Is This Complete Set of Golf Clubs Any Good?

There‘s a lot of cool gear in the golf world that doesn’t always fit into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried

MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set

Your Reviewer

Phillip Bishop – Most Wanted Testing overseer, nature lover and caffeine addict.

We Tried It: Academy Sports + Outdoors

What is Academy Sports + Outdoors? Frankly, I didn’t know until starting this “We Tried It.” Much to my surprise, there is a location in Richmond, Va., roughly 60 minutes from our HQ in Yorktown. That is the beauty of retail – there are successful retailers that you know of AND may not know of.

Most retail stores comes from humble beginnings or evolve over time. Both are true for Academy Sports + Outdoors. Originating from San Antonio, Texas, Academy Sports + Outdoors use to be a tire store. Now they are a leading sporting goods store with 200 locations throughout the South and Southwest.

ASO has you covered for all of your sporting goods and outdoor activity needs. You name it and they likely offer it – apparel, footwear, outdoor equipment, firearms, golf equipment.

Golf is our specialty and, although golf is just one of many resources Academy Sports + Outdoors provides, what better way to do a “We Tried It” on a golf specific product from ASO?

Introducing MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set.

MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set

Most of the golf equipment, specifically golf clubs that Academy Sports + Outdoors sells, are prior-generation items. Browsing their website, it doesn’t appear you’ll find the latest and greatest from the likes of Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway or PING.

However, you’ll find plenty of value across the website or in the store. It is a phenomenal starting point for beginner golfers. Hence, why we put the MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set through the ringer.

This complete golf club set features 10 golf clubs:

• Driver
• 3-wood
• 3-hybrid
• 5-iron to pitching wedge
• Putter
• Six-pocket stand bag

For a beginner golfer, the MacGregor golf clubs are simply all one might need.

You’re a beginner. Price matters.

One of my favorite phrases is “keep it simple, stupid”. As a beginner golfer, purchasing golf clubs is an overwhelming process. There are SO MANY golf clubs available to buy. Do you purchase a complete golf set? Do you buy golf clubs individually? How do you keep it simple amid all the options?

For starters, price will always be part of the discussion. At $399.99, MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set is an enticing entry point for a beginner. You receive 10 golf clubs and a golf bag. You don’t know how long you’ll commit to golf. Maybe it is a newfound passion that will fade quickly. Or you become enamored with the beautiful game and want to progress long term. Either way, you aren’t breaking the bank for $399.99.

Adequate performance

There are scenarios where performance matters. Performance over everything else is how we evaluate our Most Wanted testing. There are other situations, especially when it comes to golf clubs for beginners, where stressing performance can be more lenient. The golf club’s performance simply needs to be adequate to your needs as a beginner.

This is where MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set excels. The performance is surprisingly adequate. One of the differences between this type of golf club set and others is that they are made for beginners.

As lower-handicap golfer, these golf clubs performed exactly how I anticipated them to. I am a low-spin golfer. I need more spin throughout my golf bag, especially as I progress to a longer golf club. The MacGregor Golf clubs spin. This is the biggest performance takeaway for me.

For example, my pitching wedge carry distance is about 130 yards depending on the strike. The MacGregor Golf pitching wedge carried around 115 yards on average. There are many variables in play – golf shaft, golf club design, loft, etc., but the most noticeable is the how much more spin there is. This variable continues throughout the entire club set – 7-iron spins more, 5-iron spins more and 3-hybrid spins more.

A beginner is going to benefit from more spin. Spin will help a beginner’s golf shots go higher in the air and potentially allow for better shot outcomes. More spin can also help limit dispersion.

A shopper’s paradise

Academy Sports + Outdoors is arguably a shopper’s paradise. As a new golfer, you can purchase new golf equipment and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. If I am a beginner golfer and I want a value option, Academy Sports + Outdoors is one of the first places I am looking.

In the end, having a value golf club option with adequate performance is important. Or, at least, it should be for an individual looking to get into golf. Whether it is the MacGregor Golf Men’s MCG Golf Club Set or individual golf clubs, Academy Sports + Outdoors has you covered.

This article was written in partnership with Academy Sports.