Junior Golf Equipment: The Complete Parent’s Guide
Why This Feels More Complicated Than It Should
Equipment aisles and websites are built for adult golfers making precise, technical decisions — shaft flex, loft angles, grip thickness. None of that matters much for a child just starting out, but it’s what dominates the marketing, which leaves parents either overbuying out of caution or freezing up entirely.
Our position: buy for the child you have now, not the one you hope they’ll become in three years. Correctly sized, modest equipment beats expensive gear sized wrong, every time.
What Parents Need to Know
Sized by height, not age. This is the one category worth getting properly right early on.
Should be light enough for your child to carry themselves — a lightweight junior stand bag, not a scaled-down adult one.
Trainers are fine to start. Golf-specific shoes only matter once they’re playing regularly.
Optional at this stage — some children find them more comfortable, others don’t need one at all.
Any junior or soft-compression ball works fine — no need for premium balls until they’re playing full rounds.
Secondhand junior clubs are usually a smart choice, especially for younger children who’ll outgrow them within a season or two.
How to Make the Decision
The main sizing factor for clubs
How often are they actually playing?
Borrow, rent, buy new, or buy used?
Minimum viable set beats a full bag early on
Three Common Starting Points
Borrow or rent a minimal 3-club set (putter, wedge, mid-iron). Don’t buy anything until you know they want to continue.
Invest in a correctly sized starter set (5–7 clubs) and a lightweight junior bag. Secondhand is a smart option here.
Get a proper fitting and consider a fuller set — this is the point where getting sizing exactly right starts to matter more.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕ Buying a full 14-club adult-style bag before your child is even playing regularly.
- ✕ Choosing clubs by age instead of height — the two don’t always match.
- ✕ Buying “to grow into” instead of sizing for right now.
- ✕ Prioritising premium branded gear over correct fit.
- ✕ Skipping a proper measurement in favour of guessing from a size chart alone.
“Borrow or rent first. Buy the minimum correctly sized set second. Only expand toward a fuller bag once your child is playing regularly and asking for more clubs themselves.”
More Guides in This Series
Part of the FamilyGolf Guide — Equip. All eight guides in this series are now live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do junior clubs really need separate sizing from adult clubs?
Yes. It’s not just shorter shafts — junior clubs are typically lighter and more flexible too, built around a child’s swing speed rather than a scaled-down adult swing.
What’s the minimum number of clubs to start with?
Three is genuinely enough — a putter, a wedge, and a mid-iron cover most first sessions and early lessons.
Should we buy new or secondhand clubs?
Secondhand is often the smarter choice, especially for younger children who’ll outgrow a set within a season or two.
How often will we need to size up?
It varies by growth rate, but many families re-check sizing every season or two during active growth years.
Do we need golf-specific shoes right away?
No — comfortable trainers are fine until your child is playing full rounds on the course regularly.
Right-sized gear, right from the start.
FamilyGolf Club membership includes private, per-family recognition from the very first round your child logs — whatever equipment they’re using to get there.