Question on Getting Started:

To get started, most driving ranges will have equipment that you can use for free or for a very small fee when hitting balls. So to learn to hit and such, you really don't need to invest in new equipment. A 7 iron and a pitching wedge can take you a long way in learning the full swing. If you are going out to play on a course, they should have rental clubs available as well. When my students as the question of "what kind of set should I buy and how much should I expect to spend?", I answer with the following: To me, there are 3 tiers for purchasing clubs.

1) You can spend only a couple hundred dollars for a complete starter set. What I mean by that is that it will come with a bag, all your irons, wedges, woods, driver and putter. I call it a "starter set" because you get what you pay for. They are fine to learn with, but once you get going (a couple of years) you'll probably want something of better quality and feel.

2) You can go on eBay, similar sites or search for used clubs at golf shops. My theory here is that a used BMW is always better than a brand new Yugo. Also, clubs don't really wear out all that much unless you are a tour player beating balls all day long. So you can get a premium set used, but just for a few hundred dollars. This way, you can also pick and choose the clubs you want and have fun putting a custom set together.

3) You can go all out and buy a brand new premium set. You will have this set for a very long time, so the investment is not a waste, but you are looking at a couple thousand dollars. Typically, just the irons will run from $799 to $999. If you choose this route, always get them custom fit to you. It does not cost any more to get them fit to your swing and body type. This way, you won't find out later that you have to pay to get them altered or buy a whole new set altogether because they don't fit you properly.