How to buy used golf clubs online (and know what you’re getting)

What should I check in the photos?

Look for photos of the actual club, not a stock image. Then go area by area, the same way our condition guide does:

• Face and grooves: the strike pattern, the groove edges, scratches and any heavy wear in the center of the face.
• Sole: turf scratches are normal. Look for deep gouges or cracks.
• Crown, topline and hosel: on woods and hybrids, check the crown for chips, sky marks and dents. On irons, check the topline and the hosel (the neck where the shaft goes in) from more than one angle.
• Shaft and grip: the shaft label, any bends, rust or pitting on steel, cracks or splinters on graphite, and whether the grip is worn, hard or slick.

Plenty of marks on a used club are only cosmetic. The condition guide explains which ones usually are, and which ones are worth a closer look.

How do I know the specs match?

Put the listing next to the clubs you already have and check:

• Handedness: right or left.
• Club number: and for a set, exactly which clubs are included.
• Loft: if the listing shows it, compare it with the clubs next to it in your bag.
• Flex: usually L, A, R, S or X (ladies, senior, regular, stiff, extra stiff), or the shaft maker’s own code, like S300. Match the shaft model too, not just the letter.
• Shaft material: steel or graphite.
• Length: our listings don’t always show it. If it matters to you, ask us for a measurement before you buy.

Our Shaft & Flex Basics guide explains the labels in plain language.

How does checkout work?

Every club in our shop has its own page with photos of the exact club and its listed specs. When you’re ready, that page links to the same item in our official eBay store, and checkout happens there. The eBay listing shows the final price, shipping, taxes and return eligibility for that item, so you can check them before you pay. Return terms can vary by item.

What protection do I have when I pay through eBay?

eBay Money Back Guarantee covers most purchases that are completed and paid for through eBay checkout. If an item doesn’t arrive, or arrives and doesn’t match the listing (for example, it’s the wrong item, or it shows up damaged in a way the listing didn’t describe), you can generally get your money back, even if the listing doesn’t offer returns. Report the problem within eBay’s time frames, generally 30 days after the estimated or actual delivery date. See eBay’s Money Back Guarantee page for the full, current terms.

What if you don’t have the club I need?

Inventory changes as clubs come in from the hunt. Request a club with the model, club number, handedness and flex, and we’ll review it personally. Filling one gap in an old set? Start with how to find the missing iron for your set.