Are Used Golf Clubs Worth It? How to Make Someone Else's Clubs Yours

Picture two golfers, each with $600 to spend on irons.

The first finds a great deal online. Big brand, 3 years old, clean faces. The clubs show up and he takes them straight to the course. His iron shots keep leaking left. He figures it's his swing, so he spends the next month trying to fix it.

The second walks into a Golf Exchange with the same $600. She hits balls in a fitting bay. A fitter finds her a used set, bends the lie angles to match her swing, and puts on grips sized to her hands. Then she plays them for 30 days to make sure they work.

Same money. Same kind of clubs. The first golfer bought someone else's clubs. The second made them hers.

That's the whole idea behind buying used the right way. Here's how it works.

Are used golf clubs worth it?

Yes, if you make them yours.

A club that fits your swing will beat a newer club that doesn't. And used is where the value is. Our fitters say current models often show up used for around $100 less than new.

One thing to know: our used clubs are in store only. We get so many that we keep them on the racks instead of listing them online. The best way to shop them is to come in.

The real risk isn't wear. It's fit.

Most golfers shopping used worry about wear. Scratched faces, worn grooves, old grips. Those matter, and we'll cover them below. But they're easy to see and easy to fix.

The bigger risk is the one you can't see on the rack. Lie angle.

Lie angle is how the club sits on the ground at impact. If it's off, the face points left or right of your target, even when you make a good swing. A common fitting rule of thumb says every degree off sends the ball about 4 yards offline. A set that's 2 degrees off for you is about 8 yards offline on every iron shot.

Here's the part most golfers don't know. There's no standard lie angle. Every brand sets its own, and they don't match. Even two iron models from the same brand can differ by a degree and a half. So a used set that fit its first owner has no reason to fit you.

Eric Howard, who manages our Florence store, says fixing that doesn't take a big budget. "A $1,200 iron set isn't in everybody's budget. If your budget is $600, we can find a used set, bend the lie angles, get the grips right for you, and fit it to you, too. It doesn't have to be something generic off the wall."

How we make used clubs yours: the retro fitting

We call it a retro fitting. It's the same fitting we do for new clubs, applied to a used set.

You hit balls in our fitting bays so we can see your swing and your numbers. We find a used set that matches what you need. Then we adjust it to you. We bend the lie angles, adjust lofts where your gapping needs it, and fit grips to your hands.

Eric puts the cost at about $600. A new fitted iron set runs about $1,200. Same fitters, same bays, about half the money.

Then test it where it counts

Every used club we sell carries a 30 day playability guarantee. You don't have to judge a club from a few swings indoors. You take it to the course and find out.

Rob Jones, assistant manager at our Eastgate store, says that's the point. "You get to play it outside and see how it works in real time. Indoors versus outside is different. This way you make sure it's right for you."

That safety net matters more with used clubs. Manufacturer warranties from brands like TaylorMade and Callaway cover the original owner. Buy a used set from a stranger online, like our first golfer did, and you get no warranty, no fitting, and no way to try it first.

The rack check: 5 things to look at before you buy

Whether you shop with us or anywhere else, run through these before you fall for a price tag.

1. The sole

For irons, look for a wider sole if you want forgiveness. It glides through the turf instead of digging when you catch one a little heavy. It's one of the easiest ways to make a used set more playable.

2. The grooves

Wedges take more wear than anything else in the bag. Run a fingernail across the face. If the grooves feel smooth and shallow, that wedge has lost some spin.

3. The grips

Used grips are often slick or hard. That's normal and cheap to fix, so plan on new ones. We keep a variety of grips in stock at every store. Here's how to tell when your grips are done.

4. The shaft

Check the flex and look for dents or bends. A shaft that's too stiff or too soft for your swing speed costs you distance and accuracy. Not sure what flex you need? A fitter can tell you in a few swings.

5. The price gap

Know the model and year, then compare it to the new price. A recent model at a real discount is a great buy. A 10 year old set priced close to something newer usually isn't.

Notice what's not on the list: lie angle. You can't check it by looking. That's the fitter's job.

New to golf? Start simple

If you're brand new and not sure golf will stick, you don't need a fitted iron set yet. A package set gets you on the course without a big bet.

Jake Wright, assistant store manager at our Lexington store, recommends exactly that for new players. "It's a great starting point to get them out on a course and swinging. From there we can slowly piece things together."

That's how a lot of golfers build a bag on a budget. Package set first. A used driver or hybrid when you're ready. Then a retro fitting on used irons once you make steady contact. The one thing to check on day one is length. Clubs that are the wrong length teach bad habits from your very first swing.

When new makes more sense

Used isn't always the right call, and we'll tell you when it isn't.

Sometimes a fitting shows you need something a used set can't easily give you, like a different shaft in every club or a big change in length. Rebuilding a used set that much adds up fast. At that point, a new set built to your specs can be the better value, especially since custom builds at Golf Exchange cost no more than the same clubs off the rack.

As Rob puts it, "We want to make you a better player overall, not just sell you new equipment." Sometimes that means used. Sometimes it means new. The fitting tells you which.

Common questions about used golf clubs

Are used golf clubs worth it?

Yes, if they fit you. Recent models often show up used for around $100 less than new, and a used set adjusted to your swing can outplay new clubs that don't fit.

Can used golf clubs be fitted to me?

Yes. We call it a retro fitting. We bend lie angles, adjust lofts, and fit grips on used sets. A fitted used iron set runs about $600, compared with about $1,200 for a new fitted set.

Do used golf clubs come with a warranty?

Manufacturer warranties usually cover only the original owner. Every used club at Golf Exchange carries a 30 day playability guarantee, so you can test it on the course before you commit.

What should I look for in used irons?

A wider sole for forgiveness, a shaft flex that matches your swing speed, grips you're ready to replace, and a model recent enough that the discount is real. Then have the lie angles checked.

Are used clubs good for beginners?

They can be, but brand new golfers often do best starting with a package set. Once you can make steady contact, a fitted used set is a smart next step.

Make them yours

Every used club on our racks was built for someone else. Bring it to a fitter and make it yours.

All 6 Golf Exchange locations have been named an America's Top 100 Clubfitter by Golf Digest. Our used clubs are in store only, so stop in, look through the racks, and ask for a retro fitting.

Not sure you need a fitting at all? Read our fitters' honest answer on whether a club fitting is worth it. Ready to go? Book a fitting or find your store.