Updated March 13, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the different types of clubs, not to mention the hundreds of other manufacturers and price ranges you’ll find.
And you don’t want to pull the trigger and spend the money only to find that you paid too much for expensive clubs that aren’t right for you.
This article will help you figure out the best deals on the best clubs for each facet of the game of golf.
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Last updated on 2023-03-29. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
Table of Contents
Best Golf Clubs for the Money 2023
Callaway Strata Complete Golf Set
Best Complete Set for the Money
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PROS
- Exceptional foundation set with room to grow
- Woods produce solid distance and accuracy
- Irons offer dynamic forgiveness
CONS
- You’ll need to add additional wedges
- Could use putter upgrade
We recommend the Callaway Strata Complete Set if you’re looking for a complete set from a reputable company that won’t crush your wallet but still delivers outstanding performance.
Featuring nine clubs, including a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, five irons, and a putter, the Strata offers an excellent foundational starter kit for golfers on a budget that want to purchase a no-hassle entry set into playing golf.
If you want to save time, a complete set like the Callaway Strata delivers a full complement of clubs to help you learn the game at a premium value.
And we also love that you can add clubs to this set fairly easily, allowing you to customize your collection at your own pace and budget.
The Callaway Strata set offers a 460cc driver, oversized 3-wood, a high-launch 5-wood, and five perimeter-weighted irons that provide forgiveness that helps keep your shot along the target line without losing ball speed.
The gooseneck blade-style putter doesn’t have an insert to increase the touch of your putts, so you may look to replace it along the way, but if you are starting, the flat stick won’t prevent you from learning distance control.
The set also includes a high-quality stand bag with plenty of storage pockets. The bag features a cooler pocket, rain hood, and strap system that evenly distributes the weight across your shoulders.
Great for beginning golfers, or golfers that want a cohesive set from the same manufacturer, the Callaway Strata Complete Set delivers exceptional value with the ability to round out the collection the way you want.
PXG 0211 Driver
Best Value Golf Driver
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PROS
- More ball speed translates into increased distance
- Less backspin provides more accuracy
- High-speed face offers high-grade forgiveness
CONS
- Lack of adjustable weighting
- It needs a better grip from the factory
If you are looking for a top-shelf driver at half the cost of new drivers, the PXG 0211 offers first-rate craftsmanship with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from an elite driver.
Available in 9-, 10.5-, and 12-degree loft, the PXG 0211 offers high-quality performance that boosts distance, minimizes spin, and offers the adjustability to help you craft the perfect drive for your game.
PXG took their new version of the 0211 and pushed it to provide more distance and carry than previous models. The latest version of the PXG driver delivers on its promise by increasing ball speed with far less backspin.
By reducing backspin and adding ball speed, PXG has made the 0211 its fastest driver in company history. As a result, amateurs can enjoy better accuracy without sacrificing a yard of distance.
During our testing, each handicap level of our testing group raved about the stability and effortless power of the PXG 0211. The ball jumps off the face of this PXG driver with exceptional ball speed that translates into far-reaching distance.
Our testers also enjoyed the clean lift from the tee box, helping improve your overall carry to maximize distance.
If we had a complaint to focus upon, it would come from the thin grip. If you like a thicker grip on your driver, chances are you’ll need to replace this one after testing it out at your home club.
Great for mid handicappers but capable of helping all skill levels, the PXG 0211 driver produces the accuracy and distance that can lower overall scores.
TaylorMade Stealth Driver
Best Driver for Under $500
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PROS
- Sledgehammer distance with impressive forgiveness
- 12-position loft sleeve provides ultimate control
- Three different versions, including draw bias and a pro model
CONS
- Only Stealth Plus has an adjustable weighting
- Doesn’t offer colossal discount compared to other models
The TaylorMade Stealth driver is a top-performing club that offers a combination of distance, accuracy, and control. The club’s sleek and stylish design will turn heads on the course.
The highlight of the Stealth driver is its Speed Bridge technology, which helps to stabilize the club head and increase ball speed. The technology produces longer drives with a straighter flight path.
The driver also carries a low center of gravity, promoting a higher launch angle and lower spin for optimal distance.
In addition, the club offers exceptional adjustability, with a 12-position loft sleeve that allows for fine-tuning of the launch angle and spin.
If you want more adjustability, the Stealth Plus driver features a moveable weight system that allows for optimal weight distribution and swing weight.
Our testers noted the driver’s superb feel and responsiveness during our testing.
Also, the sound at impact is satisfying, delivering a pure reaction pleasing to the ears. The club is also easy to align, which is helpful for those who have difficulty finding the sweet spot at address.
Overall, the TaylorMade Stealth driver stands apart from its competitors because of the club’s sleek design and advanced technology.
Although the Stealth’s design targets advanced golfers, TaylorMade offers other versions, such as the Stealth HD and Stealth Plus, to make it a terrific option for golfers of all skill levels.
If you are looking for a driver that will last several years at a price below $500, the TaylorMade Stealth delivers impressive performance with excellent value.
Check our in-depth TaylorMade Stealth Driver review.
Callaway Mavrik 22 Fairway Wood
Best Fairway Wood for the Money
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PROS
- Pure feel at impact
- Reduced sidespin improves accuracy
- Rounded sole offers excellent turf interaction from the fairway
CONS
- No adjustability on the fairway wood
- Low profile may cause beginning golfers to chunk shots
The Callaway Mavrik Fairway wood is a top-of-the-line hybrid that offers exceptional performance for golfers of all skill levels. From the moment we took it out of the box, we could tell it was a well-designed and well-constructed piece of equipment.
The sleek and aerodynamic shape of the clubhead gives the fairway wood a modern and sophisticated look, and the premium materials used in its construction provide a solid and satisfying feel at impact.
During their time with the club, our testers noted how easy it was to get the ball up in the air. The club’s low CG and high MOI (moment of inertia) make it incredibly forgiving and easy to hit, even on off-center strikes.
Another standout feature of the Mavrik Fairway wood is Jailbreak technology, which increases ball speed and distance.
The Jailbreak feature is achieved by stiffening the structure of the club head, reducing energy loss, and increasing the trampoline effect at impact. It delivers powerful, penetrating ball flight that can help you gain extra yards off the tee and in the fairway.
The price is one of the most significant benefits of playing the Callaway Mavrik Fairway Wood. For less than $200, the Mavrik Fairway delivers tour-quality performance for a fraction of the cost you’d expect from a golf club at this performance level.
Our testers were highly impressed with the Callaway Mavrik Fairway wood. It’s a high-performing, high-value club that can help golfers of all skill levels achieve better results on the course. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or a casual player, the Mavrik Fairway wood will
TaylorMade Stealth Rescue
Best Hybrid for the Money
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PROS
- Speed Pocket delivers impressive distance and feel
- Outstanding responsiveness that helps you adjust your swing
- Low CG boosts ball flight for extended carry
CONS
- No adjustability prevents customization
- Price rivals value drivers and fairway woods
Earlier in our list, we recommended the Stealth driver, and now we’d like to steer your attention to the dynamic Stealth Rescue hybrid. Built for speed, it features the same red and black color scheme that golfers, from professional to amateur, have enjoyed since its release.
One of the initial things our testers noticed when they started using the Stealth Rescue hybrid was how easy it was to get the ball up in the air.
The club’s low center of gravity and high MOI make it incredibly forgiving and easy to hit, even on off-center strikes.
The low, deep CG is essential for golfers who struggle with getting their hybrids to launch high and long, as the Stealth Rescue can help them achieve better results with less effort.
As with hybrids, you want clean turf interaction, and the Stealth Rescue offers premium turf interaction that slides easily along the grass to ensure the ball reaches the face without a problem.
This level of forgiveness is significant for golfers who struggle with getting their hybrids to launch high and long. We certainly believe the Stealth Rescue hybrid can help you achieve better ball flight results on the course.
For a price that rivals a top-tier fairway wood, the TaylorMade Stealth Rescue provides golfers with premium performance at a value and the versatility to work the ball from side to side with ease.
PROS
- Solid forgiveness with perimeter weighting
- Provides mid-range distance with muscle
- Excellent backspin rate with shorter irons
CONS
- Plays heavier than top-end irons
- Made solely for high handicappers and beginners
The Lazrus Premium Golf Irons are a budget-friendly set of golf clubs that offer great value for their low price.
Designed for high handicappers and beginning golfers, the Lazrus set offers weekend warriors well-built perimeter-weighted irons that produce accuracy and enhance forgiveness.
Even though these irons are significantly cheaper than many premium sets you’d find on the market, they still deliver solid performance, making them an excellent option for golfers on a budget.
As we tested the Lazrus irons, we first focused on the distance numbers. Although the set does offer a heavier feel than higher-end irons, we didn’t see a dramatic decrease in distance.
Yes, you’ll find more length with more expensive irons, but the differences won’t hurt your game.
During our testing, we also were pleased to find that the Lazrus Premium Golf irons offered a good balance of power and control.
The set features a lightweight design that helps to increase club head speed and generate more length on shots. The clubs also utilize a low center of gravity that improves launch and maximizes overall distance.
Accuracy is another benefit of playing the Lazrus irons. Our testers enjoyed how the wide sole design minimized the punishment of off-center hits and improved our overall accuracy.
The irons’ design relies heavily on the balance provided by the perimeter weighting surrounding the face, helping to improve stability and increase accuracy on shots.
The Lazrus Premium Golf Irons, built with the value-seeking high handicapper in mind, provide golfers with a solid set of golf clubs that offer excellent value for their low cost.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons
Best Irons for Less than $1000
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PROS
- Ball launches off the club face with exceptional speed
- Short irons in set deliver high spin with boosted accuracy
- Clean turf interaction with rounded sole
CONS
- Not ideal for advanced golfers
- More expensive than run-of-the-mill sets
The Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons is a solid set of golf clubs that offer a combination of distance, accuracy, and forgiveness. The clubs feature a sleek and stylish design that will turn heads on the golf course.
One of the standout features of the Rogue ST Max set is the incredible distance. The clubs feature Callaway’s 360 Face Cup technology, which helps to increase ball speed and distance on off-center hits.
The advanced technology, combined with the clubs’ lightweight construction, allows golfers to generate more distance on their shots.
In addition to the distance, the Rogue ST Max irons also provide amateurs with exacting precision. The clubs feature an innovative weighting system that lowers and deepens the center of gravity to increase stability on shots.
Our testers felt they hit more consistent and accurate shots, even on less-than-perfect swings with the Callaway iron set.
Another great feature of the Rogue ST Max irons, noted by our testers, is the high level of forgiveness each iron provides.
The ST Max irons have a wide sole design that helps to reduce drag and improve turf interaction. The wide, rounded soles minimized the ill effects of off-center hits and improved overall forgiveness on shots.
The clubs also offer a great feel and sound, thanks to their Urethane Microspheres technology, which helps to dampen vibrations and increase overall feel across the entire set.
Our testers also loved the sound the irons delivered when our testers purely struck the ball.
Best for mid-handicappers looking to take their game to the next level, the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons deliver exceptional value to golfers looking to upgrade their set for under $1000.
Check our in-depth Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons review.
Cleveland CBX Full-Face Wedge
Best Value Wedge for the Money
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PROS
- Sharp, deep grooves produce high spin rates
- Great from rough and sand with clean entry and contact
- Large sole offers dynamic turf interaction
CONS
- Doesn’t offer a graphite shaft option
- Bulkier body might turn away golfers that want traditional look
The Cleveland CBX Full Face Wedge offers impressive performance from all golf course areas, including the fairway, rough, and even out-of-the-sand.
A great value for beginning golfers and mid handicappers looking to fill out their wedge collection, the CBX Full Face is remarkably easy to hit in any situation.
For our testers, one of the most striking features of the CBX Full Face wedge is its sizable sweet spot. Not only is the hitting area incredibly forgiving and easy to hit, but it won’t snag in heavy rough, or deeper sand.
The wide sole and high-toe profile is especially beneficial for golfers who struggle with getting their wedges to launch high and long.
During our time with the CBX Full Face, we firmly believed that the wedge could improve the game of golfers looking to save strokes around the green.
Another standout feature worth mentioning of the CBX Full Face is its sharp grooves. These grooves offer an advanced design to increase spin and control on the ball, making it easier to hit precise shots and control the ball’s trajectory.
The precision-milled Tour Zip grooves allow for maximum surface roughness, which helps to generate more spin on the ball and improves stopping power on the greens.
The impressive spin rate can help golfers improve their accuracy with their wedges, especially from the fairway on approach shots.
Great for golfers that want a combination of value and high performance for their money, the Cleveland CBX Full Face wedge delivers spin, accuracy, and clean, crisp contact with confidence.
Wilson Staff Model TM22 Putter
Best Mallet Putter for the Money
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PROS
- Wide and clear alignment guide
- Very forgiving on the off-center strikes
- Balanced weighting helps stabilize your stroke
CONS
- Smaller head requires precise contact
- Classic silver finish doesn’t pop
The Wilson Staff TM22 Putter is an outstanding value mallet putter that provides amateurs with high-grade precision and an improved feel for high and mid handicappers.
The TM22’s mallet design utilizes its larger head and increased weighting to improve stability and help increase accuracy. You can also choose from the modified mallet MT22 edition and BL22 blade-style putter of this same style from Wilson.
During our testing, our golfers noted the larger head and balanced weighting of the club head helped to keep putts on a more consistent path throughout the stroke, which led to more accurate and consistent putting.
Another benefit of the TM22 putter is its improved alignment features. The putter has a distinctive black line on the top of the clubhead that helps the golfer align the clubface to the target more quickly.
The alignment guide allows for a more accurate and consistent aim, leading to better results on the green.
After our time with the Wilson Staff TM22 Putter, we concluded the flat stick delivers high performance that can lower the number of putts golfers take each round.
The mallet design also provides improved stability and precise alignment that can improve your putting experience, primarily if you currently use a lesser putter.
For a higher-end model, the TM22 delivers outstanding value for beginning golfers or players that want to upgrade their putter on a budget.
Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 4
Best Blade Putter for the Money
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PROS
- Clean milled face with plenty of softness
- Great for golfers preferring an arc stroke
- Putts don’t pop or bounce, provide a clean roll
CONS
- Won’t turn heads, classic look
- Needs a bigger grip, may have to replace
The Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 4 Putter provides a delightful value for golfers looking for a blade-style putter that offers softness with an enhanced feel.
The Soft 4 provides golfers a streamlined head with a broad, forgiving sweet spot that is lethal from longer distances.
First and foremost, it is challenging to find a putter at this level of craftsmanship for less than $150. Still, Cleveland has met the challenge with an outstanding addition to the Huntington Beach brand.
One of the key advantages of playing with a blade putter like the Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft 4 is its increased feel. The club’s smaller head and lightweight feel allow for a more natural feel throughout the stroke, leading to better touch and control on the green.
The soft milled face insert on the putter head provides an excellent feel and responsiveness at impact, providing a smooth and softer touch that helps improve the greens’ consistency and accuracy.
Our testers also noted how much they enjoyed the versatility of this Cleveland putter.
The Soft 4 utilizes its classic design and shape, along with that soft milled face, to provide an all-around crisp putting performance that had them sinking putts from various distances.
Coupled with its attractive price, the Soft 4 uses its sleek and simple design to unleash a more accurate stroke, which can lead to a more natural and fluid putting motion, especially if you prefer an arcing path to the golf ball.
How to Choose the Best Golf Clubs for the Money
Craftsmanship – Will this club last through the season?
When buying a golf club, you need to know that it’s a reliable performer. It needs to be well-designed and put together solidly, with expert craftsmanship.
The grip should be appropriately aligned on the shaft, the clubhead should feel solidly attached to the shaft, and the paint should be properly applied and durable.
This list isn’t just the lowest-priced options out there. Sure, you want to save some money, but if the club breaks and you have to buy a new one, did you really save any money at all?
Performance – Does the club work?
I’ve been to a thousand different golf stores and pro shops and tried out clubs in every price range imaginable.
I’ve putted with $10 putters that performed brilliantly and rolled putts with $500 putters that felt like bricks.
I’ve hit drivers with $1,000 shafts that felt like concrete and drivers with cheap stock shafts that felt incredible. These are the exceptions, but they prove that price doesn’t automatically equal performance.
The bottom line is: does the club work? Spending more will usually mean getting a club built with better materials, but that’s not always the case.
Finding comparable performance for less money leaves you with more to spend on lessons and greens fees!
Feel – The most elusive and toughest to define
OK, I’ll admit it: feel ultimately comes down to personal preference. Look at putters: some people swear by soft, rubbery inserts, while others can’t imagine anything but a solid block of steel. The debate about forged irons vs. cast irons is decades old.
I love the buttery smooth feel of a purely-struck shot with forged iron, but others like to feel the ball hit the clubface and prefer a cast golf club.
A shaft might be perfect for me but too whippy for you, while what feels like an overly stiff telephone pole to me might be ideal for a faster swinger.
For this criteria, I’m going to give you my rating and give you an overall idea of how the club responds to a good swing or putting stroke. While it’s hard to define “great feel,” we all know what bad feel is. So I’ll help you avoid those clubs.
Desirability – Is this an in-demand club?
The desirability of a club doesn’t affect its performance at all, but it still matters. Why? First off, there’s an active resale market for golf clubs. What works for you this week might feel all wrong in a month.
Some golfers will fight through this and try to rekindle confidence with an ill-performing club, but others will look to sell the club and replace it. This is much easier to do with a well-known, desirable golf brand.
And, let’s face it: we don’t usually play golf alone. While there’s something to be said for playing great with a set of ratty, no-name clubs, it can help your confidence to sport a bag full of clubs you know are in demand.
It’s a good feeling when a golf buddy looks at your driver and says, “Hey, let me try that thing out!”
Bang for the Buck – How good a value is this club?
If money were no object, you’d probably just go to a nearby golf professional, spend all day getting fitted for clubs, and walk away with a bag full of clubs that cost as much as a midsize car. But for most of us, that’s not an option.
Each year, we have limited funds to put towards new golf equipment. It’s great if we have a driver that works and is still in good shape, but the grooves might be wearing down on your irons and wedges – and that can cause a seriously negative impact on your game.
Or you might have improved over the past year and feel like it’s time to upgrade your whole bag.
But when a driver alone can run over $500 before you even think about aftermarket shafts, you might find yourself with limited funds left over for a new putter, wedges, irons, fairway woods, balls, shoes, and so on.
So here we’re looking for bang for the buck: the best clubs at the best prices.
Questions & Answers
What are the best golf clubs for average golfers?
The best golf clubs for average golfers include the PXG 0211 driver, Callaway Mavrik fairway wood, the Lazrus Premium Golf irons, the Cleveland CBX Full-Face Wedge, and the Cleveland Huntington Soft 4 putter.
Each of these clubs offers anywhere from solid to superior performance at a price that budget-seeking golfers will love.
For average golfers playing less than ideal equipment, any of the listed golf clubs above will provide an instant upgrade to help lower their scores.
Regarding the woods and irons, each product maximizes distance and minimizes the embarrassment of off-center strikes. For the short game, the wedges and putter offer more stability by providing unmatched reliability.
What are good affordable golf clubs?
It would be best if you always looked for the previous year’s models from the top club manufacturers for good affordable clubs.
Rarely do new clubs provide huge benefits over the last year’s edition, so for golfers looking to maximize their money without sacrificing quality and performance, purchasing clubs in the winter months can provide a healthy discount.
Currently, clubs like the TaylorMade Stealth line of drivers, fairway woods, and irons offer significant value if you shop at the higher end of the market.
The same goes for Callaway’s Rogue ST Max series of clubs, Ping’s G425 series, and clubs from other top-quality companies such as Cobra, Titleist, and Mizuno.
What are the four most used golf clubs?
The four most used golf clubs by golfers today include the TaylorMade Stealth Driver and Fairway Wood, the Ping G425 Irons, and Titleist Vokey wedges.
All four represent the best of the golfing equipment industry, providing outstanding performance and exceptional craftsmanship.
For advanced golfers, the four represent the best in their respective categories. The Stealth driver and fairway woods deliver stunning distance with the best look you’ll find in a modern-day golf club.
The Ping G425 irons offer sophistication that helps golfers work the ball in all directions, plus a versatility that sings either from the fairway or rough.
Finally, the Vokey wedges have a long tradition of delivering high spin rates no matter where the golf ball lies. The Vokey wedges are guaranteed to lower strokes around the green, making it a dynamic weapon for attacking the golf course inside 125 yards.
What clubs do I need to get started?
If you’re just starting out, it can be hard to figure out what exactly you need. You know there are golf clubs and putters and you’ve heard of a driver, but are wedges and irons the same thing? They look pretty similar!
Here’s the basic rundown of an average golf bag with 14 clubs, which is the maximum amount allowed by the rules.
Driver – use this off the tee to hit the ball as far as you can. The largest clubhead, usually made of titanium and/or carbon fiber composite. They all come with graphite shafts nowadays.
Fairway wood – these can be used off the tee for more control, or on longer holes to hit your second shot or your approach to the green. Usually steel or composite, and graphite shafts are the norm.
Irons – these comprise the majority of the clubs in your bag. They come in a range of 1-iron to 9-iron, but for most players, you’ll only want 4 through 9 iron or 5 through 9 iron.
The 1-, 2-, and 3-irons are just too hard to hit for all but the most experienced players. You use irons to hit the ball to the green.
Wedges – these look just like irons but have more loft for hitting higher shots, for chipping around the green, and for hitting shots out of sand traps.
I recommend that players carry four wedges: pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge. Aside from the wedges mentioned here, we also recommend the Square Strike Wedge.
Most iron sets come with a pitching wedge, but you’ll generally buy gap through lob wedges separately. The lofts of these are typically: gap wedge – 52°, sand wedge – 56°, lob wedge – 60°.
Putter – the putter is used on the green to roll the ball into the hole. Putters have the widest variance in design of any club, and are the most likely golf club to be found at the bottom of a lake.
Do I need to get fitted for my clubs?
Getting custom-fitted for clubs is all the rage nowadays. However, many golfers don’t know where to begin, or if they need to improve first before custom-fitted clubs can really help them.
While it’s true that custom fitted clubs can improve your scores, it’s not always the best way to spend your money. A full-bag custom fitting can cost over $500, and that’s before you factor in the cost of the clubs!
Custom-made clubs are rarely available at a discount, so after a full fitting and the cost of the new clubs, you could be looking at several thousand dollars.
Beginners and golfers looking to just put a few dollars towards improving their game can still benefit from new technology without getting custom fitted.
Getting a few lessons from a local pro will go a long way, and the pro will be able to assess your equipment and tell you if the expense of clubfitting is necessary.
Until then, articles like this are here to help make sure you’re getting the right equipment for your game.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a complete set to hit the ground running when starting your golfing journey, our top set for the money, the Callaway Strata set, delivers everything you need.
Highly affordable, the Strata set performs very well on the course. The woods pack a punch, the irons produce length and accuracy, and the amenities, such as the bag, offer plenty of creature comforts to provide a more enjoyable experience on the links.
Boasting a full suite of clubs, including hybrids and a sand wedge, you won’t have to fill any gaps in your set with this very impressive Callaway collection.