Introduction
Rewind to 1978, the year Gary Player secured his third, and last, green jacket. Picture him seated on his golf bag before the final round. You ask, “It’s 2026, and the brand on your bag is no longer associated with top-tier players but has become more of a budget brand or known for kids’ package sets – do you see this happening?” What do you think his response would be?
Premium brands – 1970-1990s
Ram
The brand in question is Ram, once favoured by legendary golfers such as Gary Player and Tom Watson. At NCG, we’ve always admired Ram for its value, and so today it’s primarily seen as a budget-friendly choice. For instance, you’ll find putters priced under £80 or package sets designed for beginners and juniors, offering accessible options without compromising on value.
MacGregor
Ram is not the only brand that has gone from premium to value. Who could ever forget the 1986 Masters when Jack Nicklaus, then aged 46, shot a final round 65 to claim his sixth green jacket. The bag his son carried was the MacGregor brand.
Even in 1993 Jose Maria Olazabal was donning a MacGregor cap – he eventually finished joint 7th that year before winning the green jacket in 1994 and 1999.
Just like Ram, MacGregor is now offering up value options rather than seen in the hands of the Tour pros. When the NCG review team got their hands on MacGregor products they thought the Tourney Max Driver was one of the best value drivers for 2026 and they just could not believe the price of the V-Foil #4 Putter.
Lynx
Remember Lynx? The brand most famously associated with Fred Couples and Ernie Els. It was prominently displayed on Fred Couples’s bag on his way to the green jacket in 1992.
The last Lynx product the NCG team reviewed were these interesting MegaBeast Giant putters, and the brand now, similar to RAM and MacGregor, have a range aimed at (junior) package sets and the value area of the golf market – especially for products like bags. They also are producing products aimed for the female golfer.
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Maxfli
Another brand, if you were golfing in the 1990s, that would just slip off the tongue as one of the major brands. If you did not have their clubs you probably would have tried their golf balls. In 1995, the then defending champion Jose Maria Olazabal, had the Maxfli brand prominently showing on his bag.
Jose’s good friend Seve Ballesteros also used the Maxfli HT ball along with Maxfli Tad Moore putter for a few seasons – the Maxfli HT golf ball nearly winning the ball count at the Open in the early 1990s over Titleist!
Maxfli are still represented on the professional tours by players such as Ben Griffin and Lexi Thompson, both using a Maxfli ball, but this is a far cry from a defending Masters champion using a bag displaying the brands name.
Premium Brands – declining but not disappeared
Wilson
Then there are brands that are still seen as premium today but were much higher profile back in the 1980s and 90s.
The picture above might have been when the three greats were well passed their best but Wilson was visible and at the forefront when Bernhard Langer won his two green jackets. In 2026 none of the top ranked players use Wilson clubs, yet they are still producing outstanding drivers and irons. They have also just released some zero torque putters that are more reasonably price.
Unlike Ram and MacGregor, you might argue that Wilson have not gone from Premium to budget but are struggling more from an image problem and just need to get their products into the hands of club players in order for them to see and feel the quality. This is very much the case with the Wilson golf balls on offer. These represent fantastic value for the performance they deliver.
Mizuno
Mizuno took Sandy Lyle and Nick Faldo to Masters victory. Unlike Wilson they have not disappeared from the PGA Tour but it is fair to say the days of a Masters champion caddie carrying a Mizuno bag seem to be behind the brand, for now.
Today on the PGA Tour Mizuno irons are in the hands of players like Keith Mitchell, Adam Schenk, Ben Griffin and Luke Donald.
Zebra Putters
Today there has been a transition from blade to mallet putters on the PGA Tour. But back on 1976 Ray Floyd dominated the Masters winning wire-to-wire, eventually winning by eight strokes, with a mallet putter in hand. The putter in question – the original Dave Taylor designed Zebra mallet putter. You might say the first ‘D’ shaped, face balanced weight adjusted putter – well before LAB and zero torque!
All with a striped zebra look on the top of the putter to help with alignment – alignment aids, being on the putter or on the ball, being all the talk these days.
This putter had another Major success at The Open in 1994, courtesy of Nick Price, and so had an extended run being seen on the Pro Tour.
Zebra are still around today but the days of seeing a Masters or Open champion rolling in putts using the distinctive Zebra look do seem behind them.
The NCG team enjoyed reviewing the full range – both mallet and blade putters – read here for more info.
Cobra
Greg Norman signed with Cobra in 1991 and subsequently won The Open in 1993 and had a dominant year in 1995 and held world number one spot 1995-1997. Though Cobra has not vanished from the PGA Tour only 4 players tee up a Cobra driver and use their irons – Gary Woodland, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler and Danny Willett. Similar to Wilson, they suffer somewhat due to the current dominance of Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade and Ping.
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Maybe it was Greg Norman’s collapse in the 1996 Masters, when Nick Faldo over took him during a dramatic final round, that triggered their gradual decline amongst tour professionals?
The forgotten brands
If you walk in the clubhouse at Bingley St Ives golf club you will enter Billy’s Bar – named after the legendary caddie Billy Foster. He has been a life long member there and has fitted it out with a variety of treasured memorabilia. In prominent place is the Dunlop bag he carried whilst caddying for Seve Ballesteros.
Dunlop was also visible at The Masters back in 1994, courtesy of brand positioning on items such as caps and visors.
To be fair to Dunlop they have not totally disappeared from the professional ranks – Dunlop Sports now encompasses Srixon and Cleveland – brands that many of the top professionals have in their bags today, in terms of drivers, irons, wedges and golf balls.
Dunlop are not the only brand that has disappeared from the Augusta fairways. Remember Spalding, Hogan, Top-Flite, Precept, Slazenger – to mention a few!
Yesteryear – Apparel Brands
And we can’t forget golf apparel brands that were once giants of the fairways and have now either disappeared or taken a firm back seat to major current brands like Adidas and Nike.
Who can every forget Nick Faldo in Pringle or Ian Woosnam in Sergio Tacchini? Both brands are still operating today but their days dominating the fairways are currently behind them.
Summary
It is quite amazing to see brands that once were trusted by the golfing elite are no longer so. This is not a criticism but just an observation of how things have changed.
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It is also a message to the major brands to not rest on their laurels and think current situations will last forever. Fast forward to 2050 will TaylorMade, Titleist, Callaway and Ping still be the dominant forces?
It is hard to imagine this not being the case – but then again Gary Player might have thought the same about Ram back in 1978.
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