The 12 biggest equipment free agents in professional golf

Every year, golf companies spend tens of millions of dollars designing, manufacturing and marketing golf clubs with the sole intention of getting everyday players to hand over their hard-earned cash.

But while few if any of us mere mortals will ever come close to swinging it like a tour pro, one of the most effective marketing platforms, year in, year out, has been getting the very best in the world to use, and win with, your clubs.

While the differences in equipment performance in the hands of the everyday joe is often barely noticeable, a reputation of both a brand and its products can live or die on their popularity on tour, whether it be Tiger Woods building the Nike Golf brand almost single-handedly in the '90s to the yearly speculation surrounding Rory McIlroy's choice of driver.

This, of course, makes it all the more interesting when players decide to eschew the equipment sponsor merry-go-round completely. High-end golfers are understandably extremely selective over their choice of clubs, with many top-level tour pros preferring to build the perfect bag free from sponsor pressure over the paycheque that comes along with it.

As we're about to find out, this is becoming an increasingly common trend among the world's very best players. And with the 2025 off-season now in full swing, attention will once again turn towards whether or not any of the biggest manufacturers will be able to convince one of these names to join their ranks over the winter break.

Here, then, are the hottest equipment free agents in golf right now, and how they came to be so.

Patrick Cantlay

Free agent since: 2023

Former equipment sponsor(s): Titleist

Patrick Cantlay was one of Titleist's most successful staffers over his decade with the brand, turning pro in 2012 and using a full set of the brand's clubs as he ascended to a career high world ranking of number 3. He left his club deal with the brand (as well as his contract with apparel sponsor Hugo Boss) at the start of the 2023 season, citing a desire for freedom to unlock more performance out of his bag. 

The US Ryder Cup member does, however, retain a deal to use Titleist/FootJoy's balls, gloves and shoes, and ironically still plays a full bag of Titleist clubs at the time of writing.

Speaking to Golf.com's Drop Zone podcast back at the time of his switch, he said: “If I think it’s going to be able to help my golf, I’d like to be able to play it. That maybe involves a little more testing than I’d like. But I’m not going to change my game to fit the equipment. With the current situation, I’m in right now, it gives me that freedom. It’s an interesting process to see if I can find any better clubs or equipment.”

Jason Day

Free agent since: 2021

Former equipment sponsor(s): TaylorMade

Youthful, relatable and stylish, Jason Day was about as natural a fit for TaylorMade as they came during his heyday, signing with the brand in 2006 and continuing with them over a 15-year-run that included a prolonged spell as the World No. 1 and a win at the 2015 Masters. 

However as a string of injuries and personal issues hampered Day's form at the start of the decade, the Australian quietly departed TaylorMade in search of pastures new. He's been an equipment free agent since (although he does have a deal to use Bridgestone golf balls), and has made headlines recently by becoming the second high-profile player to switch into irons from upstart brand Avoda.

Bryson DeChambeau

Free agent since: 2023

Former equipment sponsor(s): Cobra

Many tipped Bryson DeChambeau to be the future of Cobra golf when he signed with the brand as a fresh-faced rookie. But while it would ultimately take four years for the pairing to finally win a major, the fit between the two felt natural all the same, with innovations like Cobra's first one-length irons, initially designed exclusively for Bryson, routinely making headlines.

The relationship, however, soured over the course of the 2022 season, with DeChambeau openly criticising Cobra's product at the time and going so far as to put a TaylorMade driver in the bag against his sponsor's wishes. The relationship between the two formally ended in 2023 and DeChambeau, known as one of golf's most prolific tinkerers, has spent the last few years building one of the pro golf's most unique bags, including a set of Avoda one-length curved-face irons, Krank Golf drivers and woods, and a SIK armlock putter.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Free agent since: 2014

Former equipment sponsor(s): None

Matt Fitzpatrick is one of the PGA Tour's longest-standing free agents, and one of very few players at his level to go basically his entire career without signing a major equipment deal. Famously finicky about his clubs, Fitzpatrick still plays a unique set including a 12-year-old set of PING irons that he's used since turning professional. 

While he's never signed a formal contract with any particular brand, Fitzpatrick does have informal relationships with many, having spoken on record about his preference for clubs from PING and Titleist and used custom 'Fitz'-branded putters from Bettinardi for the last few years.

Sergio Garcia

Free agent since: 2020

Former equipment sponsor(s): Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist

Former Masters champ and now LIV captain Sergio Garcia has enjoyed equipment deals with all of golf's arguable big three over the three decades of his career, spending most of his '90s signed to Titleist before switching to TaylorMade for the most lucrative spell of his career.

Garcia would ultimately leave TaylorMade, sign with rivals Callaway for a few years and then return to his former brand once more in 2021. Whatever magic they once shared, however, was gone, and in 2023 TaylorMade quietly removed his name from their list of staff players following his move to LIV. He now uses a mixture of TaylorMade and Titleist clubs.

Talor Gooch

Free agent since: 2024

Former equipment sponsor(s): Callaway

One of LIV golf's form players in the last few years, Aces GC hotshot Talor Gooch left former equipment sponsor Callaway shortly after his switch to the breakaway tour. Despite introducing new clubs to his bag in the form of a PING driver and Titleist Vokey SM10 wedges, he continues to use a number of the Callaway's products as his core clubs, including a full suite of X-Forged irons and an Odyssey putter.

Dustin Johnson

Free agent since: 2025

Former equipment sponsor(s): TaylorMade

Former World No. 1 Dustin Johnson was Mr. TaylorMade for much of his form period, dominating the tour across the 2015-2016 seasons and becoming synonymous with iconic TaylorMade clubs like the M1 and M2 drivers. 

The big-hitting American left the brand that brought him so much success when his contract expired at the end of 2024, although he still uses a full suite of the California brand's clubs. And given the lucrative payday he received from joining LIV back in 2022, it's probably fair to assume that he's fairly happy remaining as he is for now.

Phil Mickelson

Free agent since: 2024

Former equipment sponsor(s): Callaway

Lefty was about as synonymous with Callaway clubs as it was possible for a player to be with a brand during the height of his career. He had his own special grind of Mack Daddy wedges, appeared on the bulk of their commercials, and fought one of golf's great rivalries with Tiger Woods armed with a full complement of the brand's clubs. 

It wasn't to be a storybook ending, however. Callaway hit pause on the professional partnership in 2022 after Mickelson, one of LIV's first breakaway players, made a series of controversial statements about Saudi Arabia. Two years later, this most iconic of golf partnerships – one that spanned 20 years – formally came to an end.

Aaron Rai

Free agent since: 2012

Former equipment sponsor(s): None

As was made apparent after his win at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in November, Aaron Rai famously has one of the most relatable and eclectic bags in all of golf. Part of this comes down to his longtime refusal to sign an equipment deal outright. His set-up includes a seven-year-old TaylorMade M6 driver, the brand's P7TW wedges (equipped with iron covers, of course), and an array of plastic castle tees. A true king among men.

Patrick Reed

Free agent since: 2022

Former equipment sponsor(s): Callaway, Nike, PXG

Masters champion Patrick Reed cycled through a few sponsors before entering equipment free agency in 2022, spending much of his halcyon days playing Callaway clubs while serving as one of Nike's marquee players. Reed left Callaway in 2017 and stood as a free agent for five years before joining the ranks of PXG. However in one of the shortest equipment partnerships in tour history, Reed's relationship with PXG broke down just six months later, PXG founder Bob Parsons citing Reed's decision to join LIV as a key reason for the split.

Justin Rose

Free agent since: 2020

Former equipment sponsor(s): TaylorMade, Honma

Justin Rose has had one of the more turbulent equipment sponsor stories of the last few years, leaving his longtime deal with TaylorMade to sign a shock deal with Honma in 2020. However the relationship, aimed at helping Japanese luxury manufacturer break the American market, quickly deteriorated. 

After an 18 month period during which Rose progressively moved Honma's clubs back out of his bag, what was supposed to be a multi-year partnership came to a stunning end. He's been a free agent ever since, gaming a mixture of Titliest, TaylorMade and Callaway clubs in a varied set-up.

Adam Scott

Free agent since: 2022

Former equipment sponsor(s): Titleist

One of the PGA Tour's classiest operators, Adam Scott is just about the textbook definition of a Titleist player. And indeed the Australian's period as the world's best player was spent using Titleist clubs. In 2022, Scott chose to enter free agency as his contract with his long-time supplier ended, going on to become a key collaborator with upstart putter manufacturer L.A.B Golf. He still uses a Titleist driver, 3-iron and wedges, however, as well as a selection of clubs from TaylorMade and Miura.