How McLaren Golf built the golf brand from the ground up

Building a golf brand from scratch is almost impossible.

It is what it is.

You’re not just fighting the headwinds of the well-established juggernauts that have ruled the land for decades; you have been given the task of facing the real challenge of building a soul. Beyond the clubs, you have to answer the most difficult questions in branding: What are you really about? Who are you talking to? Who are you?

This week, McLaren Racing – in partnership with 8AM Golf, the parent company of GOLF.com – officially launched McLaren Golf, a well-organized PGA Tour (Cadillac Championship) and Formula 1 (Miami Grand Prix) meet in South Florida.

McLaren Racing’s ethos is “Forever Forward,” a mantra that leaves nothing to the imagination. It screams innovation, excellence and a refusal to settle for second place – and McLaren has a track record (literally) that proves the slogan is no slouch. In 2025, with the help of star driver Lando Norris, McLaren Racing reached the F1 podium at the end of the year. Not only was the victory a major step in dethroning Red Bull but it also established McLaren as a five billion sports marketing giant.

Tombs of luxurious statues

When it comes to fancy companies getting into golf club engineering, we’ve seen this movie before – and it usually ends up in the lobby. Porsche Design tried its hand with the “902” series; The clubs were well designed but difficult to find a home in heavy club bags. In 2012, Ferrari collaborated with Cobra on a $2,000 driver that looked like it belonged in a museum but lacked the “everyday” playability the market wanted. Even Fila ran golf in the mid-1990s (license contract with Renaissance Golf), which proves that the luxury of life does not always translate to consumer happiness.

The ecosystem of golf equipment is built on innovation – new technology, AI and PhDs in aerodynamics. How do you start a golf company and ensure it reaches the standards McLaren is known for?

They are good people.

The team behind McLaren Golf

I’ll admit, I was skeptical when I first heard the McLaren news early in 2025. It’s not easy having a 9-million-pound gorilla like McLaren looking over your shoulder. But then I learned who was in charge of the ship: Neil Howie.

My old friend and former president of Callaway Europe is exactly who you would want in charge. Neil could play the role of a major MI6 in a “Bond” movie – he’s a seasoned, articulate operative who steers Callaway to big-time success and turbulent waters. It takes someone who has experienced the hard times of this industry to have the vision and expertise for a job like this.

I wanted to understand where Neil’s head was after months of grinding.

“Anything like this is always going to start with four important things,” he told me. “First, you have to gather a large group of people. Otherwise you will not be able to do something unusual. In our case we were lucky to gain interest from some very bright people from other large OEMs in many departments. I think the idea of ​​a small group, a smart business model and the strength and push of the beginning are very important. Moreover it is McLaren where we remember the boundaries. a meeting where someone asks, ‘Should the hole be round?’ It may sound crazy to some, but to me that’s a question for a company that will stop at nothing to innovate. Second, the product must be relevant, unique and, in this case, compatible with the McLaren brand. We couldn’t just make a club. This is their first venture without four wheels, and the responsibility to exceed expectations was always high. I truly believe that our first foray into the market, even though it is small in scale, is right.

“The confirmation of the trip by Justin Rose, who has been acting as a business partner, not a paid ambassador, [along with] the likes of Ian Poulter and Michelle Wie, gave us a good baseline. These are three players with very conscious golf club palettes and all are brutally honest in terms of feedback. Our R&D team had no choice but to listen, respond and push each other to get this right.

“Last but not least is the full backing and support from McLaren. This is not a random license agreement, a partnership, a real business, and trust me when I tell you that this is not a hobby for them. They take it seriously and make us think beyond the norm. That kind of ethos is what makes an old dog like me come out of retirement and I’ve never had a happier time off. confidence under the gun like this, and this is just an opening number with great moments.

“Honma” is the elephant in the room

Skeptics will try to “Honma” this story to death (ie, look back at Rose’s temporary experiment with Honma clubs). Given Rose’s history, I understand the sentiment, but this is not the case. At all.

So, yes, starting a brand like this starts with a great idea and then the people. Then pull out and run (or drive) as fast as you can.

I asked senior designer JP Harrington if this project holds new types of pressure.

“I try not to think about the consequences of success and failure,” he said. “When I feel it in my bones, I do it. I’m not here to sell ketchup popsicles to women in white gloves. I just want to make a difference.”

Sounds like a fun gig to me.