shortening clubs for a beginner

Question
I am new to the game of golf (first lessons begin in about a week) and in need of some clubs.  I am not sure if I am ready to sink a bunch of money into my own set of clubs at this point.  My father offered to have one of his sets "shortened" for my use.  I am a 5'5" woman.  My father is about 5'9" or 5'10".  Are shortened clubs a good option?

Answer
Hey Jamie,

Thanks for the question.

The idea of shortening clubs for a woman/child has been around forever. I personally hate the idea, and think it makes learning the game even harder for a beginner than it already is. Here's why. Swing weight is basically a term used in golf to describe or measure how heavy a club head is in relation to the length of the shaft. Shortening the club's overall length increases the swing weight of a club very dramatically, and makes the club difficult to control, especially at the top of the swing.

At the same time, as an absolute beginner it would be just stupid to go out and spend a thousand dollars on a new fancy set of clubs.  Any basic beginner set will do well for someone who is just starting. Any of the big box retailers (wal-mart, target) as well as almost every golf store will have an entry leve set of clubs for men, women and kids. My advice is to find an inexpensive set of women's clubs and use them for a year or two until you decide if you like the game. By then you'll know more about what you like and don't like and will be ready for a nicer set.

Good luck and welcome to the greatest game in the world!

John