TaylorMade Will Make Donation With New Junior Sets

TaylorMade just unveiled its first new junior clubs since 2010, and they come with a grow-the-game bonus: a $20 donation to the PGA Junior League program for every set purchased.

The new Phenom collection is available in two different configurations. The K40 is a six-piece set geared to kids aged 5-8, while the K50 is an eight-piece set aimed at those 8-11 years of age. Among the pieces in both sets is a junior-sized stand bag.

These sets feature junior-focused specifications, including lighter shafts and smaller grips. Also, the all-titanium, high-lofted driver (16 degrees) is built at a slightly downsized 400 cubic centimeters. The low-profile fairway wood (24 degrees) and hybrid (30 degrees) are cast stainless steel, while the perimeter weighted irons feature a forgiving sole designed for ease of use from a variety of lies.

The Phenom K40 set (driver, hybrid, 7-iron, sand wedge, putter) will retail for $250, while the Phenom K50 set (driver, fairway wood, hybrid, 7-iron, 9-iron, sand wedge, putter) will go for $300. Both sets are available May 15.

"Each Phenom set includes every club necessary to develop distance gapping while executing all types of shots from tee to green so juniors not only develop their skills but also their passion for the game.” said TaylorMade's Tomo Bystedt, senior director of product creation.

This partnership with the PGA Junior League is the second junior initiative this year for TaylorMade, which in January announced a 10-year-agreement to serve as national sponsor of the American Junior Golf Association. The PGA Junior League is a team-focused version of golf and is the primary youth initiative of the PGA of America’s charitable arm known as PGA REACH. In 2015, there were more than 2,500 teams and 30,000 participants. Each PGA Junior League is captained by a PGA professional, and players wear numbered jerseys and compete in a two-person scramble format in 9-hole matches where the captain can substitute players every three holes.

According to the National Golf Foundation, there were an estimated 3 million golfers under the age of 18, the highest number in four of the preceding five years. More than half of those were under the age of 14.