Top 10 Golf Club Brands To Avoid (And 5 You Should Know)

This is an overview of the top ten golf club brands to avoid.

Sometimes a really great deal on a set of golf clubs will come up and make you think about going for it.

However, sometimes a deal is not always worth taking. If you want to be sure you end up with a quality set of clubs that will last you for years to come, here are a few golf club brands to avoid in 2022. 

Here are golf club brands to avoid:

1. MacGregor
2. Top Flite
3. Alien
4. Precise
5. Ram
6. Prosimmon
7. Nitro
8. Mazel
9. Majek
10. Aspire

Read more about each brand below.

10 Golf Club Brands to Avoid 

All of the worst golf clubs brands will have a few things in common.

This includes the use of cheaper materials, technology that is not nearly as advanced, and longevity that won’t hold up against the best golf clubs on the market. 

MacGregor

The MacGregor golf clubs were a big name in the industry many years ago. Over time, the discount brand couldn’t keep up with the other brand names.

Eventually, they started working on making complete sets more for the beginner golfer. 

When you hit shots with the MacGregor golf clubs, they tend to have a harsh feel, and the distance technology is not nearly as good as a premium brand. 

As the MacGregor name has started to go a bit downhill, they also stopped making clubs for a wide range of players.

Twenty years ago, the line of MacGregor women’s golf clubs was quite good, and now that has faded away to a few beginner golf sets. 

Top Flite

There is some good news and bad news about the Top-Flite brand. Top Flite has increased and decreased its product line through the years.

Today, they have a few complete sets and even some options for junior golf clubs. The good news is that the longevity of these clubs is not terrible. 

The bad news is that the feel is far from what you will get from a quality set of golf clubs. Top Flite has a very harsh or hard feel, whether in the golf clubs themselves or the golf balls. 

While not the worst golf club brand, if you want a set that will last you a while, this is one of the golf club brands to avoid.

The price may look good on a set of Top Flite clubs but don’t expect to be rewarded for that great shot you hit in the center of the face. 

Alien 

Alien golf clubs always took a unique or different approach, hence Alien’s name. The clubs from Alien always tried to fix a problem players were having.

Whether this was chunking a wedge shot or slicing a driver, Alien had a product that looked partially like a training aid, partially like a golf club. 

Overall the Alien golf clubs are a bit too gimmicky to be considered a quality golf club brand.

Although it is common to see a company like Cleveland put out a chipper or Ping to put out a crossover 9 iron, the Alien clubs are too different. 

A great golf manufacturer has a solid lineup of products that can work for a wide range of players. 

Precise

Precise makes affordable complete golf club sets for players. These sets have a mix of clubs and can work for beginners, golfers on a budget, and even junior players.

The problem with the Precise golf clubs is the quality of the material. 

If you have a decent clubhead speed, Precise clubs will have difficulty keeping up. In addition, the golf bags that these sets come with are just not of very high quality.

If you need a set for an occasional round of golf, Precise may do the trick; just ensure you don’t go after the ball too hard. 

Ram

Ram is similar to MacGregor in that they had a fairly decent following at one point. The golfers that went for the Ram golf clubs wanted something durable and easy to hit, although they are one of the golf club brands to avoid.

Ram still makes golf clubs sell them through eCommerce websites and some discount stores. 

One of the great things about the Ram golf club sets from years ago is that you could purchase them in a few different lengths.

This is the case with some Ram golf clubs, but the availability is not what it once was. 

Ram does make some junior golf clubs that can be of good value. The pricing is quite fair for the junior sets.

If you think your child may not be entirely sold on the game, these are worth looking into. 

Prosimmon

Prosimmon is a brand that players have lots of questions about. When you do a quick search for golf clubs, this one will often come up as one of the lowest priced on the market.

The reason behind this is the materials and technology used. 

Take a look at the features and benefits of a new set of Callaway Apex irons.

When you read through the materials used to make these clubs and the manufacturing process, you can see why you pay more for the technology. 

There is no debating that the Prosimmon golf clubs are offered at a very low price. The problem is that the distance, forgiveness, and feel you get for this price are lacking. 

Nitro

Nitro is a brand that you may recognize for its golf balls. The Nitro golf balls are some of the most popular cheap golf balls on the market.

Some golfers are unaware that NItro even manufacturers golf clubs as well.

The Nitro clubs are sold in big box retail stores, and their sets often come with a few clubs and a bag.

The clubs included are typically built with some type of a uniflex shaft and a very large club head. 

The problem with purchasing a set like this is that you will outgrow it rather quickly. These clubs are not built for a player that truly loves the game. For this reason, Nitro golf clubs are one of the golf club brands to avoid.

Mazel

Mazel golf is kind of a knock-off brand. They make someone’s length golf clubs, some chippers, and even a few hybrids that will resemble products made by the top manufacturers.

However, when we tested the products, there was a difference in the feel and the overall performance between these clubs and the premium. 

For instance, Mazel makes a really popular set of one-length irons, but the clubface is a bit dull, and the launch is not quite as strong as the true Cobra one-length irons.

If you want the actual one-length irons, save up and go with Cobra. 

Majek

Majek is a value brand of golf clubs, most well known for its senior hybrid irons. It is also one of the golf club brands to avoid.

The hybrid irons are popular among senior golfers because they are easy to hit from almost any lie.

Cleveland and Cobra have sets of senior hybrid irons, but they are more money than many seniors want to spend. 

Majek took this opportunity to step into the market and create a product that would work as a cheap replacement for senior golf clubs.

The issue here is that these clubs’ feel, distance, and even overall weight are just a little off. 

If you have your heart set on these, compare them to the true hybrid irons from other manufacturers. 

Aspire

Aspire makes complete set golf clubs for beginners, men, women, and juniors.

The Aspire golf sets come with many clubs for the money, which can be positive, but the quality of these clubs is not quite as good. 

Sometimes, beginners need to consider whether or not it makes sense to have 8 really good golf clubs or 14 clubs of poor quality.

The Aspire sets are made with lower-priced materials, but their golf bags are better than some of the other value-priced complete set options on the market. 

Overall you will have to make your own decisions about these golf club brands to avoid. Some golfers find great success with a lesser-known brand, and others waste some of their precious golf funds! 

5 Trustworthy Golf Club Brands

Now that we have given you the golf club brands to avoid, let’s look at some of the best golf club brands you can almost blindly trust while making golf club purchases.

Callaway 

Callaway makes a golf club for every player. They are usually one of the most popular golf club brands for beginners.

Whether you are looking for game improvement golf clubs, players type clubs, or a beginner’s set (like the Callaway Strata Set), Callaway is a good golf club brand to consider. 

One of the things that set some of the Callaway golf clubs apart is their use of artificial intelligence in the manufacturing process.

Creating golf clubs using these high-tech systems helps ensure that players are truly getting the best technology. 

TaylorMade

TaylorMade has a serious need for speed.

If you take something like the new Stealth driver, or the TaylorMade M6 and put it up against a Mazel or a Nitro golf club, the difference in distance you will get with the TaylorMade is incredible. 

This company has learned how to channel players’ speed in their swing and apply it to the golf ball with ease. 

Cobra

Cobra has some unique products, and they do an excellent job taking care of the golfers that need some extra forgiveness. 

Cobra Golf came up with the one-length concept of golf clubs, and this is a really good option for players that want consistency in their game.

Cobra also has a great line of women’s products and senior golf clubs. For me this was one of the best unknown golf club brands.

Titleist 

Titleist is one of the most well-known golf club brands on the market.

Suppose you are a lower handicap golfer interested in getting some of the best feel and precision that the market has to offer. In that case, Titleist is a great option to consider. 

The Titleist golf brand makes some forgiving golf clubs, but they focus more on the players looking for precision. 

Ping 

Ping is a golf manufacturer that made an impact in the world of putting. Over the years, Ping has grown to be an impressive overall manufacturer with great options for distance, forgiveness, and overall feel. 

If you are particular about how a golf club feels when you hit it, the Ping golf clubs (and even Ping golf balls) will be a great choice.

In addition, the materials that Ping uses in its golf clubs are considered premium and will help ensure that you are going to have these clubs in play for years to come. Just make sure you use the Ping color chart when selecting your clubs.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the golf club brands to avoid.

Purchasing a set of clubs, or even just a single club from a brand that is not a good choice for quality or longevity can be a really expensive mistake. 

Conclusion

There you have it! The golf club brands ranked worst to best.

We hope you now feel as though you can find a golf club brand to trust instead of one of the golf club brands to avoid.

If you have found a good fit for your game within this group of clubs, that’s great.

However, most players need to be aware that this equipment is not always as good as the premium brands. Not all golfers will agree with us on our list of the worst golf clubs.