24°, both graphite
• Irons 5 to 9, pitching wedge and sand wedge
• Mallet putter with a CNC face
• Cart bag (2kg, nine pockets, fits manual or electric trolleys) or stand bag (2.4kg, flip stand, dual straps)

Who it suits and what it costs

The stand bag set costs £287.99 to £303.99 and the cart bag set £303.99 to £319.99, depending on shaft and length. Regular prices are £359.99 to £399.99, so you save £72 to £80. At £287.99 for 12 clubs and a bag, that is about £24 a club. Choose the cart bag if you use a trolley and the stand bag if you walk and carry.

Options include right or left hand, regular or +1 inch length, in Black/Blue or Black/Grey. The +1 inch model is recommended for players over 6'1". Low handicappers will eventually want clubs fitted to their swing, but for a first set or a return to the game, this is hard to beat on value.

For a first full set, spend about £300 on forgiving clubs, not £1,500 on a brand.

2. Ben Sayers Ladies M8 13-piece package set

The Ben Sayers Ladies M8 13-piece is the best-value full set of golf clubs for women in this list, at £315.99. It uses the same 13-piece layout as the men's set, with specifications chosen for lighter, slower swings.

What is in the set

Every club has a graphite shaft in regular light flex, which keeps the weight down and helps the ball launch higher. Lofts are higher than the men's set, which also helps get the ball airborne.

• Driver 12° and 3 wood 15°
• 4 hybrid 24° and 5 hybrid 27°
• Irons 5 to 9, pitching wedge and sand wedge, all graphite
• Mallet putter with a CNC face
• Lightweight cart bag (2kg, nine pockets, fits manual or electric trolleys)

Who it suits and what it costs

The price is £315.99, down from £394.99, a saving of £79. It suits women who are new to the game or coming back and want every club in one purchase. Because the woods and irons are both graphite, you carry less weight in the bag and swing a lighter club.

The bag is a cart bag, so it pairs best with a trolley, manual or electric. If you prefer to carry, look at the wider range of ladies sets, which includes half sets with lightweight bags. Women who are taller than average should check the length before ordering, as a set that is too short forces you to stoop at address.

Matching graphite shafts throughout make this the easiest full set for women to swing.

3. Ben Sayers Mens M8 half package set (7-piece)

The Ben Sayers Mens M8 half set is the cheapest way into a proper bag of clubs, at £183.99. It suits golfers who walk, play shorter courses or do not want 14 clubs rattling on their back.

What is in the set

Seven pieces means six clubs and a stand bag. The woods have regular flex graphite shafts and the irons have regular steel shafts, with a low centre of gravity and perimeter weighting for forgiveness.

• Driver 10.5°, graphite
• 5 hybrid 24°, graphite
• 7 iron, 9 iron and sand wedge, steel
• Mallet putter with a CNC face
• Lightweight stand bag (2.4kg, flip stand, four large pockets) and headcovers

Who it suits and what it costs

At £183.99 instead of £229.99, you save £46. It is the right pick for occasional players, for a second set to keep in the car and for anyone testing whether golf will stick before spending more.

The trade-off is distance gaps. With only a 7 iron, a 9 iron and a sand wedge, you will often need to swing easy or hard to cover a yardage. If you play a full course every week, a 13-piece set is worth the extra £100 or so. Check the product page for hand and length options before you order.

A half set is a sensible start if you will play short courses, but a weekly golfer will outgrow it fast.

4. Callaway Golf Junior XJ2 package set

The Callaway Junior XJ2 is the best junior golf clubs set here for a child of around 6 to 8 years, at £349. It is built from lightweight materials to suit slower junior swing speeds.

What is in the set

The seven pieces are six clubs and a stand bag with a rain hood. The driver has a titanium face and a large, forgiving head. The irons are cavity-backed, which helps a child get the ball airborne.

• Driver 10.5° and a fairway wood
• 7 iron and 9 iron
• Sand wedge for bunkers and chipping
• Mid-mallet putter
• Lightweight stand bag with rain hood

Who it suits and what it costs

The set is designed for players around 50 inches (127cm) tall, which is roughly 6 to 8 years old. Always buy by height rather than age. A club that is too long ruins a child's swing, and one that is too short is just as bad.

The price is £349, down from £399, saving £50. Callaway's own junior range runs from Level 1 at £259 to Level 3 at £469 at list price, so a child who buys at every stage spends £259 + £399 + £469 = £1,127. If your child is near the top of a size band, buy the larger set and let them grow into it.

Buy a junior set by height, not birthday, and expect to size up every two or three years.

5. Cobra Fly XL 2 package set

Cobra's Fly XL 2 is the pick if you want a recognisable brand at a mid-range price. It is listed at £699 for the 11-piece steel set and £799 for the 13-piece, so it sits well above the Ben Sayers sets but well below premium sets.

What is in the set

The strength of the Fly XL 2 range is choice. Listings include stand or cart bags, steel or graphite shafts, regular or stiff flex, +1 inch length, left-hand and ladies versions. An 11-piece set usually has fewer irons than a 13-piece, so check which ones are left out before you buy.

• 11-piece and 13-piece versions
• Steel or graphite shafts
• Regular or stiff flex
• Stand or cart bag
• Left-hand, +1 inch and ladies models

Who it suits and what it costs

Graphite and ladies cart versions are listed at £749. UK retailers regularly sell these sets below list price, from around £599, so compare before you pay full price.

It suits a golfer who has outgrown a budget set, hits it harder or is taller than average. The stiff flex and +1 inch options matter there, because a faster swing in a soft shaft sends shots wild. If you are a beginner, spending £300 more than the M8 will not make you play better.

Pay mid-range prices for flex and length options your swing needs, not for the logo.

6. Callaway XR 13-piece complete set

The Callaway XR 13-piece is the premium option in this list, at a list price of £1,499 on Callaway's own site. It is a full men's set with a well-known name, aimed at golfers who want to buy once and keep the clubs for years.

What is in the set

Callaway sells the men's XR in black or blue, and UK retailers list steel and graphite versions plus a +1 inch longer model. As with any 13-piece set, expect 12 clubs and a bag. Check the listing for the exact club selection.

• 13-piece set (12 clubs and a bag)
• Steel/graphite and full graphite versions
• Regular and +1 inch length
• Black or blue finishes

Who it suits and what it costs

At list price, the XR costs about five times the Ben Sayers half set. UK retailers have listed it between roughly £1,000 and £1,250 for different builds, so never pay £1,499 without checking. If you want a ladies equivalent, Callaway's Reva 11-piece is listed at £1,299.

It suits golfers who care about brand and plan to use the set for many seasons. Premium full sets from Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist are listed from about £2,000 to £2,400, and those are for players ready to be properly fitted. For most beginners, the XR is a luxury, not a necessity.

Beginners rarely get £1,200 of extra benefit from a premium set, so only pay it if the brand matters to you.

How to choose between these sets

Choose by who is swinging, how often they play and what they will spend. Height and swing speed decide the length and shaft, and your budget decides everything else.

Compare the six sets side by side

The first four prices are MoreSports prices. The Cobra and Callaway XR figures are list prices, and retailers often sell below them.

Match a set to your budget

• Under £200: a half set, such as the M8 at £183.99
• £280 to £350: a full beginner set for adults, ladies or juniors
• £600 to £800 list: a branded mid-range set with more length and flex options
• £1,000 and above: premium sets, worth it only if you will keep them for years

Check before you buy online

Check hand, length, flex and bag type before you pay, since these cause most returns. MoreSports offers 90-day returns on unused items, dispatches orders placed by 1pm on weekdays and gives free UK delivery over £25. If you are unsure about sizing, call the UK team on 028 7055 8382, or visit the Dunluce Golf Shop in Coleraine for local pick-up. Klarna is available if you want to spread the cost.

Confirm hand, length and bag type before checkout, because those three choices cause most returns.

Picking your first set

A good set of golf clubs gives you every club you need at a price that still feels sensible once you add balls, tees and a glove. For most adults, that means a 13-piece set at around £300, such as the Ben Sayers M8 for men or women. Choose the half set if you play occasionally or walk short courses, and size a junior set by height. Pay for a Cobra or Callaway set only when you need the flex, length or finish, not because you think a bigger name will improve your swing.

If you are ready to buy, browse the golf package sets at MoreSports and pick the hand, length and bag type that fits you.