How to Build a Starter Golf Club Set

Following the post Make Putters Beautiful Again , I decided to expand further into the world of buying used clubs, specifically on eBay. For beginners and veterans alike, eBay can be a useful tool in your belt when buying clubs. A disclaimer: If the price is too good to be true, it is likely a fake. Always check the sellers reputation before pulling the trigger on a club.

If you know what to look for, you can find some absolute gems at really good prices, along with TOUR-issued quality stuff if you dig deep. Below I will outline how to approach this as a beginner and some things you can look for if you are an experienced player looking for a deal.

Note - This guide is for eBay, but you can apply these principles anywhere that you can find old or used golf clubs.

As a Beginner:

For Advanced Players:

Hugh Wilson (1879–1925) was a Philadelphia-based insurance broker who loved golf so much he became a key player in the Golden Age of course design, even without any real training. Born into a prominent family, he attended Princeton where he played on the golf team from 1898-1902, and stumbled into golf architecture by accident. In 1910, the Merion Cricket Club (Now Merion Golf Club) asked him to build their new course, so he headed off to Britain for seven months, visiting courses like St. Andrews and Prestwick, sketching greens, bunkers, and layouts to soak it all in.

For Merion's East Course, which opened in 1912, Wilson’s genius shined as he worked with the tricky (mundane?) suburban Philadelphia land to create holes that demand smart play. He went for subtle rolls on the greens, tough Scottish-style bunkers, and built a layout that is memorable, demanding, and fun. Teaming up with folks like Alan Corson for the dirt work, it turned into a gem that famously hosted the 1930 U.S. Amateur, where Bobby Jones completed the Grand Slam, and the 1950 US Open famously won by Ben Hogan.

He didn't stop at private clubs. In 1916, he designed Cobbs Creek, a public course in West Philadelphia. Spending half a year on it, he tweaked his Merion concepts for flatter ground by the creek, making it tough but fair with wavy fairways and guarded greens. It was open to everybody (Black, white, men, women) from day one, and became a real community centerpiece, helping launch the careers of players like Charlie Sifford.

Fast-forward to now: Cobbs Creek's getting a massive $150 million glow-up from the Cobbs Creek Foundation, with Troon handling ops. (You can read my take on it here: The Revival of Cobbs Creek ) As of August 2025, it's set to reopen in October, bringing back Wilson's original design, adding a short course by TGR Design, a learning center, and focusing on eco-friendliness and kids' programs to make it a top public hub again. It will be a proper onboarding piece for young kids in greater Philadelphia to learn the fundamentals of the game.

I’ve noticed fewer and fewer gentlemen taking their hats off under cover or inside at golf courses. Whether it be to quickly pop into the golf shop or the halfway house, you should be removing your hat when under cover, no exceptions. It takes two seconds, and is an easy way to show respect to where you are and the people around you.

I played in a few AJGA events as a junior, and they were always extremely strict with pace of play and manners. I loved that part about playing in the tournaments. I hope they still enforce the “no cover under cover” rule at their events these days.

In eras past, headwear was often a sign of status, and it’s removal signified humility and deference to where you stood and those around you. We should work our way back to this type of mentality at nice clubs and formal establishments.

Personal anecdote, but I find my lowest scores occur when I make everything inside of 6 feet. I found this drill a few years back, and have used it (along with the reverse claw) to greatly improve my short putting.

Seeing the ball go in the hole many times in a row, even from short distances, will do wonders for your confidence and scores. Thinking you’re going to make a putt before you pull the putter back is an underrated attribute and a tough skill to build.

Talk soon,

BTG

Email me: [email protected]