How do golf equipment deals work? A PGA Tour pro explains

As Golfweek reported Wednesday, Max Homa has signed several new endorsement deals in recent weeks and will become a staff player with Cobra starting Jan. 1. Homa, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, will now use Cobra equipment. Thanks to two additional endorsement deals, he’ll also wear Puma footwear and Lululemon apparel.

Homa is a star, having played in two Presidents Cups and a Ryder Cup. He’s gained a reputation on social media for being funny, charismatic and approachable, which, along with his rise as a contender, makes him attractive to brands. Rest assured, Homa is earning a tidy sum from these new deals.

But how do golf equipment contracts work? What is required of players, and how much money do they actually receive for using specific clubs and wearing certain brands of apparel and footwear?

How do golf equipment contracts work?

Last season, Michael Kim played in 30 PGA Tour events, used clubs from a variety of manufacturers, and finished 104th in the FedEx Cup standings. On Tuesday, Kim took to X and shared insights into club deals, golf ball contracts, and switching brands. After providing feedback on the yet-to-be-released Titleist GT280 mini driver, Kim began his thread with a message that said, “It’s the beginning of the year, and you’ll see some players with new club deals. Here’s how club deals work,” before laying out some fundamentals:

Requirements for staff players vary by brand, and players negotiate different deals. However, as you might suspect, the more clubs a player uses, the more money the manufacturer typically pays. So, for instance, a 13- or 14-club deal is worth more than a 10-club deal.

An agreement that stipulates a player must use 10 or 11 clubs — with the driver and putter being two of those clubs — allows a player who loves some old fairway woods or hybrids to keep them. In many cases, those clubs are concealed under headcovers bearing the logo of the new manufacturer.

Drivers and putters are critical for many brands because those are the clubs that get shown the most on television and that recreational golfers covet the most. What Kim did not explain is that if a player is a big star and has had success with a putter, brands are more open to the idea of allowing the pro to keep his or her trusty putter in the bag, with the idea being it shows good faith from the manufacturer and, if it helps the newly-signed player win more, the tradeoff is worth it.

What about golf balls?

Club companies want staff players to use their golf balls, too. As Kim noted, more and more players who sign a club deal with a brand that makes balls wind up using that brand’s ball. Golfers who sign with Ping, Cobra, and clubs from manufacturers that do not sell golf balls are free to use any ball they like, and in some cases, those players sign “ball-only” deals.

Changing equipment companies is a big deal

Trust is a massive factor in making golf equipment changes for players at the highest levels. As Kim notes, players know there is a difference between seeing the results they want on the range and knowing that their equipment (and their swing) will hold together on the back nine on Sundays at a tournament. Positive reinforcement and developing faith that a new club will work predictably can take time. This leads to Kim’s final post.

Elite golfers, players who make Ryder Cup teams, and people who you see in contention on a regular basis get pampered by their equipment sponsors because they bring visibility to the brand and associate the company with winning. That’s the whole idea. After them, companies want to maintain good relationships with staff players who could break through and start contending. Equipment “free agents” are welcome, but understandably, brand players come first when it comes to service, help and advice.

For a player like Kim, who missed 13 cuts in 30 events, signing an equipment contract requires weighing two choices. Inking a deal with a brand means a certain level of financial certainty, but forgoing a deal can mean using equipment that is best suited to your game regardless of who makes it, and that can mean better results and more prize money.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Golf equipment endorsement deals explained by pro golfer