The British Open returns to Northern Ireland for the first time since 2019, and TaylorMade is marking the occasion with a limited-edition collection that celebrates one of Royal Portrush’s most enduring symbols.
The Steam Line staff bag and headcovers pay homage to the Portrush steam train that has been chugging along the Northern Ireland coast since 1855. Look, I’ve seen my share of tournament-themed gear over the years, and most of it feels like an afterthought. This isn’t that.
All aboard for the oldest major
The British Open is golf’s oldest major championship, and TaylorMade’s Steam Line staff bag looks the part. Black, red, and green with gold accents throughout—it’s a color palette that feels both classic and appropriately distinguished for golf’s most historic championship.
What separates this from the usual major championship cash grab is that TaylorMade actually bothered to tell a story. They didn’t just slap a train graphic on a bag and call it themed. Instead, they wove railway references throughout the design in ways that reward a closer look.
The devil’s in the details
Here’s where things get interesting. Those diagonally placed rivets outlining the TaylorMade logos on both side panels? They’re not random design flourishes. They’re direct tributes to the rivets found on the Portrush train’s engine, and they show up again on the bag’s bottom collar.
It’s the kind of detail that separates companies that give a damn from those just trying to move product.
Just above the TaylorMade logo, “No. 25” marks this year’s tournament. Simple, effective, and it’ll matter to collectors down the road.
The bag’s pockets each tell their own story. On the backside valuables pocket, there’s a vintage train ticket patch honoring Royal Portrush as the host venue. Below that, a three-leaf clover celebrates Northern Ireland. The frontside valuables pocket features scripted “All Aboard!” text, while a train graphic on the handle drives the theme home.
Even the interior linings were inspired by the seat cushions found on the actual Portrush train. That’s either impressive attention to detail or someone at TaylorMade has way too much time on their hands. I choose to believe it’s the former.
Headcovers follow suit
The Steam Line headcovers carry the same design DNA as the staff bag—same colorway, same attention to the railway theme, same level of execution.
It’s a cohesive collection, which shouldn’t be remarkable but somehow is in an industry where “matching” often means using the same logo twice.
No balls?
What’s notably absent from TaylorMade’s Open Championship lineup are themed golf balls. The company hasn’t done major championship balls since the Masters, focusing instead on bags and headcovers.
On one hand, that’s probably smart. The accessories—especially big ones like staff bags—provide plenty of storytelling real estate. The downside is they’re more expensive, which does raise the barrier for those seeking to grab a piece of history… or at least a piece of a thing that commemorates history.
The verdict
TaylorMade’s Steam Line collection works because it feels authentic to the venue. Rather than generic “British Open” branding, they found a story specific to Royal Portrush and built everything around it.
The Portrush steam train isn’t some random bit of local trivia—it’s been part of the landscape for nearly 170 years. By celebrating that connection, TaylorMade created tournament gear that actually belongs at this specific Open Championship rather than just any Open Championship.
Is it essential? Of course not. But if you’re heading to Northern Ireland or you want to commemorate the championship’s return to Royal Portrush, at least TaylorMade gave you something worthy of the tournament.
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