Buying used with confidence

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Used is the smart money for a first set. Clubs from a few years ago perform within a whisker of this year's models at a fraction of the price. The trick is knowing what to check so you buy a bargain, not someone else's problem. Here's the full checklist.

Loft — the number that matters more than the name

Loft is the angle of the clubface, and it decides how high and far the ball flies. More loft launches the ball higher and is easier to hit; less loft flies lower and demands a better strike. As a beginner you want enough loft.

The catch: lofts have crept stronger over the years (makers do it to claim more distance), so a club's number no longer tells you its loft.

Loft is usually stamped on the hosel (where the shaft meets the head). What you really care about is that your set has consistent gaps between clubs — even jumps in distance, with no big hole in the middle.

Shaft — steel vs graphite, and flex

Two things matter: material and flex.

• Steel is heavier, firmer and cheaper — great for learning a repeatable strike.
• Graphite is lighter and smoother on the hands — easier for slower swings and a common choice for beginners (a ~85–95g graphite shaft is a sweet spot).

Flex is how much the shaft bends in the swing, matched to your speed:

The flex is usually printed on the shaft band near the grip, along with the maker and weight. A used club with the original (stock) shaft also holds its value better than one that's been reshafted.

Grips — cheap to fix, useful to negotiate

Run your hand down the grip. Good grips feel slightly tacky; worn ones are shiny, hard, slick, or cracked. Worn grips tell you the club has seen real use — but they're the cheapest fix in golf (roughly the price of a coffee each), so use them to negotiate the price down rather than to walk away.

Adjustable hosels — handy, but check them

Most modern drivers and fairway woods (and some hybrids) have an adjustable hosel — a little sleeve you turn with a wrench to change loft and lie. Irons, wedges and putters almost never do.

If you're buying an adjustable club, check that:

• the sleeve is present and the shaft has no side-to-side wobble;
• there's no rattle when you shake it (a rattle can mean a loose head — walk away);
• the wrench is included if possible (replacements cost money), and the threads aren't stripped.

Adjustability is a real plus for a beginner — you can tweak loft as your swing settles.

Wear — faces, grooves, and life left

• Wedge & iron grooves wear smooth with use and lose spin. Look for grooves that are still sharp and defined, not rounded or filled in. Wedges live the hardest life.
• Driver face & crown — light ball marks are normal; sky marks (scuffs on the top from topping it) are cosmetic. What you don't want is any crack or bubbling paint (delamination).

Integrity — the deal-breakers

Some faults are cosmetic; these are not. Reject a club for any of:

• a rattle or a head that twists on the shaft (failed epoxy — it can fly off);
• cracks in the head, hosel or shaft;
• deep rust pitting on the hosel (surface rust on a forged iron is fine and cleans up);
• a crimped or cracked graphite shaft.

Dating a club & knowing what you found

Cosmetics and badges date a club: logo style, ferrule design, shaft graphics, and the finish all moved with the eras. Serial numbers on the hosel can confirm the model and year — Ping's online "Locker Room" lookup is the gold standard; most makers will verify by phone.

Counterfeits — the eBay/Finn.no warning

Fakes are common on open marketplaces. The tells:

Ask for close-up photos of the actual club — serial, hosel, ferrule and shaft band. Honest sellers oblige. When in doubt, buy from a reputable used retailer that authenticates (e.g. 2nd Swing, Golf Avenue) rather than an anonymous listing.

Pricing & where to buy

As a rough guide, average-condition used clubs sell for about half to two-thirds of new; mint examples more, well-worn ones less. Premium brands (Ping, Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway) hold value best.

• Used retailers (2nd Swing, Golf Avenue, PGA Tour Superstore) — graded, authenticated, often a short return window. Pay a little more for peace of mind.
• Marketplaces (eBay, Finn.no, Facebook) — the best prices and local pickup, but you do the inspecting and authenticating. Great once you know what to look for — which, now, you do.