It's one of the most common conversations I have in the shop. A parent comes in, usually a bit unsure, and says something like "my son's been having a hit in the backyard and I don't know where to start."
It's a good problem to have. But it's also easy to spend money in the wrong order, so here's how I'd actually approach it.
Start with how interested they really are
Be honest with yourself about this one, because it changes what you should buy.
If your child has shown a bit of curiosity but you're not convinced it'll stick, don't buy a set. Buy one club. I'd usually suggest a 7 iron.
There's no real downside to it. It's the club they'll learn to strike properly, it's forgiving enough to get the ball in the air, and if the interest fades after a few weeks you haven't spent much. If the interest grows, you've lost nothing, because that club still has a place in their bag.
If they've shown more than a flicker, though, a junior package set is a genuinely cost-effective way to get going. Buying clubs individually costs considerably more, which is the same trade-off I've written about in package sets versus individual golf clubs. There's also something in a kid having their own set rather than borrowing. It's theirs. They look after it. They want to use it.
If your child is left-handed, that's worth sorting out properly from the start rather than putting them on right-handed clubs, and I've covered why in my guide to buying left-handed golf clubs in New Zealand.
How to size junior clubs
The good news is the brands have done the hard work here, and I'd just follow their guides.
U.S. Kids size on height, which I like, because it's the most accurate way to do it. Wilson, Mizuno and Brosnan work on age bands or small, medium and tall. Either approach gets you close enough.
The one piece of advice I'd add is this: go up slightly rather than sizing exactly.
Kids grow. If you buy the perfect length today, there's a fair chance they'll be out of it inside a year. A slightly longer club isn't a problem in the beginning because they can simply grip down a bit. As they grow, they start using more of the grip, and the club comes into its proper length right about the time they need it.
How to tell when clubs have become too short
You don't need to measure anything. Watch their posture.
If they're bending their knees more than they should to get down to the ball, or hunching over from the shoulders, the clubs are too short. That's your signal. Once posture is compromised they're learning to move around a club that doesn't fit them, and that's a habit you'd rather they didn't build.
Why modern junior clubs matter more than people realise
This is the part I feel most strongly about.
When I first came into the golf industry, decent junior clubs barely existed. What we did instead was cut down adult clubs. Chop a few inches off a men's iron, hand it to an eight year old and hope for the best.
It was a disaster, honestly. The club was far too heavy. The shaft was way too stiff for a child's swing speed. The grip was too thick for small hands. Everything about it worked against them.
What we saw was kids losing speed and losing balance, which are the two things a junior swing depends on most. They'd swing hard and go nowhere, or fall over trying. Golf is difficult enough without the equipment fighting you.
I do wonder how many kids walked away from the game in those years simply because the clubs made it impossible to enjoy. I suspect it was a lot.
Junior clubs today are a completely different proposition. The weight is right, the flex is right, the lengths are right. The U.S. Kids range in particular is excellent, properly engineered for kids rather than scaled down adult gear. A child picking up a modern junior set gets to find out whether they enjoy golf, rather than finding out whether they can survive the equipment.
That's worth the money on its own. It's the same principle that applies to adults, which I've written about in why golf is easier with the right equipment.
Get them a lesson
Whatever you buy, I'd really encourage some coaching early on.
Partly it's the obvious reason. They'll learn properly from the start rather than grooving something they'll have to undo later, and if you're wondering what that actually involves, here's what happens during a golf lesson.
But that's not really the main thing. Lessons are how kids meet other kids who play. Golf can be a lonely game if you're learning it on your own in the backyard, and it's a brilliant one once they've got mates to play with. That social side is what keeps them in it.
It's also a skill they'll keep. Golf isn't like a lot of sports where there's a window and then it closes. Learn it as a kid and you can still be playing it in your seventies and eighties. There aren't many things you can give a child that they'll genuinely still be using in fifty or sixty years' time.
The easiest first step of all
If you're still not sure, or your child isn't, bring them to the driving range.
It's far and away the most popular thing juniors do here, and it costs very little to find out whether they enjoy it. There's no pressure, no etiquette to worry about, and no four hours to commit to. They hit a few, they miss a few, and nobody minds.
We see it constantly. A kid comes down for a hit with a higher lofted club, gets a couple to fly properly, and that's it. They're away. If you've ever wondered why golf is so addictive, that moment is usually where it starts. It's one of the best gateways into the game there is, and it's how a lot of good young golfers around Tauranga got going.
Come and have a chat
If you're weighing this up, come and see us at Golf 360 in Mount Maunganui. We stock junior sets across all the age and height ranges, including U.S. Kids, Callaway, Wilson, Mizuno, Brosnan and PGF, along with junior gloves, shoes and everything else they'll need.
We coach juniors too, so if you'd like to get them started properly we can sort that out at the same time. And if you're new to golf yourself, you might find our beginner's guide to golf in Tauranga useful.
If you're not ready to buy anything yet, that's completely fine. Bring them down to the range and see what happens. That's usually the best place to start anyway.
Frequently asked questions
What age can a child start playing golf?
There's no fixed age. It's more about interest and attention span than birthdays. Plenty of kids start having a hit at four or five, and plenty more get into it at ten or twelve and go on to play well. If they're keen enough to want to keep swinging, they're ready.
Should I buy my child a full set of golf clubs to start with?
Not necessarily. If they're only mildly interested, start with one club, ideally a 7 iron. If they're genuinely keen, a junior package set is the most cost-effective way to get them properly equipped.
Can I just cut down an old set of adult clubs?
I'd strongly recommend against it. Cut down adult clubs are too heavy, too stiff and have grips that are far too thick for small hands. They cost kids speed and balance, and they make the game much harder than it needs to be. Modern junior clubs are built properly for the job.
How do I know what size junior clubs to buy?
Follow the brand's own sizing guide. U.S. Kids size on height, while Wilson, Mizuno and Brosnan use age bands or small, medium and tall. Go slightly longer rather than exact, so they can grip down at first and grow into the club.
How do I know when my child has outgrown their clubs?
Watch their posture. Extra knee bend or hunching from the shoulders to reach the ball means the clubs have become too short.
Happy golfing,
Scott Pickett
PGA Professional
Founder – Golf 360
Mount Maunganui
