The best golf brands

Golf is a sport that rewards consistent precision. And as well as skill and experience, the right golfing gear plays a big part in that. If you want to maximise your performance, it pays to invest in the right golf equipment. But with so many golf brands out there to choose from, it can be hard to know who to trust and where to begin. We can help with that, though.

In this blog, we look at some of the best golf brands on the market today. When looking at new clubs, bags, clothing, and tech, these are the names to consider that can help make all the difference to your overall game.

What are the best golf club brands?

1. Titleist

Founded in 1932 by Phillip E. Young, Titleist began with a mission to perfect the golf ball. After Young missed a short putt, he X-rayed the ball and found that its centre was off. The first Titleist ball came out in 1935, and the brand won its first ball count at the 1949 US Open. The rest, as they say, is history.

Titleist quickly expanded to include a full range of clubs renowned for their precision and performance. Titleist’s Vokey wedges and Scotty Cameron putters, in particular, are industry leaders, trusted by professionals like Jordan Spieth. With rigorous quality checks and a commitment to innovation, Titleist is synonymous with excellence in club design.

2. TaylorMade

Launched in 1979 by salesman Gary Adams and a $24,000 loan, TaylorMade revolutionised golf by producing the first metal drivers and by being one of the first companies to offer custom fittings. 

TaylorMade has continued to innovate over the years, releasing famed clubs like the R7 Quad driver with Moveable Weight Technology, the adjustable R9 driver, and the much-loved SIM2 Drivers and Spider putters. These days, TaylorMade’s leading lights include Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods—the latter joining in 2017 before winning The Masters in 2019.

3. Callaway

Founded in 1982, Callaway quickly earned acclaim with its groundbreaking designs, most notably the line of Big Bertha Drivers—named after the German Big Bertha Howitzer.

Callaway’s focus on performance and creating forgiving and playable clubs has kept it at the forefront of golfing innovation. Roger Cleveland joined Callaway in the 1990s and has been designing its wedges ever since. Other much-loved brands under the Callaway umbrella include TopTracer, Odyssey, Toulon Design, Ogio, TravisMathew, and Jack Wolfskin. The company’s roster currently includes Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele.

Other golf club brands

Whilst these are our top three best golf club brands, there are plenty of other exceptional manufacturers out there that also deserve a mention, including:

• PING
• Bridgestone
• Wilson
• Mizuno

What are the best golf bag brands?

1. Titleist 

Taking the top spot for our best golf club brand, Titleist is also our favourite when it comes to golf bags. Titleist’s golf bags are made to a high level of quality and look elegant, but best of all they are practical too—and all for prices that tend to be considerably lower than similar bags offered by competitors.

The Titleist Players 4 Stand Bag has proven particularly popular, due to its lightweight construction and excellent features, including six pockets, a padded double strap, and sturdy aluminium legs.

2. PING

PING began in 1959 when Karsten Solheim, a Norwegian engineer, sketched the design of what he believed to be the perfect putter on the back of a dust jacket of a 78 record. And whilst PING is still best known for its clubs today, it also manufactures of fantastic golf bags.

PING’s golf bags are famous for their functionality, good looks, and attention to detail—from their reliably waterproof materials to high-quality zips (nothing ruins a golf bag faster than poor-quality zips). The Hoofer bag line remains arguably PING’s standout golf bag for its versatility and comfort.

3. Sun Mountain Sports

Sun Mountain was founded in the US, in Missoula, Montana, back in 1981, and has grown into a world-leading manufacturer of golf equipment, apparel, and accessories.

The company has become such a success due to its unremitting focus on innovative, first-of-their-kind products. Sun Mountain’s golf bags are made by designers who are avid golfers who understand what players need from a bag. Their E-Z Fit Dual Strap System is much loved for its comfort, whilst Sun Mountain’s waterproof and stand bags are also particularly popular.

Other golf bag brands

Other excellent golf bag brands include:

• OGIO
• Cobra
• Stewart
• Motocaddy

What are the best golf shoe brands?

1. FootJoy

Founded way back in 1857, FootJoy is a golf clothing company based in Massachusetts that’s most famous for making golf shoes, gloves, clothing, and accessories.

FootJoy is the US’ most popular golf shoe brand, but its golf shoes are praised worldwide. FootJoy has dominated the golf shoe market for way over a century thanks to its dedication to comfort, durability, and aesthetics. The brand offers a wide range of golf shoes today—from traditional leather to modern athletic designs—whilst their long-running customisation service has kept the brand at the forefront of the market and a household name, too.

2. Adidas

Whilst the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the US (after Nike), is better known for its athletics and fashion shoes, Adidas has also applied its expertise to making great golf shoes.

Adidas has a history of incorporating the latest athletic technology in its golfing shoes, including the Boost technology which offers exceptional cushioning. Adidas’ spikeless designs provide versatility and style, whilst still giving plenty of grip.

3. Nike

Adidas isn’t the only footwear brand that makes golf shoes. Nike, the US sports footwear giant, has been making golf shoes since 1984 when it launched its first Turnberry golf shoes.

Nike is known for excellence in sports performance and that’s just as true for its golf shoes as its other footwear. Models like the Air Zoom Victory Tour (based on Nike’s iconic Air Zoom range) have cemented Nike’s reputation with professional and amateur golfers, with the Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 currently impressing golfers, too.

Nike Golf shoes excel in blending performance with contemporary style. Lightweight and designed for optimal grip, Nike’s offerings are favoured by players who value both functionality and fashion.

Other golf shoe brands

The following are also great brands for golf shoes:

• Under Armour
• G/FORE
• Puma
• Ecco

What are the best golf clothing brands?

1. Nike

As well as its excellent golf shoes, Nike also makes some of the best golf clothing you’ll find on the market.

Nike has long pioneered performance in its fabrics, alongside style, and that carries over into its golf ranges. Nike makes jumpers, polo shirts, golf trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses, and more, in a range of designs. And it’s all made using performance technology, including breathable, moisture-wicking, and thermal fabrics. You’ll see Nike’s golfing gear worn by plenty of stars, including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

2. Under Armour

Although Under Armour initially made American football sportswear, it branched out into golf clothes in 2002.

Today, you’ll see the Under Armour logo on plenty of golf courses, thanks to its focus on performance materials that are famed for helping players adapt to weather conditions. This includes its HeatGear and ColdGear collections.

3. Puma

Founded in Germany in 1948, Puma is now the third-largest sportswear brand in the world. Puma first made its move into golf clothing in 2006, and into golf equipment in 2010 when it bought Cobra Golf (a manufacturer of golf clubs and other gear).

While Puma sells more traditional-looking golf clothing, it also makes plenty of bolder, standout items—especially its iconic pattern print short-sleeved shirts, polo shirts, and dresses. 

Other golf clothing brands

Other top brands in golf clothing include:

• Original Penguin
• Peter Millar
• TravisMathew
• G/FORE
• Lululemon

What are the best golf technology brands?

1. Garmin

The maker of sat-nav technology originally made its name with pioneering GPS navigation systems for commercial and private vehicles. However, Garmin has continued to innovate and quickly moved into developing handheld navigation devices.

Making gadgets specially designed for the golf course was a natural extension for Garmin. Today, it offers an excellent range of golf GPS devices, most notably golf watches. Not only will a GPS golf watch give you accurate distance measurements along pre-loaded maps of courses, but models like the Garmin Approach S70 will also track your shots and make suggestions.

2. Bushnell

Established in the US in 1948 by David P. Bushnell after returning from Japan with two crates of binoculars to sell by mail order, Bushnell grew into a leading manufacturer of sporting optical devices.

Bushnell makes a range of gadgets for the golf course, including GPS watches and launch monitors. But if GPS isn’t your thing, or you want a device to complement it, Bushnell is best known for its rangefinders. Simple (and honestly, great fun) to use, its rangefinders use laser technology to measure distances with reliable accuracy. Models like the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift Golf Rangefinder use anti-wobble Jolt technology to improve accuracy, have large and clear displays and are made from durable, weather-resistant materials.

3. TrackMan

Founded in Denmark in 2003 by brothers and dedicated golfers Klaus and Morten Eldrup-Jørgensen, TrackMan develops radar devices used for tracking the flight of balls during sports.

Whilst TrackMan’s devices are also used in sports like baseball and American Football, the brand’s real focus and passion is golf. TrackMan makes a selection of cutting-edge launch monitors.

Placed behind and to the side of you, the launch monitor tracks the movement of your club, as well as the flight of your ball and how it lands. This allows you to analyse your swing in a way no other gadget can. TrackMan launch monitors are even equipped with cameras so you can film your swing and watch it back afterwards. They’re an excellent way to fine-tune and improve your game—you can even compare your swing to professional golfers!

Other golf technology brands

There's so much helpful technology out there, thanks to golf brands that truly know the game inside out. You can also take a look at:

• G-Rip for club grips, especially its grip trainers
• HackMotion for swing analysers and training aids
• PGM for golf nets and putting mats

Specialist golf insurance with Golf Care

If you’ve invested in good quality golf equipment from some of the best golf brands on the market, you may also want to consider protecting it all with specialist golf insurance. That way, you can have peace of mind at all times while out on the course.

With Golf Care, policies include Equipment Cover up to £7,500, Public Liability of up to £10m, and Personal Accident Cover up to £50,000. Get a quote online today.