All too often I see beginners at the driving range with an expensive set of clubs. While they look great and everyone thinks how professional you look, the embarrassment comes when you make your first swing and miss the ball.
My advice to all beginners is to first see if you can borrow a few clubs from a friend or relative who plays, just to see if you even are going to like the game. Then practice with those for a while until you are sure. Then look for an inexpensive set at your local course that might have some second hand sets for sale or on Craig's list. Then go to your local driving range and practice your basic shots. Start with your irons.
The clubs you can start with should be your pitching wedge, six iron, seven iron and then work your way up to your driver. I would also suggest you take a couple of lessons so that you don't develop any bad habits. You will find most courses employ teaching pros at a very reasonable price. The basic shots you will want to practice are your drive made from the Tee box; this is the opening shot. Then your fairway shot made from where the ball comes to rest hopefully in the fairway! This is your second shot, and then your approach shot to the green where you will putt to the hole.
After you have practiced for a while with clubs from the range or clubs from a friend then you can consult an instructor so he can take a look at your swing, your height and level of ability to help you determine which clubs are right for you. In most cases for the beginner a standard set of clubs for men or women should be enough to start with of course you must be sure they are not to tall or short and that the flex in the shaft is right for you.
Now you may be asking yourself, what is flex? Flex is the ability of the shaft to bend as forces is applied to it during a golf swing. Those forces are generated by the type of swing you have fast or slow. Having a flex that does not match your swing will result in a misalignment of the club face and causing your ball to go off target.
So, you should make sure you have your swing analyzed by a professional so you can chose the right flex for your swing.