Graphite shafts make the overall weight of the clubs lighter compared to the steel shafts that come in the standard 12-piece set. Included with the excellent stand bag - more on that later - is a driver, 3-wood, 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid and a set of six iron from 6-SW. This set from Strata represents the value end of the market and we wanted to see what it offered to golfers coming in to the game. You’ll normally be able to pick up a set of older Ping irons (like the excellent G20s) for a couple of hundred dollars.

Along with the driver and 3-wood featured in the last two sets, the Tour set comes with an additional 5-wood and 4-hybrid. The putter is less than desirable because there's no milling or insert on the face so, no matter what ball you use, putts have a tendency to slide off the face left or right. So on my first 18 with these new clubs and lots of practice to get used to them, I stepped up to hole number 1. With the irons, the shape is unmistakably Calaway, with a rounded toe and a thick topline, without unnecessary bulkiness.The driver, 3-wood and irons are ideal for the golfer in mind and should last for a number of years comfortably. With seven years' experience as a reporter and editor, Alex has covered a range of topics from environmental issues to the Tour de France.

And to clarify, it’s not the lack of clubs that’s the issue (you get plenty) it’s just the way they are marketed. But for the money, they are a solid set of golf clubs that will help you either get you started, or improve your game. To be honest, we’d like to have seen this at maybe 16 degrees, but the large head and forgiveness should balance out the lower loft a bit.However, finding the right one can be a minefield and knowing which package sets have the right sort of clubs that will last for the right amount of time can be tricky. On to the performance of the Strata set, the irons offered generous offset to suit players likely to slice, and the regular flex shafts also suit beginners. This is one of those clubs that does a good job for the time being, but the technology is not all that impressive. Designed for versatility and forgiveness on shots where you would usually hit a difficult long iron.

If you’re in a rush I would be very happy for any beginner student of mine to turn up with the sets above. Again with this set the bag was a highlight - lightweight and good quality, with plenty of pockets and enough club storage.The Strata’s 11 clubs are a driver, 3-wood, 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid, and a set of six irons from 6-SW, and you’ll also get a 35” blade putter. The included putter is reasonably no-frills, but is mallet style (which we prefer) and has a visual alignment aid to help you line up your putts. A lightweight 460cc forged driver that has a large sweet spot and a titanium head, it’s designed for distance and forgiveness that will help you hit it farther off the tee.