Whenever a child takes up a new activity, parents often have the same headache. Whether it's dancing, hockey, or golf - there are tons of costs associated with the necessary equipment. My daughter took ballet last year, and I was shocked by the price tag of her outfits for dance recitals. She's growing faster than a weed, so everything she wore doesn't fit anymore, and we'll need to replace everything for the coming year. Growing children equals more money invested.

The issue is particularly relevant in sports like golf. You want to make sure your kids have properly-sized clubs, but their needs can change quickly. Recently, a company named EPEC Golf came out with a modular set of junior clubs that seek to solve that problem. Their clubs are customized by shaft size and weighting based on your child's requirements, and then they can be adjusted as they grow. It's an interesting value proposition for juniors that are going to stick with golf throughout their childhood, removing the need to buy a new set of clubs every few years.

In an attempt to expose my children to golf, I tried out a set of EPEC clubs. I figure one of them will hopefully catch the bug as I did as a child and want to keep playing, and the clubs could grow with them.

Customized to Grow With Your Child

When it comes to junior clubs, size and weight are very important. My kids don't have the strength to make a meaningful swing with my clubs, even when choking down towards the bottom.

While there are more and more choices for junior clubs available, there aren't too many companies that specialize in making sure the shaft length and weighting of the clubs are optimized during your child's growth. One company in particular that came highly recommended is US Kids Golf. It's conceivable that from age 3 to 12, a child could need more than three different sets of clubs - ouch!

EPEC has come out with a modular system that can help resolve this issue. Their irons have interchangeable weights that can be adjusted as kids develop. They also have eight different shaft lengths for heights ranging 42" to 66". When you purchase clubs on their site, you answer a series of questions about your child's height and skill level to help customize your club selection.

When your kid outgrows their current set, you can go on the site to enter their new measurements. EPEC sends out a pre-paid shipping label, and you send the clubs back. They'll change the shaft lengths, regrip the clubs, and adjust the weighting in irons and send them back.

More $ Up Front, But You'll Save If Your Kid Keeps Playing

EPEC makes it very clear what their value proposition is. You're going to pay more upfront for their junior clubs compared to the competition (their sets range from $229 to $359). However, if your child decides to stick with golf, and plays for a period where they start to outgrow their current set, that is where the cost savings come in. Instead of having to pay full price for an entirely new set of clubs, you only need to spend around $75 - $85 to have your clubs refitted by EPEC.

So it creates a little bit of a problem. As parents, we know that kids can love something one day, and forget about it the next. Investing in a set of EPEC clubs will only save money if your child does play golf throughout their childhood. However, the losses won't be catastrophic. I found EPEC's clubs to be around $50 - $100 more than the competition in most cases.

It's hard for me to evaluate the performance of the clubs, but they certainly seem like they are a premium build. Since my son is a complete beginner, we went with the lightest option available. It helped him swing the club more efficiently and increased his enjoyment level.

Overall, I was impressed by the quality of the clubs and how they matched up with my son's size and strength. More importantly, I think they solve a unique problem that parents have if their kids continue to grow and keep playing golf.

You can learn more about EPEC Golf on their website here.