Best Golf Brands
We run through a selection of the best golf hardware brands out there
Golfers are spoilt for choice when it comes to brand producing cutting-edge, high-performance hardware.
Here we consider a selection of the very best golf brands. Companies that manufacture clubs that are trusted by Tour players as well ask kit that delivers performance benefits to amateur golfers.
Titleist
History
Titleist is a U.S. brand, part of the Acushnet Company. The Titleist brand was established in 1932 by Phillip E. Young – a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Titleist derives from titlist – meaning title holder.
Famous for producing the ground-breaking and universally popular Pro V1 golf ball, Titleist is also a club manufacturer of the highest repute.
Current Hardware Highlights
Titleist TSi 3 Driver – Brilliant compact players driver with good adjustability and forgiveness
Get the top Black Friday deals right in your inbox: Sign up now!
The hottest deals and product recommendations during deals season straight to your inbox plus all the best game-changing tips, in-depth features and the latest news and insights around the game.
Titleist T100s Iron – A superb players iron with added distance
Titleist SM8 Wedges – Consistent spin, great feel and versatility
Players
Titleist boasts a large stable of Tour players including:
TaylorMade
History
The company began in 1979 when Gary Adams started out with a small team selling his 12-degree metal wood – the Pittsburgh Persimmon.
TaylorMade was acquired by Salomon in 1984 then bought by Adidas in 2005. The present owners are Korean private equity firm Centroid Investment Partners.
Current Hardware Highlights
TaylorMade SIM2 Driver – Easy alignment, low spin, great launch
TaylorMade P790 Iron – Looks and feel of a blade, performance of a distance iron
TaylorMade Spider Ex Putter – Hugely stable for incredible distance control
Players
Many of the very best in the world use TaylorMade equipment including:
Sung Hyun Park
Callaway
History
Callaway was founded in 1982 by Ely Callaway Jnr but didn’t come to prominence until the launch of the Big Bertha driver in 1991.
Since that time, the company has been at the forefront of club design and technological innovation.
The company acquired Odyssey Sports in 1997, expanding their putter offering and more recently has acquired OGIO and TravisMathew.
Current Hardware Highlights
Callaway Epic 21 Drivers – Fast and forgiving with three models to choose from
Callaway Apex 21 Hybrid – Packs a good punch with distance, plus adjustable with draw bias
Callaway Jaws Full Toe Wedge – Incredible control and great versatility
Players
Always a strong Tour presence for Callaway – Current players include:
Ping
History
Founded by Karsten Solheim, Ping started as a small business back in 1959 when Solheim started making putters in his garage.
The company has grown to be one of the most significant brands in golf, consistently innovating and new technologies to push golfing equipment forward.
Still famed for their putters, Ping also paved the way in cast clubs and custom fitting for irons.
Current Hardware Highlights
Ping G425 Max Driver: Fast and Forgiving with tighter dispersion than predecessors
Ping i59 Iron: Possibly the best new club launch of 2021
Ping Heppler Putters: Traditional looks with modern feel and forgiveness
Players
Mizuno
History
Mizuno, founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1906, has long held an industry and tour-wide reputation for crafting the very finest irons in the game, offering golfers the ultimate blend of looks, feel and workability.
Their blades have been played by numerous Major champions over the years and the company has branched out to produce metal woods, wedges and other hardware items.
Current Hardware Highlights
Mizuno JPX921 Forged Irons: Thin face, fast ball speeds, low centre of gravity
Mizuno MP20 MB Irons: Tremendous feel with unrivalled looks
Mizuno ST-G 220 Driver: Great blend of control and distance
Players
Greyson Sigg
Adrien Saddier
Hee Young Park
Srixon / Cleveland
History
Srixon is a company owned by SRI Sports Limited which is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. This is part of the Sumitomo Group based in Japan.
Back in 2007 SRI Sports Limited purchased Cleveland Golf and since then it has been linked with Srixon. As a result many Srixon Tour players use Cleveland wedges in their setups.
Current Hardware Highlights
Srixon ZX7 Driver: Solid with explosive feel and distance
Srixon ZX Utility Iron: Blade like appearance but with plenty of power and forgiveness
Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge: High spinning and soft feeling for superb control
Players
Cobra
History
Founded in 1973 by Thomas L. Crow, Cobra earned a reputation in the 1980s for producing game improvement clubs. They were one of the first brands to feature graphite shafts in their irons.
Between 1996 and 2010, Cobra sat under the Acushnet umbrella before being acquired by Puma.
Current Hardware Highlights
Cobra Radspeed Drivers: Cutting edge visuals and great all-round performance.
Cobra Radspeed Hybrid: A well-rounded, versatile hybrid
Cobra King Speedzone Iron: Great distance, lower spin yet impressive control.
Players
Wilson
History
Wilson is one of the best-known brands in sports with over 100 years in the golf industry.
Wilson has more Major wins, i.e players using their equipment, than any other golf brand in history.
Gene Sarazen signed with Wilson in 1922 and was on their staff for over 75 years until his death in 1999. It remains the longest-running sports contract in history.
Other big names to play the company's clubs include Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Walter Hagen, Nick Faldo and Ben Crenshaw.
Current Hardware Highlights
Wilson Staff D9 Driver: A forgiving driver with good launch
Wilson Staff D7 Irons: Fast and forgiving with a good degree of control
Wilson Staff Model Wedge: Classic looks and lovely soft feel at impact
Players
PXG
History
Parsons Xtreme Golf was founded by Bob Parsons in 2014. A former US Marine, Parsons is an entrepreneur who made his money in the tech industry. He started PXG with a view towards building better golf clubs.
In a relatively short space of time PXG has earned a reputation for innovation and quality and boasts an impressive stable of Tour professionals who trust PXG kit.
Current Hardware Highlights
PXG 0211 Driver: Higher ball speeds from wider area
PXG Gen 3 Irons: Power with incredibly soft feel
Players
Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.
He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.
Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret Them
At times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
By Fergus Bisset Published
-
There's A Growing Divide Between Club Members And Nomadic Golfers When It Comes To Handicapping... And I'm Concerned About It
Some golfers believe competition play should be a pre-requisite to achieving a ‘valid’ handicap, while others feel you should be able to submit a card whenever you want
By Nick Bonfield Published