Vice Golf has traditionally been known for offering premium quality golf balls at an affordable price direct to the consumer. More recently it has branched out into clubs and now the brand is looking to make its mark in the package set space. Offering a sleek and premium set for those looking to take up the game, the Booster set certainly makes a good first impression, but I took it onto the course to see if it could truly be considered one of the best package sets money can buy.
Not to labor the point too much but the nine clubs included in this package set genuinely look top quality. I think some package sets can look very basic and a little cheap, whereas this set is the kind that makes you want to pick each club out of the bag and waggle it around a little. The black and grey tones on all of the clubs are what I think make them look sleek and more luxurious than other package sets that have bold coloring to them.
The driver was the first club I took out once I had unpacked the bag and from the sole I honestly think it looks just as good as some of the best drivers on the market. The black gloss with grey detailing gives it a unique and eye-catching look. At address, you’re greeted with a large, confidence-inspiring head that will please beginner golfers and the grey face accentuates the loft on the club. With 10° of loft, golfers can stay in this driver once their skills develop, but I do think most beginner golfers would benefit from slightly more loft on a package set driver.
The performance of the driver was actually better than I was expecting. All of these clubs are equipped with Vice-branded shafts, which I thought might hinder their performance a little, but overall I was impressed with the distance output and feel from both the driver and the 4-hybrid. My only real qualm with the driver was the acoustics were louder and higher-pitched than many of the best golf drivers, which won't suit everyone.
The irons are fairly basic in design but, again, look great in hand and will offer plenty of confidence down behind the ball thanks to the fairly thick top-line. The set provides you with a 6-iron through to sand wedge, which I believe is all a beginner golfer or higher handicapper looking to upgrade their set truly needs. The feel was really solid from the middle of the face, although I would say there was a fair amount of vibration through the shaft if you really caught a ball off the toe or towards the heel of the club. When struck well they did provide a high ball flight, which is ideal for those just taking up the game.
The putter and bag in this package set are both outstanding. The milled wide-bladed putter feels great off the face, offering a softer sensation through impact and works really nicely with a short slant hosel design. The alignment line on the flange and small ‘v’ alignment aid on the top also work well together to get the putter face aligned to your target.
The stand bag is ultralight, which makes carrying this set extremely easy and saves beginners from having to spend more money on a trolley. The Vice logo design works well in white down the side of the black bag as well as on the ball pocket. There is ample room for jackets, balls and tees, as well as a small valuables pocket on the side.
Overall, I think this is one of the most polished and high-quality package sets I have ever tested. The clubs look and perform extremely well and the set as a whole offers you everything you would need when purchasing your first set of clubs. At £454, the Vice Boost Starter set offers superb value for money and a set of clubs you’ll be proud to own for many years.
