Kids Golf Clubs, Putters & Bags for Ages 2-5
Search "kids golf clubs," and you'll get two kinds of results: $20 plastic sets that look like pool toys, and $200 junior sets built for eight-year-olds. If your kid is two, three, four, or five, almost nothing you see is actually made for them.
We know because we went looking for a putter for our own two-year-old and couldn't find one. This guide covers what a kid that age actually needs — putter, bag, and clubs — how to size each one, what it should cost, and where the money is genuinely worth spending.
The One Rule: Size by Height, Not Age
This is the single most important thing on this page. Two four-year-olds can be five inches apart. A club that fits one will be wrong for the other.
A club that's too long forces a kid to stand upright and grip down near the hosel, which builds a swing they'll spend years unlearning. Too short and they hunch over it. Neither is fixable with practice — it's an equipment problem.
| Child Height | Typical Age | Putter | 7-Iron | Driver | Bag Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30"–34" | 2 | 21.5" | — | — | 22"–24" |
| 34"–38" | 3 | 21.5" | 25" | 26.5" | 22"–24" |
| 38"–42" | 4 | 21.5" | 25" | 26.5" | 24" |
| 42"–45" | 5 | 21.5" | 25" | 26.5" | 24" |
| 45"+ | 5–6 | Moving into standard junior sizing | |||
Measure them barefoot against a wall. If they land between ranges, size to the shorter option — a slightly short club is far easier for a kid to play than a slightly long one.
Kids Golf Putters: Start Here
If you buy one club, buy a putter. It's the club they'll use most, the only one they can succeed with immediately, and the reason kids ask to go back.
What size putter does a kid need?
For children 30 to 45 inches tall — roughly ages 2 through 5 — a 21.5-inch putter is the fit. Standard junior putters start around 25 to 27 inches and are built for kids 45 inches and taller. A 27-inch putter in the hands of a three-year-old is the single most common reason a kid gives up on golf before they've started.
What to look for in a kids putter
- Real weight. A stainless steel head gives feedback on contact. Plastic putters are so light kids can't feel whether they struck it well, so they never learn distance control.
- Grip size. A junior pistol grip sized for hands under 6 inches around. Adult or standard junior grips force a weak, fingertip hold.
- A face that rolls the ball. A milled or properly finished face makes a real ball behave like a real ball. That responsiveness is what makes putting feel like a game rather than a chore.
Our 21.5" kids putter is stainless steel with a junior pistol grip, built for the 30" to 45" range. It's $49.99, and it's our best seller — mostly because there isn't much else in this size that isn't a toy.
What about baby putters and clubs for 1-year-olds?
Honest answer: at one, a plastic club and a foam ball in the living room is the right call. There's no equipment that meaningfully improves the experience at that age, and nothing to be gained by starting with steel. Real clubs start making sense around two, when a child can walk steadily, hold a grip, and stay interested for more than ninety seconds.
Kids Golf Bags: The Independence Piece
A bag seems like the optional accessory until you watch a three-year-old carry their own gear. Then it becomes the point. Their bag, their clubs, their choice at each shot — that ownership is what turns a first outing into a second one.
What size golf bag does a kid need?
Borrowing the adult fitting rule: a bag should stand about 50 to 55% of the golfer's height. For kids 30 to 45 inches tall, that's a bag around 22 to 24 inches. Tall enough to hold kid-length clubs (anything under 27 inches) without them sticking out awkwardly, short enough that a child can reach in and pull their own putter.
The three specs that matter
- Weight. Under 2.5 lbs empty. A bag that's too heavy gets handed back to a parent after two holes, which defeats the whole purpose.
- Dual padded straps. A single strap pulls a small child off balance the moment they start moving. Two straps distribute the weight like a school backpack.
- A working stand. Kids set a bag down and pick it up constantly. A stand that deploys at their height means the bag stays upright instead of lying in wet grass — and means they can grab a club without help.
Our kids golf stand bag is 24 inches, 2.1 lbs, with an auto-deploy stand and dual padded straps. $59.99, in black and pink, with lilac, blush pink, and hunter green arriving this fall.
Kids Golf Club Sets: When Three Clubs Make Sense
Around age three — or whenever a kid starts copying your full swing rather than just putting — a driver and iron earn their place in the bag.
A complete set for this age range is three clubs, not eleven: a driver for the joy of the big swing, a 7-iron for learning contact, and the putter for the green. That covers a real hole from tee to green, and it's all a child under five can meaningfully use.
Our Complete Kids Golf Club Set is a 26.5" driver, 25" 7-iron, and 21.5" putter — all sized for the 30" to 45" range, all real stainless steel. $119.99, currently available for pre-order with shipping the first week of October.
What about the big-box junior sets?
Sets from major brands at sporting goods stores are usually built for ages 5 and up, and often 8 and up. They're good sets — for those kids. For a three-year-old, they're a "grow into it" purchase, which sounds economical and usually isn't: by the time the clubs fit, the child has spent two years frustrated by equipment that didn't.
Real Clubs vs. Plastic Toy Sets
We want to be fair here, because plastic sets get more grief than they deserve. For indoor play with foam balls, they're completely fine. A two-year-old bashing around the living room in February doesn't need stainless steel.
Where they cause problems is on grass:
- No feedback. A plastic club is so light there's no sensation of contact, so kids swing harder trying to feel something. That builds a fast, uncontrolled motion that's hard to undo.
- The ball doesn't respond. Plastic clubs can't roll or launch a real ball properly. When nothing happens, kids don't feel successful.
- The transition problem. This is the one parents don't anticipate. A kid who learns on plastic and then picks up a real club finds nothing familiar — different weight, different balance, different result. A lot of kids quit at exactly that moment.
Practical rule: if the budget is $30, buy the plastic set and enjoy it. If the budget is $50 or more, put it toward one real club instead of three fake ones.
What Should Kids Golf Equipment Cost?
| Item | Reasonable range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kids putter | $40–$70 | The one purchase worth making first |
| Kids stand bag | $60–$140 | Under $70 with a stand is strong value |
| Complete 3-club set | $120–$250 | Real steel, sized by height |
| XS golf glove | $12–$20 | Most-used gift on this list |
| Plastic toy set | $20–$50 | Fine for indoors, limited outdoors |
Cost per season matters more than sticker price at this age. A $59.99 bag that fits the entire 30" to 45" range lasts three to four seasons — about $15 to $20 a year. A $30 toy bag outgrown in one season costs more per year of actual use.
Kids Golf Equipment by Age
Golf Clubs for a 2 Year Old
One putter. At 30 to 34 inches tall, a two-year-old needs a club they can control on a carpet or a practice green, and putting is the only part of golf they'll succeed at right now. A bag is a nice addition if you want them carrying their own gear from the start — most do, proudly.
Golf Clubs for a 3 Year Old
This is the age swinging clicks. Keep the putter, and add a driver and iron sized to their height if they're copying your swing or asking for a turn at the range. Real weight matters more at three than at any other age — it's when the motor pattern forms.
Golf Clubs for a 4 Year Old
At 38 to 43 inches, a full three-club setup makes sense and short par-3 holes become realistic. Four-year-olds also start noticing whether their gear is real — the steel heads matter to them, not just to you.
Golf Clubs for a 5 Year Old
The classic first-real-set age. A properly sized set fits with less growing-into than at any other point, and a five-year-old can play short holes and carry their own bag for a full outing. Above 45 inches, start looking at standard junior sizing.
When Can Kids Start Playing Golf?
Most kids can start around age two, with putting. Not lessons, not full swings — ten minutes on a practice green or a living room carpet with a club that fits.
The readiness signs are simple: they can walk steadily, they can hold something with two hands, and they're interested in what you're doing with your clubs. That's it. If they're grabbing your putter, they're ready.
What doesn't work at this age: structured lessons (most instructors won't take kids under four or five), long sessions, and any expectation of technique. What does work: short sessions, one club, real equipment that fits, and stopping while they still want more.
We wrote a longer guide on what age kids should start golf if you want the full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size golf clubs do kids need?
Size by height. For kids 30 to 45 inches tall (roughly ages 2–5): a 21.5" putter, 25" 7-iron, and 26.5" driver. Standard junior clubs start at 45 inches and taller.
What is the best putter for kids?
For ages 2 to 5, look for a 21.5-inch putter with a stainless steel head and a junior pistol grip. Real weight matters more than any other feature — it's what gives kids the feedback that teaches distance control.
What size golf bag does a kid need?
A bag should stand about 50 to 55% of the child's height. For kids 30 to 45 inches, that's a 22 to 24 inch bag weighing under 2.5 lbs, ideally with a stand and dual padded straps.
Are real golf clubs worth it for a 3 year old?
Yes, if they're playing on grass. Real weight and feedback build a swing that transfers to real golf; plastic clubs build one that doesn't. For indoor-only play, plastic is fine.
What age can kids start golf?
Around two, starting with putting. Full swings usually click around three. Formal lessons generally aren't useful until four or five.
Can a 2 year old use a real golf club?
Yes, with a properly sized one. A 21.5-inch putter fits most two-year-olds at 30 to 34 inches tall. What they can't use is an adult or standard junior club — those are too long and too heavy to control.
Do kids golf clubs need to be left-handed?
Only if your child is clearly left-hand dominant, which often isn't obvious before age four or five. Watch which hand naturally goes on top when they hold a club. Many kids this age switch back and forth.
Where to Start
If you're buying one thing: the putter. It fits the entire 2-to-5 range, it's the club they'll use most, and it's the one that makes a kid want to come back.
If you're buying a gift and don't know the child's height: also the putter. A 21.5-inch putter works for any kid between 30 and 45 inches tall, which is nearly everyone in that age range.
We're Justin and Kyleigh, and we build this equipment out of Grand Haven, Michigan, because we couldn't find it for our own daughter. If you're unsure what fits your kid, email us at info@drakeandbirdiegolf.com — we'll tell you honestly, even if the answer is something we don't sell.
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