Second Hand Golf Clubs: Where to Buy and What to Check

Is buying second hand golf clubs worth it?

Buying second hand golf clubs is worth it when two things are true: the clubs suit your swing, and their condition matches the seller’s description. A used club normally costs less than the same model new, so one budget can stretch further. The risk is buying the wrong spec, which no discount fixes.

When used golf clubs make sense

• You are starting out and want to keep spending low while you find out how often you will play.
• You are buying for a junior who will need longer clubs as they grow.
• You already know your spec (hand, flex and length) and want a particular model for less.
• You want to replace one club, such as a driver, a hybrid or a putter, without buying a whole new set.

When new may suit you better

New clubs make sense if you want the latest model or a spec that is hard to find used. If a maker’s warranty matters to you, read that maker’s terms before you buy used.

Which used golf clubs should you look for?

There is no single right buy: look for the club that matches your hand, flex and length. Makers such as TaylorMade, Titleist, Callaway, Ping and Cobra publish spec pages. That lets you check each listing against the maker’s own details.

Our guide to what clubs you need helps if you are not yet sure which clubs to look for. If you would rather start from your game than from a listing, Build your bag suggests models and specs to search for, with a reason for each pick. Today it picks new clubs at the maker’s RRP, so use those picks as your search list.

Where can you buy second hand golf clubs in the UK?

You can buy second hand golf clubs in the UK from used-club specialists, golf shops with trade-in stock, online marketplaces and golf club notice boards. Business sellers usually give you more protection, while private sales leave more of the checking to you.

UK used-club specialists

These sellers grade their stock and sell online. We name them only as examples of places clubs are sold, and we have no arrangement with any of them.

• Golfbidder buys used clubs, mostly from golf professionals, and sells them with a condition rating on each club.
• The Second Hand Golf Shop is an online shop based in Warrington with a published condition guide. It also quotes for clubs you want to sell.
• Nearly New Golf Clubs sells online only and scores the head, shaft and grip of each club separately, with photos of the actual club.
• Golf Clubs 4 Cash sells used clubs online and from showrooms, and buys clubs for cash or account credit.
• Andrew Morris Golf’s used range is a golf shop’s used stock, with scores for head, face, shaft and grip and photos of the actual item.

Marketplaces and golf club notice boards

eBay UK and Facebook Marketplace mix private and business sellers, so check which one you are buying from. Golf club notice boards and members are another source, and you can often see the clubs at the course.

Some of these sellers also list other used golf items, such as bags, trolleys and shoes.

Seller types compared

Type of seller	Grading	Returns	Price	Effort
Used-club specialists	Their own scale, often scored part by part	Business seller, so the 14-day online cancellation right usually applies, plus their own policy	Below new, with grading and photos included	Low: browse and buy online
Golf shops with trade-in stock	A description from staff, and you can see the club	The shop’s own terms	Varies with what has been traded in locally	Low to medium: visit the shop
eBay UK and Facebook Marketplace	The seller’s own words, with no common scale	Depends on whether the seller is a business	Varies widely, so compare sold listings	Medium: you check photos and ask questions
Golf club notice boards and members	Usually none	Usually none	Often open to an offer	High: you check everything before you pay

Your rights depend on who is selling

When you buy online or by phone from a business, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 usually give you 14 days to cancel. The 14 days count from the day the goods arrive. Goods bought from a business must also match their description and be of satisfactory quality under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Those rules cover business sellers, so a private sale gives you fewer options if the club turns out to be wrong.

Searching for left-handed or ladies’ clubs

If you need left-handed or ladies’ clubs, set the hand and flex filters first, so every listing you see could suit you. On sites without filters, add “left handed” or “ladies” to your search. Our guides to left-handed golf clubs and women’s golf clubs cover what to look for.

Trade in your old clubs to fund used ones

If you have clubs to pass on, you can sell them privately, trade them in at a golf shop, or sell them to a specialist that buys stock. Selling first puts money towards your next clubs. Our guide to selling your golf clubs covers how to sell them on.

How much less do second hand golf clubs cost?

It depends on the club’s age, condition and model, so there is no fixed discount. Last season’s models and ex-demo clubs often cost noticeably less than the same club new.

To judge a fair price, check sold listings for the exact model, not just asking prices. Look up the same model’s new price on the same day and note the date and time you checked. Then allow for condition: expect to pay less for a club graded good than for one graded mint.

Our guide to how much golf clubs cost covers what to budget for.

How do you check the condition of used golf clubs?

Check eight things before you pay: the grips, the shaft, the flex and length labels, the clubface and grooves, the ferrule, the hand, the spec and the returns policy. If you are buying online, ask for clear daylight photos of the club before you agree a price.

1. Grips. Look for shiny, cracked or slippery rubber. Worn grips can be replaced, so treat them as an extra cost rather than a reason to walk away.
2. Shaft. On steel shafts, look for rust and dents. On graphite shafts, look for cracks, splinters or deep scratches. Pass on any shaft that is dented or cracked.
3. Flex and length labels. Find the flex on the shaft or its label: you will often see L (ladies), A or senior, R (regular flex), S (stiff flex) and X (X stiff flex, sometimes called extra stiff). Look for a note that the club has been lengthened or shortened. Compare it with the maker’s spec page for that model.
4. Clubface and grooves. Look for dents, cracks and deep marks on the face. On a driver, check the top of the head for paint marks from the ball. On wedges, check the groove edges still look crisp.
5. Ferrule. The ferrule is the small plastic collar where the shaft meets the head. A loose, cracked or mismatched one can mean the club has been reshafted, so ask about it.
6. Hand. Check the club is right handed or left handed to match you. Listings sometimes get this wrong, so confirm it from the photos.
7. Spec match. Make sure the flex, length and grip size suit you. For an adjustable driver, ask for the wrench and the current setting on the hosel, the part of the head the shaft joins.
8. Returns policy. Read it before you pay. Keep the listing and photos until the return window closes.

Ask the right questions online

Ask for photos of the face, sole, top of the head, grip and shaft labels of the actual club. If a recent model, such as a TaylorMade or Callaway driver, is priced far below similar listings, ask for proof of purchase before you pay.

If you are unsure of your spec, a PGA professional can check it in person before you buy.

What do condition grades mean on pre-owned golf clubs?

Condition grades are a seller’s shorthand for how worn a club is. There is no single industry scale, so each seller sets its own. A typical ladder runs from new or mint down to average or fair. Always read that seller’s definitions and look at photos of the actual club, rather than stock images.

Grade you may see	What it usually means	What to check
New or unused	Never hit, sometimes with original stickers	Proof it is unused, and the exact spec
Mint or nearly new	Hit a few times, with very light marks	Face and sole photos
Very good	Light wear from normal play	Grip condition and any face marks
Good	Clear signs of use, still sound	Grooves, grips and shaft
Average or fair	Heavy wear, may need new grips	Every item on the checklist above

These labels are typical examples, and two sellers can use the same word differently. A graded club from a business seller comes with a written description you can check it against when it arrives. That is a useful reason to favour graded stock when you are unsure.

New, ex-demo or used: which suits you?

New suits you if you want the latest model in exactly your spec. Ex-demo clubs have been used at demo days or in shops, so they are close to new and normally priced below it. Used clubs are the lowest-cost route of the three and suit you if you are happy to check the condition and spec yourself.

	New	Ex-demo	Used
Condition	Unused	Light use from demo days or shops	Anything from nearly new to well used
Cost	Full current price	Usually less than new	Usually the least
Choice of spec	Widest, including maker options	Limited to the specs used for demos	Whatever is for sale
Returns	Within the seller’s terms	Within the seller’s terms	Business sellers: within their terms. Private sellers: usually none
Suits	Golfers who want a set spec and the newest model	Golfers who want near-new for less	Budget buyers happy to check clubs

An ex-demo club is a good middle path if you want little wear but are flexible on spec. Check the flex and length as carefully as on any used club. A demo club may be built to a standard spec rather than yours.

Are used golf clubs good for beginners and juniors?

Used clubs can suit beginners and juniors well, because both are still finding out what they need. England Golf says a beginner does not need a full set to start. Juniors also need longer clubs as they grow, so paying less and selling them on later can make sense.

Starting out

England Golf’s Get into Golf beginners guide puts it plainly: “You don’t need to buy a full set of clubs to begin with.” It says four key clubs will get you round. The guide sets out to “make things simple, friendly and pressure-free”.

Buying those few clubs used lets you find out how often you play before you spend more. Our beginner golf clubs guide covers the clubs to start with.

Buying for a junior

Check each used junior club against the maker’s size range for that set, and compare it with your child before you buy. Our junior golf club size guide explains what to look at.

Junior grips and shafts get the same checks as adult clubs. Look closely for bent shafts and worn grips, and ask whether all the clubs come from the same set.

Should you buy used golf sets or single clubs?

Buy a used set if you are starting from scratch, because a matched set gives you consistent shafts and grips through the bag. Buy used single clubs if you already have a set and want to fill a gap or replace one club.

When a used golf set suits you

A set saves you matching clubs one at a time. If you are weighing up how many clubs to buy, our guide to a half set or a full set compares the two. Our golf club sets guide covers complete sets.

When single clubs suit you

Single clubs let you upgrade one area of your game at a time. Match the new club’s flex to the rest of your bag.

If your current set mixes flexes or brands, a used single club can bring one gap into line rather than add another mismatch.

What to check on used drivers, fairway woods and hybrids

On a driver, read the shaft label and check the flex and shaft model match the listing, as shafts can be swapped. Check the loft in degrees on the sole or the adjustable hosel, and ask for the wrench.

On a fairway wood or hybrid, look for wear on the sole and check the loft marked on the head. Match the flex to your driver and irons.

What to check on used irons and iron sets

Count the irons and note which ones are included, for example a 5 iron to pitching wedge. Whether it is a Ping, Callaway or Titleist set, every iron should have the same shaft type and flex. Check the grooves on each face.

What to check on a used wedge

Wedge grooves wear with use, so look closely at the face where the ball strikes. Check that the loft in degrees stamped on the club, such as on a Titleist Vokey, matches the listing. Make sure it fills a gap in your bag.

What to check on used putters

Check the putter length in inches against the one you use now, as putters are sold in several lengths. Look at the face for dents and the grip for wear, and ask whether a headcover comes with it.

For a high-value putter, such as a Scotty Cameron Newport or an Odyssey, ask for close photos of the face and the stamps on the sole.

How can Build your bag help you choose used clubs?

Build your bag tells you which clubs suit your game and budget, so you know what to search for on the used market. Today it picks new clubs at the maker’s RRP. Used options will show next to them once we list used retailers.

Build your bag is free and needs no sign-up. It asks a few short questions.

What you get back

Adults first get a choice of route: a complete package set, a half set or a bag built club by club, with the reason. Then you see a top pick for each club, with a plain reason. Prices shown are the maker’s RRP, labelled RRP. Juniors get one junior set sized by the maker’s height range.

Every pick comes with a reason, live in Build your bag since 14 Nov 2026. Picks come from rules and maker specs, not from who pays us, and how we choose sets out those rules.

Affordable Golf Clubs is an independent guide and does not sell clubs itself.

Used options are not listed yet. Once we list used retailers, used options will show next to new picks, only where used offers exist for that slot.

A worked example

This is an illustrative example. Say you are a right handed golfer, new to the game. You answer the questions and get a pick for each club, with a reason and its RRP. You then search used sellers for those models, check sold listings and run each listing through the checklist above.

Our flex and length suggestions are a starting guide. If you plan to spend more than about £500, have clubs matched to your swing in person by a PGA professional. If you buy through a link, the retailer pays us a commission at no extra cost to you.

In short

Second hand golf clubs are worth it when the spec suits you and the condition matches the description. Buy from a seller whose terms you understand, run the checklist above, and know the models you want before you search. To get that list, try Build your bag: picks for your game and budget, with a reason for each.