Whether you’re about to take your very first golf lesson or are returning to the game for the first time in a while, you’ll want to feel prepared to enjoy your experience with your golf professional. 

I typically send a welcome email to my students before their first class suggesting what equipment to bring and what to expect during class. Some new golfers ask if they should buy clubs before attending class, and I always say no to that. I’d rather they borrow equipment and test it during class before getting something that doesn’t fit well.

Most golf professionals will have appropriate loaner equipment available. I ask new students to let me know if they need clubs, what their height is, is they are left-handed or right-handed, and if they’ve played any other sports (competitively) in the past to give me an idea of potential speed capacity. If you haven’t received a welcome email, feel free to contact the host a few days before the program to inquire. Like a good pair of shoes, clubs need to have some basic fitting specs within reason (length, weight, shaft flex, grip size). Cut-down clubs or hand-me downs will probably not be effective equipment choices. The specs won’t make it an easy first-experience, and we want golf to be fun!  

If you already have equipment, bring your entire bag and club set and your host professional will inspect it to see if it’s a good start.  Sometimes golfers want to walk but end up with a cart bag, unbeknownst to them, so being able to see the entire set with the bag is helpful.   

If you are bringing a friend’s clubs and just have a few, I’d recommend at least a putter, pitching wedge, mid-iron (8 or 7), and a long club (hybrid, fairway wood, or driving club), or the closest clubs to these.