This is a near-perfect introduction to the game for the beginner and keen improver looking to start playing with modern equipment. The Wilson Magnolia Women's Set has everything you need from tee-to-green plus a complimenting trolley bag in a stylish blue.
For
- Ideal set for lady beginners
- Noticeable forgiveness off centre
- Stylish accompanying cart bag
Against
- Not suited to stronger lady players
Strata may be a little-known brand to many women but it has a rich history in golf and it’s great to see it making a comeback. This all-encompassing 16-piece package set is perfect for beginners or lady golfers wanting something more user friendly.
For
- Attractive purple, black and white color scheme
- Easy to hit
- Comes in a stylish, practical stand bag
Against
- Not customizable and no left-hand option
- Irons feel a little head heavy to swing
Strata Ultimate Titanium Women’s Set vs Wilson Magnolia Women's Set: Read our head-to-head verdict
With more and more women players taking up golf it comes as no surprise that major golf club manufacturers have responded by producing more women's gear and more affordable equipment on the whole as well. One such avenue they have gone down is the package set route.
Often designed for beginners to remove many of the complications around selecting clubs, a golf club set generally includes everything you need to get straight out on the course - a driver, fairway woods, a range of irons and wedges, and a putter. You’ll also get a bag, so you’re ready to get swinging straight from the purchase. Given all of this, we have found that these sets are a cost-effective and simple way for beginner players to get out on the course. And the gear is good too, no longer are package sets poorly made and feel awful to use.
Golf package sets are therefore a popular buying choice for many newer golfers and to help inform you of the best set, we’ve put two of our favorites head to head in the Strata Ultimate Titanium going up against the Wilson Magnolia golf package set.
What is the set made up of?
The Wilson Magnolia set is made up of a high-lofted driver, easy-to-hit 3-wood, 4, 5, and 6 hybrids, 7 iron through to sand wedge, putter, and a beautiful trolley bag.
Made up of a 12° titanium driver, fairway wood, 4 and 5 hybrid, 6-9 iron, PW, SW, and a putter, the Strata Ultimate Titanium Women's set is all packaged together in a tidy stand bag as well. To be honest both sets would make a brilliant Christmas present ideas for someone just starting out in golf, especially with Strata already known for producing some of the best cheap golf club sets on the market.
Looks
The Wilson Magnolia set has very much gone down the forgiveness and ease of strike route. Therefore the club heads are big and rounded to offer forgiveness and make them look easier to hit.
The Magnolia clubs come in a beautiful blue trolley bag that’s really lightweight to lift in and out of your car boot and onto your trolley. There are pockets galore including ones for your scorecard, valuables, and water bottle, plus a matching rain cover to keep your clubs dry.
Our only criticism is that the Magnolia irons were slightly 'head heavy', however, this may encourage you to swing with a smoother tempo and a freer, more powerful action. That being said, as you can see below the irons and clubs look great in the bag and the inclusion of the headcovers completes the blue look nicely.
The Strata set has a more basic look which you'd expect given its low price point. The big headed driver isn't packed with technology but aesthetically it looks fine. The only thing I would have added is a centre alignment line or dot on the crown to help with aiming.
Those of you who remember the original Callaway Big Bertha irons may agree with me that the Strata Ultimate Titanium irons bear an uncanny resemblance to them. They feature the same distinctive shaped cavity back, wide soles and thick top lines, that all adds up to something very easy on the eye that’s also super easy to hit.
I wasn't a big fan of the shiny silver finish, as it does tend to reflect bright sunlight, bouncing it up into your eyes at address. I also found these irons to be rather head heavy, which surprised me given they are designed for slower-swinging ladies. The putter is a basic traditional blade-style design with one clear white alignment line in the centre for aiming.
The Strata Ultimate Titanium set comes in a sturdy little stand bag that’s lightweight to lift with velour padded double straps that make it comfortable to carry, evenly distributing weight across your back. It also has plenty of pockets, including a big ball pocket and an exterior scorecard holder pouch. The main side pocket isn’t huge but big enough for your rain jacket. It’s only shower proof (not a totally waterproof golf bag) but nevertheless a very good stand bag, giving you the freedom to choose carrying or to pop it onto a cart.
Performance
Let's start with the Strata this time. The 'Ultimate' in the name comes from wanting women golfers to achieve the ultimate distance, forgiveness and performance possible. The big-headed driver certainly goes a long way to achieving this. It might not be as fancy in terms of technology, as premium lady drivers like the TaylorMade Kalea Premier but I found it really easy to use.
Ultimately, it does exactly what it set out to achieve - make tee shots fly straighter and further, particularly when put into the hands of the typical slower-swinging, less confident golfers. The clubhead has a giant footprint that, when you address the ball, looks impossible to miss.
The 3-wood is much more compact in size, making it a great tool for multiple course scenarios. I really enjoyed the powerful flight from the tee and picking it instead of the driver on tighter holes, with a smaller margin for error, was invaluable. The face is deep enough that you can easily hit it as a more accurate alternative to a driver off the tee, although it’s arguably a little clunky from the ground.
If you’re a better player, like me, you’ll probably prefer a smaller, sleeker clubhead with a shallower face profile. It does power through the rough nicely though, as do the handy hybrids. They’re great alternatives to long irons and much easier to hit, with small shiny black heads so you can play with more confidence on a variety of shots.
The irons are also super easy to hit and very forgiving. There are two wedges in the package, a pitching wedge that works very nicely for basic chip and runs, recovery shots from the rough and approach shots, plus a sand wedge with a great big head that you can open up wide and slide under the ball - ideal for learning bunker shots. The grooves are the same as the irons, so you won’t get much additional spin and stop but, if you’re just starting out in golf, they’re more than adequate as learner clubs.
The putter has a basic blade-style design with one clear white alignment line in the centre for aiming. It has a simple, traditional look. Although adequate, I can’t help but feel that a heavier mallet-style head with a bigger footprint would give beginners more of a helping hand.
Going onto the Wilson Magnolia set, firstly the driver has a very rounded, oversize head with lots of loft to give you confidence and help you launch your tee shots easily.
Replacing difficult-to-hit long irons with hybrids has been a trend in ladies golf equipment for a few years now and the Magnolia hybrids are designed with strong lofts, a large sweet spot and low weighting in the head to make them really easy to hit. We love the simplicity of the small heads. We tested the hybrids from lots of different positions on the course and found them very versatile, great from all sorts of lies, particularly the rough.
The irons have also been designed for ease of use with oversize heads, weight cleverly positioned to the perimeter for better balance and forgiveness, so even your mishits fly straight.
We love the addition of a bespoke sand wedge, it’s not something you usually see in a package set but it’s a really great idea. Having more spin control around the greens is a definite must. An eye-catching mallet-shaped putter completes the set. The fang shape of the head really makes this feel balanced and assists with a smooth, pendulum stroke. The simple bold centre alignment line gives a very clear guide to help you aim.
Overall Appeal
Given that this entire set costs little more than some drivers alone, the Strata set represents incredible value for money, especially because it is one of the best golf club sets for beginners out there. It won't suit the more accomplished player but for anybody who is fairly new to the game or on a budget, this fits the bill nicely.
As for the Wilson Magnolia, considering a decent set of ladies' irons alone can set you back somewhere in the region of $1000 these days, it’s an absolute delight to see a complete set of clubs for women significantly under that, comfortably slotting in as one of the best women's package sets you can buy.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Strata Ultimate Titanium Women’s Package Set if…
- Getting started on an affordable budget is your priority
- You have plans to add and replace your clubs over time as you improve
- You’re looking for forgiving clubs, with a chunkier look
Choose the Wilson Magnolia Women's Set if…
- You are looking for a beginners set that looks fantastic
- You are looking for forgiveness with bigger club heads
- You prefer hybrids to long irons
