vindje.com / Guides / Sports & outdoor
Golf clubs lose value fast in the first two years, which makes slightly older models excellent used buys. Beginners can get a complete set with a bag for less than one new driver. Check the shaft flex and grips, look for cracks in metal woods, and be careful with designer putters at low prices.
If you are new to golf or taking a GVB course (the Dutch golf proficiency certificate), you do not need 14 clubs. A half set with a driver or fairway wood, a hybrid, a few irons (7, 9, PW), a sand wedge and a putter is enough. Complete beginner sets from Wilson, Callaway Strata, Ben Sayers and US Kids (for children) come up often with a bag.
Shafts come in flexes: L (ladies), A or senior, R (regular), S (stiff) and X (extra stiff). Most recreational golfers use regular; faster swingers use stiff. The flex is printed on the shaft or a sticker near the grip. Steel shafts are common in irons; graphite is lighter and often found in senior and ladies sets.
Left-handed sets (linkshandig) are less common, which means fewer choices but also lower prices. Players taller than about 1.90 m may need longer shafts; ask the seller if the clubs are standard length.
Game-improvement irons that are three to six years old are the sweet spot: Ping G410 and G425, TaylorMade SIM2 Max and Stealth, Callaway Mavrik and Rogue ST, Titleist T300 and Mizuno JPX 921 and 923 Hot Metal. They are forgiving and drop heavily in price after newer models arrive. Blades and forged player irons look nice but are harder to hit for beginners.
Counterfeit golf clubs exist, especially Scotty Cameron putters, TaylorMade and Callaway drivers and complete 'Titleist' sets at low prices. Signs: poor paint fill, wrong fonts, cheap-looking grips, no serial number on the hosel of drivers, and a seller who has several identical items. Genuine Scotty Camerons have a serial number and are rarely cheap. If a full premium set costs under EUR 200, assume it is a copy.
A stand bag is handy on a short course; a cart bag fits on a trolley for longer rounds. Check the zips, the stand legs and the shoulder straps. Push trolleys from Clicgear, Big Max and Motocaddy are often sold cheap; fold and unfold them and spin the wheels. Electric trolleys need a test with the battery: lithium batteries that are several years old may only last nine holes.
Golf shoes and gloves are usually better bought new, but rangefinders (Bushnell, Nikon) are a good used buy if the display is clear.
Ask to take a few swings in the garden, or bring the clubs to a driving range before paying if the seller agrees. For irons in a specific flex and hand, such as regular steel shafts for a left-hander within 30 km, vindje.com can read the listing details so you do not have to open every ad.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Beginner half set with bag | EUR 50-150 |
| Complete beginner set with bag | EUR 100-250 |
| Iron set 5-PW, 3-6 years old (Ping, TaylorMade, Callaway) | EUR 250-500 |
| Driver, 2-4 years old | EUR 100-250 |
| Scotty Cameron putter, genuine | EUR 150-300 |
| Kids set (US Kids) | EUR 40-100 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Ping G425 or TaylorMade Stealth iron set 5 to PW, regular steel shafts, right-handed, good grips, under 450 euroSearch Marktplaats like this
Yes. Clubs lose a lot of value after a new model comes out, so a three to six year old set is cheap and plays nearly as well.
Most beginners and recreational players use regular flex. Ask a pro or try both at a driving range if unsure.
Look for poor paint, wrong logos, missing serial numbers and prices far below normal for the model.
Roughly EUR 8-15 per club including fitting at a golf shop, depending on the grip.