The Best Golf Brands Of 2024: A Complete And Comprehensive Guide

Posted by author October 18, 2024 Golf

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Golf is back. After seeing years of steady decline in popularity, the sport was rediscovered during the pandemic, and has been booming ever since. The best golf brands in the business are making the most of this renewed interest, engaging in an arms race as they try to woo new golfers who are just learning the game, as well as longtime aficionados still hoping to lower their handicap.

The Forbes Vetted guide to the best golf brands includes Titleist, Callaway, PXG and other top gear … [+] makers.

Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Getty

Heritage brands like Titleist, Callaway and Ping are still going strong, leading the charge in innovation with new materials and designs to help all of us find more fairways and sink more putts. And, in recent years, new brands like PXG and Stix have entered the space helping to push the envelope and broaden the scope of golf’s demographics. Some of those new club makers are shaking up the scene further by eschewing traditional retail altogether and selling their clubs direct to the consumer, lowering the price of their equipment in the process.

In other words, there’s never been a better time to buy a set of golf clubs. Following are the best golf brands making clubs in 2024, along with a recommended set of sticks from each brand.

Year founded: 1932 | Headquarters: Fairhaven, Massachusetts | Top clubs: Vokey Wedges | S cotty Cameron Putters

Arguably the best known and most well-respected brand in golf today, Titleist was founded in 1932 and originally focused entirely on making golf balls. It took three years to perfect and produce the first Titleist ball, using X-ray technology to ensure uniformity. The company still makes the most popular golf ball today, Titleist ProV1, but it’s also known for their high-end clubs, particularly the Vokey Wedges and Scotty Cameron Putters.

Titleist makes a complete lineup of clubs and is famous for their highly detailed club-fitting process, so golfers can get the exact club custom-suited for the nuances of their game. Its new line of GT drivers is reputed to be faster, longer and straighter thanks to the use of a new proprietary polymer that mimics titanium, while its new T200 irons offer incredible distance and ball control.

But Titleist isn’t necessarily a brand for golfers new to the game. While the company is constantly making improvements that enhance the sweet spot of the club and eke every yard out of your swing, it’s by and large making “players” clubs for golfers who already know what they’re doing. For instance, unlike many golf club manufacturers, Titleist doesn’t offer complete sets of clubs, from the driver down to the putter. Instead, customers need to piece together their sets from various club options, which can be overwhelming for newcomers to the sport, but a great way for experienced golfers to get the most out of their bag.

Callaway

Callaway XR 13-Piece Complete Set

Year founded: 1982 | Headquarters: Carlsbad, California

Top clubs: Paradym AI Smoke Max Driver | Odyssey Putters | Women’s Reva Complete Set

Callaway has been a leader in golf club innovation since its founding in the early 1980s. It was the first golf company to use computer-run milling machines. Its driver, Big Bertha, changed the game of golf when it was released in 1991, appealing to amateur golfers in particular because of its oversized club face, made from stainless steel, and exaggerated sweet spot. The brand continues to innovate, particularly in the realm of player improvement clubs, which are designed to help minimize mis-hits and common swing flaws like slices, while maximize sweet spot strikes for greater distances. Their new line of drivers, Paradym AI Smoke, offers adjustable weights that have proven to provide almost 20 yards of shot shape correction off the tee.

Callaway’s XR complete set has 13 clubs, from the driver down to the putter. It gives golfers a club for any shot on the course, with classic game-improvement shot shaping for irons that offer high-launch, and drivers built to help you keep the ball in the fairway.

Year founded: 2013 | Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona | Top clubs: Gen 6 | Black Ops Driver

Founded by Bob Parsons, an entrepreneur who vowed to spare no expense when creating a better golf club, PXG made a splash when it released its first set of forged irons, 0311, using proprietary tech and the most expensive materials money could buy. The clubs were stylish, pricey and felt like a dream when you hit them. PXG shook up the industry further by forgoing traditional retail and sending clubs direct to consumers—a move that’s been adopted by most upstart brands in recent years.

Most of the clubs PXG makes are still set at a high price point, but PXG offers generous discounts on all their gear to members of the military, first responders and teachers. It also runs regular discounts on their club-fitting process so golfers of all budgets can enjoy the benefits of custom-fit sticks. It even gives you a free dozen balls with your fitting.

The company’s new family of Black Ops drivers and fairway woods incorporate a suite of proprietary tech to offer top-end ball speeds, distance gains and a surprisingly tight rate of dispersion. I’ve used them and continue to be amazed at the distances I get off the tee when I strike the driver well.

Their Gen6 Irons are the most forgiving the brand makes, with offset head designs and adjustable weights that can be fine-tuned to your swing.

Year founded: 1959 | Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona | Top clubs: Blueprint Irons | G430 Max driver |

Ping is one of the better known brands in the golf industry with a history dating back to 1959, when a General Electric engineer started making putters in his garage. The name, Ping, was derived from the distinctive sound those first putters made when striking the ball. By the mid-60s, many of the best golfers in the world were using Ping putters. By the late ‘60s the company was making irons, and developed the first factory-fit club heads offering different offsets and lie angles for common swing problems, endearing the brand to amateur golfers trying to fight the battle against the slice and hook. Today, Ping is probably best known for their irons, with options for players looking for game improvement with the super forgiving G430, to blades like the Blueprint, which are used by big name pros, including Tony Finau. But the company’s latest driver, the G430 Max 10K, is considered one of the most forgiving drivers on the market.

Year founded: 1973 | Headquarters: Carlsbad, California | Top clubs: Darkspeed Max Driver | Argera 3D Printed Putters

Founded in 1973 by an Australian-born amateur golf champion, Cobra has been focused on innovation from the beginning, introducing the first “hybrid” club to the game in 1975, called “The Baffler.” This was a laminated wood with bottom rails that helped the club head glide through the turf. In the ‘80s, Cobra introduced the three-wedge system, eliminating the gap between clubs that previously vexed golfers, then became the first club maker to offer graphite shafts on stock irons and woods. In the ‘90s, Cobra delivered golfers the first set of oversize irons. Cobra still pushes the envelope of innovation and questions golf’s status quo. More recently, Cobra has conducted research on the International Space Station to build a new driver, launched the first set of irons that are built to the same length (as opposed to the 9-iron being shorter than the 3-iron), and are now 3D printing putters.

Year founded: 1979 | Headquarters: Carlsbad, California | Top clubs: Qi10 Max Driver | P-790 Irons | Qi10 Rescue

Founded in 1979, TaylorMade hit the scene running as the company was the first to introduce metal drivers, as opposed to the traditional persimmon wood heads. The new stainless-steel club head, which had a 12-degree launch, offered more forgiveness than former woods while making a distinctive sound at impact. TaylorMade has continued to innovate, introducing the “Moveable Weight Technology” in its drivers in 2004, which allows the player to shift the weight on the back of club head in response to their natural tendency to slice or hook. Similar technology is common practice in high-end drivers today. The company also developed the first Rescue Club, a high-launch hybrid that was a cross between a long iron and a fairway wood, giving pros and amateurs alike a new weapon on long par 5s or when the tee shot goes awry on par 4s. Today, TaylorMade produces some of the best irons in golf, and its new Qi10 series of drivers and fairway woods is lauded for its forgiveness on miss-hits.

Year founded: 1933 | Headquarters: Osaka, Japan | Top clubs: Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal | Mizuno Pro 245 Irons

The Japan-based Mizuno is best known as a baseball equipment company, making some of the best bats and gloves in the game, but the company has actually been making golf equipment since 1933. Mizuno quickly gained a reputation for forging high quality, consistent irons thanks to its manufacturing process that relied on minimal hand grinding, helping to eliminate human error on the club head. By the ‘90s, Mizuno was the top choice for irons by PGA tour professionals, and its irons are still considered works of art today and well-regarded for their soft feet at impact. The company is probably best known for their blade irons, which are designed for elite players with few swing flaws, but Mizuno makes a full slate of clubs, from their ST-Max Driver down to their M.Craft OMOI Putters, both of which are built to help stabilize inconsistencies with the amateur’s swing and putting stroke. In fact, their JPX925 Hot Metal irons are especially well-regarded for their forgiveness.

Year founded: 1914 | Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois | Top clubs: Wilson Staff Model Blades | Dynapower Carbon Driver

For decades, Wilson was one of the top names in the golf industry, making some of the most-sought-after irons in the market and sponsoring some of the best golfers in the game. The brand took a back seat to several others on this list during the last 30 to 40 years, and became known as the “budget-friendly” option for beginner golfers. This is largely because of its inexpensive packaged sets of clubs which can be found in chain stores. Wilson Golf is part of the Wilson Sporting Goods corporation, a large entity with interests in a variety of sports, but the golf division is a smaller endeavor, and has been making strides in recent years to flip their reputation as “cheap clubs for bad golfers.” The player’s clubs in particular, with the blades built for low-handicap golfers looking to shape the ball’s flight and send it great distances, perform particularly well in independent tests. The brand has also made strides in attracting a younger demographic by sponsoring up-and-coming ball strikers with flair, and making equipment that performs for all handicaps on the course. Wilson also has one of the longest legacies in the sport, boasting 110 years in the game.

Year founded: 1930 | Headquarters: Huntington, California | Top clubs: ZX5 MkII Driver | ZX7 MkII Black Chrome Irons | XX10 13 Driver

As far as brand profiles go, it doesn’t get more confusing that of Srixon. Technically, Srixon as a company started in 1930, making golf and tennis balls as part of the Dunlop brand. But actually, it was Srixon’s parent company, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, that made those golf balls for Dunlop. Srixon as a club manufacturer didn’t really gel until 2008, when they bought Cleveland Golf, and now both Srixon and Cleveland make golf clubs that carry their own branding, but both are operating under the greater Dunlop corporate umbrella. Confused yet? Wait, it gets better—Srixon makes clubs under the Srixon brand, but they also make XXIO clubs, which is a distinct brand that focuses on producing lightweight clubs for slower swing speeds. As for Srixon the club-maker, they’re known for moderately priced sticks that perform well, even if they don’t have the caché of some of the bigger-named brands. Their ZX5 Mk II Driver, for instance, is an adjustable driver that allows you to dial in the face angle and loft to better suit your swing, which is a technology not always found at the sub-$500 price point. And yes, Srixon still makes golf balls, which are considered to be among the best in the game.

Year founded: 1979 | Headquarters: Huntington Beach, California | Top clubs: Smart Sole Wedges | Launcher XL 2 Driver

Yes, Cleveland is now owned by Srixon as mentioned above, but the company has a legacy of its own that should not go unnoticed. Cleveland started in 1979 as a company that made replicas of popular clubs from the ‘40s and ‘50s. It soon outgrew that niche to make hardware of its own and quickly became known as a maker of fine wedges. But the company also makes some very forgiving clubs that help the amateur keep the ball in the fairway, including their line of Launcher Drivers and XL irons, which have oversized club heads, exaggerated sweet spots and offset heads that help you square the club before impact. Their Smart Sole wedges might be the most forgiving on the market, with huge faces and ultra wide soles to eliminate the guesswork close to the green. Cleveland also packages complete sets for men, women and kids, making it easy for newcomers to the sport to get all the equipment they need in one swift purchase.

Other Golf Brands We Like

Stix: A direct-to-consumer brand with a vibrant social media presence, Stix makes good looking compete sets at a relatively low price point that are designed for new golfers.
Takomo: Another newcomer to the space with a direct-to-consumer approach, Takomo makes a variety of irons and woods for both players looking for game-improvement clubs and those in need of precision tools to help them shape the ball.
Sub 70: One of the most well-respected direct-to-consumer golf brands, Sub 70 makes high-end, custom clubs, from the driver down to the putter.
Tour Edge: Founded in 1986, Tour Edge has always aimed to provide the most value for the dollar with the clubs they produce, offering a variety of complete sets under $800.
Bridgestone: Bridgestone started making golf balls in 1935, and is still known primarily as a ball company, with an innovative “ball fitting” process that matches your swing to a specific ball. But Bridgestone has also made clubs for more than 50 years.
Top Flite: “Accessible” is the name of the game for Top Flite, which focuses on game-improvement clubs for everyday golfers at an affordable price. Complete sets can be had for less than $300.
Ben Hogan: Named after one of the greatest golfers of all time and founded in 1953, these clubs were clamored over during the ‘50s, ’60 and ‘70s. After a dip in sales, Ben Hogan moved to a direct-to-consumer model targeting serious golfers and has once again found a loyal following.
Vice Golf: The popular golf ball company, Vice, recently began producing their own line of clubs, following in the footsteps that many golf companies have taken over the years. Currently, they make irons, wedges and putters.
New Level Golf: One of the more respected newcomers in the direct-to-consumer space, New Level makes high-quality, custom irons and wedges for low-handicap golfers.
Honma: Japan-based Honma has been making clubs since the ‘60s, focusing on craftsmanship from the get-go; each club the company makes takes a month to produce.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are The Best Golf Brands?

There are many top-tier club manufacturers in this article, but the truth is, any brand on this list makes quality equipment. I’ve tried several of these brands out myself in recent years, and I’ve been impressed with the quality of gear across the board. You just need to match your budget and style of play with the right set of clubs. Low-handicap golfers should gravitate towards Titleist or one of the direct-to-consumer brands that makes custom sticks, like Ben Hogan. If budget is the biggest determining factor, don’t fret, because Top Flite and Wilson make great clubs for a fraction of the cost of many other brands. Need a lot of help finding the fairway? Most brands on this list make game-improvement clubs, but Cleveland and Ping have a reputation for going above and beyond in that category.

Should You Get A Custom Fitting?

Most golf clubs are shipped in a standard length with few options to customize the setup during the purchase process, which means the majority of golfers end up playing the same clubs regardless of their size, swing speed or swing flaws. The solution? Get a custom club fitting. You can take any set of clubs, even the old sticks you pulled out of the garage, to a professional fitter and they’ll adjust things like the length, stiffness and weight of each club to account for your specific swing. Even adjusting the grips on your clubs can make a difference in how they feel and play. Titleist has an in-depth club-fitting procedure, and PXG offers really inexpensive fittings (just $25) as part of their purchase process. The difference between hitting a club off the rack and hitting a club that is custom-designed for your swing is night and day. And custom fittings aren’t just for pros; amateurs and high-handicappers will see a huge benefit from the fitting process, as it can help minimize swing flaws.

How Do You Choose The Best Golf Brands?

When choosing the best golf brands, it’s all about finding quality gear that performs well on the course. Look for brands that have a strong reputation among both everyday golfers and pros—this can be a good sign of reliable products. It’s also helpful to see if they offer a range of options for different skill levels, from beginners to advanced players. Durability matters too, as well-made clubs and balls can really boost your game. Checking out reviews from other golfers can give you a sense of what works and what doesn’t. And don’t forget about customer service and warranties—they can make a big difference if you ever need support with your gear.