You can do much better than using a hacksaw to shorten old, adult clubs for kids. Today, there are many options to choose from regardless of age. To help you sort through all those options, here's some tips to picking out the right junior golf clubs for whatever age the golfer. From two-year-old kids to teens, here's what you need to look for when choosing golf clubs.
2 to 5 Years Old Before the age of six, little golfers just need something to swing. A seven iron and putter are enough to get by (Hayes). If you don't want to buy a starter set of junior clubs, you can save some money by assembling them yourself, or you can cut down clubs and have their lofts and lies adjusted at a golf shop. Ideally, you'll want to find a lady's seven iron because it'll be much lighter than a man's seven iron (Hayes). Also, make sure you get a grip that is small enough to fit tiny hands. The lighter the club and the better the fit, the better little golfers will hit the ball, and getting the ball in the air is what any beginner wants to see.
6 to 10 Years Old As kids grow, they need longer clubs, and they'll be able to use more clubs in their sets. By the age of six, most golfers can benefit from a wood and a handful of different irons. Because at that age swing speeds are relatively slow, higher lofts will still be necessary. A suitable set for that age would be comprised of a 3-wood, 5-iron, 7-iron, 9-iron and putter (Hayes). A sandwedge can be a useful addition to the set. It'll make getting out of bunkers much more manageable. Although you can still use cut-down clubs, buying a set of junior golf clubs may be beneficial because clubs designed specifically for kids will have the flexible shafts and light clubheads necessary for youngsters to play well (Wright).
11 to14 Years Old By 11 years old, golfers can handle an expanded set of clubs. A couple woods and a staggered set of irons will do the trick. For example, a set with a 3 and 4 wood, 3- , 5-, 7-, 9-iron, sandwedge and putter will do very nicely (Hayes). Although buying a set of junior golf clubs is recommended, cut-downs will suffice. Just make sure the cut-downs are lighter, ladies clubs and that you adjust the lofts, lies and grips.
15 Plus Years Old Now, it's time for a full set (Hayes). However, don't buy one straight off the shelf because it probably won't fit. Also, don't buy a really expensive set. Not only will the clubs probably need to be adjusted to fit the golfer's height and swing speed, but also as the golfer grows, he or she will just need new clubs anyways. So, try to find a suitable, inexpensive set that's the right height and flex. Once a golfer is done growing, then investing in a better set will make sense.
The important thing about getting kids into golf is letting them have fun. Although having fun while playing golf isn't really about the equipment, the type of golf clubs you are swinging can make a big difference in how much you enjoy the game. So, to help kindle the love of golf in anyone, regardless, of age you'll want to get him or her clubs that'll fit well to avoid frustration. An appropriate set of junior golf clubs will do just that.
