As a new golfer or high handicap golfer, you probably have a ton of questions about golf equipment. I know I did when I first started playing. How many clubs should you buy? Does brand matter? Should I buy a driver and a fairway wood? What about hybrids? How many wedges do I need?

That’s the benefit of buying a complete set of clubs. It takes all of the uncertainties out of play, allowing you to be ready to play as soon as the complete set arrives. The complete sets that I mention below will have everything that you truly need – nothing more, nothing less.

I’ll break this article up in two different ways.

• First, I’ll distinguish between sets for men and sets for women. The difference? Men’s clubs will be slightly heavier.
• Secondly, I’ll distinguish between the best OVERALL set that you can buy in 2019, the best VALUE set that you can buy, and lastly the best CHEAP set that you can buy. The best OVERALL set will be of higher quality, improving both performance (barely) and durability (significantly). The best VALUE set will be the best bang for your buck. The best CHEAP set will save you lots of money, but the quality will be slightly lower.

So, let’s jump right into it, shall we?

Men

Cobra F-Max Superlite

THE BEST OVERALL MEN’S COMPLETE SET 2019

I don’t like beating around the bush. This set, of the three mentioned here for men, is the only set that I would honestly use to this day. I’m about a 3-5ish handicap. I’m not trying to sound conceded, but that’s how good this set is. Top quality clubs all around, and it’ll last your entire lifetime if well taken care of.

Most complete sets are made with obviously lower quality material. You can tell from just looking at the clubs. These, on the other hand, are legitimately premium golf clubs all the way from the driver to the putter. For that reason, though, this complete set is pricey. It’ll put you back around $1,000.

These clubs are made to be light (hence the term “Superlite”), so they are perfect for beginners of all ages with slower swing speeds.

Unlike many complete sets, the Cobra F-Max Superlite set includes a sand wedge. You’ll definitely have everything that you’ll need to head to the course and start improving from day 1.

Who this set is perfect for: a higher handicap golfer that 1) knows they will be playing golf for many years to come, 2) has a slower swing speed, and 3) has plenty of money to spend on clubs.

What’s included: Driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, 6-PW irons, sand wedge, putter, golf bag

What sets this set apart: top-of-the-line golf clubs, unlike just about any complete set on the market.

Callaway Strata Ultimate

THE BEST VALUE MEN’S COMPLETE SET

For those that don’t want to spend about $1,000, the next best option will be the Callaway Strata Ulimate set. Strata has been the most popular complete set brand for many years. Tons of new golfers, from teenagers to seniors, choose Strata due to the mix of their price, quality, and performance. The price is FAR cheaper than the Cobra set mentioned above, and the performance is only lacking slightly. Therefore, this set is the best bang for your buck.

Strata releases many different series of complete sets every year. The “Ultimate” set is their all-inclusive set, while other sets skip out on clubs, most notably hybrids and a sand wedge. With the “Ultimate” set, you’ll have everything that you need to get started.

Let’s talk about durability for a second. The Cobra set will last a lifetime, while this set will typically last 3-10 years. That obviously depends on how often you play and how well you treat your clubs on and off the course. So, if you plan on playing golf for longer than 10 years, I’d strongly recommend spending a little more money upfront to get a nicer set.

When it comes to the design, I think Callaway did a job job with this set. The blue and black design gives the set a professional appearance, unlike most complete sets, which appear cheap at the first glance.

Who this set is perfect for: a higher handicap golfer that wants the best bang for his buck when buying a complete set.

What’s included: Driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, 6-PW irons, sand wedge, putter, golf bag.

What sets this set apart: Will save you a ton of money compared to premium sets, and the quality is hardly any lower.

Callaway Strata Complete

THE BEST “CHEAP” MEN’S COMPLETE SET 2019

So, you don’t want the best… and you don’t want the best value? That means you probably aren’t too serious about golf. There is nothing wrong with that! You probably just want a set that is going to get you through some rounds with friends. For that reason, you don’t need a top of the line set. You just need a set that won’t break within a year or two. And you also don’t need 14 clubs. You’d be better off saving money and getting a set that excludes a sand wedge and one other club (typically an extra hybrid). After all, your pitching wedge will do just fine as a replacement for your sand wedge. That’s especially true if you are brand new to golf.

The Callaway Strata Complete set is a great middle ground – it provides the trust of the brand name, but leaves some clubs out to save you money. Compared to the other two sets mentioned above, the “Complete” set doesn’t include a 5 wood, a 4 hybrid, and a sand wedge. These clubs are not necessary by any means. The 5 wood is  not used my most golfers, and one hybrid is plenty for a beginner. Lastly, the pitching wedge will be a fine replacement for your sand wedge. If you really wanted to, you can buy your sand wedge separately if you can’t live without one.

Don’t get me wrong, there are LOTS of complete golf sets that are cheaper than this one. But, clubs break super quickly and their performance is not even close to Strata’s complete sets. So I wouldn’t recommend going any cheaper than this “Complete” set.

Who this set is perfect for: a higher handicap golfer that doesn’t expect to play often & just wants a decent quality set to save money

What’s included: Driver, 3 wood, 5 hybrid, 6-PW irons, putter, golf bag. Excludes 5 wood, 4 hybrid, and sand wedge.

What sets this set apart: Will save you money and still allow you to have quality clubs.

Women

Cobra F-Max Superlite

THE BEST OVERALL WOMEN’S COMPLETE SET

Believe it or not, golf clubs are not all made the same. That’s a huge misconception that many women have when they first set out to buy a set of clubs. To be completely honest, there are great clubs, good clubs, and crappy clubs. Just about any set fits into these three categories without much debate.

This Cobra F-Max Superlite set is made of THE BEST golf clubs on the market for women. Complete sets aside, I recommend the driver and the irons from this set to women in many of my articles, because they are simply that good.

The Superlite series of clubs was made to be as light as possible. This will allow you to create more club head speed and ultimately hit the ball further than other heavier sets.

If you are looking for the best combination of distance, accuracy, and forgiveness, no set will perform better than this one. However, it will come at a cost. If you are not comfortable spending roughly $1,000, I would pass on this set, and move to a much lower priced set. However, if you have the budget to get this set, you’ll be glad you did. Just make sure that you expect yourself to get your money’s worth. I wouldn’t even look at this set unless you know you’ll be playing a lot of golf for many years.

Who this set is perfect for: a higher handicap female that 1) knows they will be playing golf for many years to come, 2) has a slower swing speed, and 3) has plenty of money to spend on clubs.

What’s included: Driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, 6-PW irons, sand wedge, putter, golf bag

What sets this set apart: One of the only premium, women’s complete golf sets on the market. Made of premium clubs from driver all the way down to the putter.

Callaway Strata Ultimate

THE BEST VALUE WOMEN’S COMPLETE SET

For women that don’t want to shell out $1,000, the best value option is to go with the Callaway Strata Ultimate set. It’s been the most popular choice for beginners for as long as I can remember, and for good reason! Strata is a subset of Callaway, which is one of, if not THE, biggest manufacturer of golf clubs. Thankfully Callaway decided to make a set of clubs that allows golfers of all budgets to afford to play with a name brand set.

Like I mentioned above, there are three types of clubs: great ones, good ones, and crappy ones. This set would be classified as “good”, not great. The materials are noticeably cheaper than the materials in the Cobra set. Club heads will fly off this set after a few years if you take large enough divots. You’ll hit some shots that feel “dead” with this set. Overall, though, the price savings is far worth the lost shot here and there.

Unless you are an above average golfer, you won’t be able to tell the difference in this set and the Cobra set. However, if you can afford it and plan to play for many years, I’d suggest getting a nicer set with a bigger upfront cost.

Who this set is perfect for: a higher handicap women that is always searching for the best value items.

What’s included: Driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, 6-PW irons, sand wedge, putter, golf bag

What sets this set apart: High quality clubs at an affordable price.

Wilson Golf Ultra

THE BEST “CHEAP” WOMEN’S COMPLETE SET

For women that don’t expect to play much golf in the coming years, the Wilson Ultra complete set is perfect to get you through some rounds with friends. The quality is tad bit inferior to the Callaway Strata set, but not by much. I would never recommend a golfer go below the price range of the Wilson Ultra sets, as anything cheaper will surely break quickly or not perform well in general.

If saving an extra $50-100 makes you happier than a few extra golf clubs would, then this is probably the best set for you! This set, compared to the other sets above, has one less fairway wood, one less hybrid, and no sand wedge. Thankfully, your pitching wedge is a very similar club, so the lack of a sand wedge will hardly effect you. And the lost fairway wood and hybrid won’t be a problem for any beginner.

Who this set is perfect for: a beginner golfer that wants to save as much money as possible without buying a crappy set

What’s included: Driver, 3 wood, 5 hybrid, 6-PW irons, putter, golf bag

What sets this set apart: Will save you lots of money & you’ll still have a decent quality set