Hi Staples. Baldyman is absolutely correct about getting lessons. Getting your grip, posture, allignment etc. right from word go is very important and will stop the bad habits before they begin, as he said.
However, do be careful if you're going to buy a second hand set. Many beginners or casual golfers in the past have made the mistake of buying really old clubs, thinking they'd do the job fine. Many of these old sets are old style blades with small heads and very unsuitable for such golfers.
Having said all that, I would recommend you buy a second hand set but try to buy a set that you like and that suits you. I'd recommend that you borrow a set or two from friends who're average golfers and see how you get on with them first. When you decide to buy, have a good look around golf shops and club pro shops. I've bought quite a few second hand clubs on
www.ebay.ie ,
www.callawaygolfpreowned.com ,
www.golfbidder.co.uk etc. and have never been disappointed with the quality or price. (Just remember you'll have to pay duty if importing from outside the E.U.).
Make sure that the clud heads are cavity back (or peripheral weighted - as if a scoop of metal has been taken out of the back of the head) and reasonably large, as well. Size does matter! A bigger head is much more forgiving when you strike the ball and will result in little or no shock on mis-hits.
By far the most important part of the club is the shaft. Don't go for firm or stiff shafts unless you swing the club very fast. And casual golfers should swing slowly. The rule of thumb is that you go for regular shafts if there's any doubt in your mind. Almost all pro's and low handicap golfers use steel shafts and so do many high handicappers. Graphite shafts are also a good option (though usually a little more expensive) and are also recommended to golfers who might suffer a little with wrist and elbow problems as there's less shock at impact with a graphite shaft.
When buying a driver, don't fall into the trap of thinking that the lower the loft, the further you'll hit the ball. It doesn't work that way. It's more about getting the ball up in the air. Don't buy anything with a loft of less than 10 degrees and the shaft rule is very important here. Many casual golfers would be encouraged not to use a driver at all and to use a 3 wood instead. A 3 wood won't hit the ball quite as far as a driver but it'll usually hit it straighter.
I'd also recommend that you don't carry any iron below the 6 in your bag and that you get a rescue club or two instead. Rescue clubs (or hybrids) are a cross between an iron and a wood. They have shorter shafts than woods and have heads like clumpy irons. They're easier to hit than 3, 4 and 5 irons and the shorter shafts make them more accurate than fairway woods. I'd advise you get two - a 19 or 22 degree one and a 25 degree one. (Or similar lofts). And don't be afraid to use them off the tee. You'd be surprised how far you can hit the ball with them.
Putting is probably the most important part of the game and all I'd say is that you should get a putter that you really like. Putting is a very personal thing, as you'll see when you watch the pro's.
Many cheaper, new sets, like the Spalding ones in Elverys, are very good. My first set was a Spalding one. A lot of companies at the cheaper end of the market make clubs that are a bit like clones of bigger and more expensive brands and a casual golfer wouldn't notice three or four hundred euro of a difference between them!
I hope all of that hasn't boggled your mind and turned you off golf for life!
Whatever you decide to buy, I hope you'll enjoy the game. Like one or two other things in life, you don't have to be good at it to enjoy it!