When should a child move up to the next golf set?

Children grow in sudden bursts and golf clubs do not. How long one size fits varies, so the calendar is not the best guide. The way they stand to the ball tells you more.

The five signs it is time

1. They grip far down the shaft

If your child instinctively holds the club several centimetres below the top of the grip, they are shortening it themselves. That is the clearest single sign.

2. They stand too far from the ball

A club that has become too short pulls them in and they bend at the back to reach. A club that is now too long pushes them away. Watch them address a ball from the side, not from behind.

3. The sole of the club no longer sits flat

At address the club head should rest flat on the ground. If the toe or the heel lifts, the length and the lie angle no longer match the child.

4. They have outgrown the height band

Measure again. If they have moved out of the band the set was sold for, check the next one. Our kids golf club size guide has the table and the one minute measurement.

5. The ball has stopped going anywhere

A club that is too short for a stronger, taller child costs distance, and distance is a lot of what keeps a young player interested.

What a growth spurt does not mean

It does not mean you need a full new set immediately. Two cheaper moves usually come first:

• Regrip or add a build up. A thicker or longer grip can buy a few months on a club that is otherwise still fine.
• Replace one club, not all of them. Children usually outgrow the putter last. Buying only the clubs that no longer fit spreads the cost.

Add clubs before you add sizes

A three to five year old needs three clubs: something to putt with, something to hit off the ground, something to hit far. Around the time they start playing full holes, a wedge or a second iron becomes useful. Adding a club is often the right next step rather than jumping to a bigger set.

What the next step usually looks like

When a child moves past roughly 110 cm they are heading for standard junior equipment, which is sized in several height steps up to adult length. If they are playing regularly by then, a fitting at a club is worth the hour. National junior programmes at the Royal Belgian Golf Federation, the Dutch golf federation NGF and the Swedish Golf Federation can also point you to coaches who fit juniors.

Keeping the cost sensible

• Junior clubs hold their value, so a well kept set resells easily.
• Buy for the child's size today rather than for next summer. Oversized clubs teach a swing that has to be unlearned. Our page on cut down adult clubs explains why the same logic applies there.
• Weight matters more than brand. Check our note on how we choose the weight of every club and use it to judge any set.

Still in the 85 to 110 cm band? Our club sets for ages 3 to 5 are built for exactly that stage, and we are happy to tell you through our contact page when your child has grown past it.