Best Golf Brands

We run through a selection of the best golf hardware brands out there

Best golf drivers pictured
(Image credit: Future)

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

Titleist Pro V1 Ball

The Titleist Pro V1

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

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:

Justin Thomas

Nelly Korda

Patrick Cantlay

Jordan Spieth

Webb Simpson

Adam Scott

TaylorMade

Rory McIlroy pictured next to his golf bag

Rory McIlroy is one of many high profile TaylorMade players

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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:

Tiger Woods

Dustin Johnson

Collin Morikawa

Rory McIlroy

Sung Hyun Park

Callaway

Callaway Golf

Callaway Golf

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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:

Jon Rahm

Xander Schauffele

Phil Mickelson

Georgia Hall

Henrik Stenson

Ping

Ping golf bags pictured on tour

Ping

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

Lee Westwood 

Brooke Henderson

Tyrrell Hatton

Viktor Hovland

Louis Oosthuizen

Mizuno

Mizuno JPX921 Tour

Mizuno JPX921 Tour

(Image credit: Future)

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

Keith Mitchell

Luke Donald

Greyson Sigg

Adrien Saddier

Hee Young Park

Srixon / Cleveland

Srixon Hideki Matsuyama

2021 Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama is one of Srixon's high-profile tour stars

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

Hideki Matsuyama

Shane Lowry

Inbee Park

Minjee Lee

Graeme McDowell

Cobra

Cobra Radspeed driver

Cobra Radspeed Driver

(Image credit: 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

Bryson Dechambeau

Lexi Thompson

Rickie Fowler

Jason Dufner

Andrew Johnston

Wilson

Wilson Staff

Wilson

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

Gary Woodland

Padraig Harrington

Paul Lawrie

Kevin Streelman

Brendan Steele

PXG

PXG

PXG

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

Jason Kokrak

Zach Johnson

Pat Perez

Lydia Ko

Austin Ernst

James Hahn

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. 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?