The Tariff Tax: How Trade Wars Could Impact Golf Equipment Costs

Unless you’ve been lost in the treeline looking for your wayward Top-Flite, you’re probably aware that the Trump administration has imposed tariffs on most of the globe. While that wasn’t great for the penguins, the outlook was even worse for average Americans.

Of course, in the 90 minutes it took me to write this story, the very stable genius running the show decided to re-pause tariffs for another 90 days (except for China, which apparently will now be subject to a 125 percent tariff).

Given the chaos and the apparent lack of anything resembling a cohesive, well-conceived strategy, it’s understandable that nobody inside the golf equipment industry has any concrete sense of how this tariff thing is going to play out, let alone how much you’re going to have to pay for new golf equipment.

Within the big picture, whatever eventually comes of this nonsense, golfers probably won’t get hit harder than anyone else but when you consider where golf equipment comes from – China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan and Taiwan among others – tariffs have the potential to create the perfect (shit) storm for the golf equipment industry and the golfers who buy its wares.

With that, you probably have questions and while nobody has any concrete answers (see above), we’ve put together this FAQ to hopefully give you some understanding of where things are made and what could come of all of it.

What golf equipment is made in the U.S.A.?

Very little. U.S.A.-made products include some of the following: milled putters, golf bags, golf balls and an exceedingly small number of premium forgings and boutique golf clubs you probably weren’t buying anyway.

As far as the stuff that is made here in the USA is concerned, it’s important to note that tariffs apply to raw materials and components so even golf balls that are made here (Titleist, Callaway and Bridgestone manufacture some or all of their lineup core to cover in the U.S.A.) could be subject to price increases as a result of tariffs on raw materials.

That said, the brands that manufacture balls here should be better positioned than others in the category. Their prices may go up but it’s reasonable to expect that brands that rely wholly on overseas production will either raise prices higher still or take a significant hit to their margins. I absolutely wouldn’t want to be a small to mid-sized DTC brand making golf balls in China right now.

Similarly, products assembled in the U.S.A. (Foresight and Bushnell launch monitors. for example) are almost invariably built from components made overseas. Those parts are also subject to tariffs.

Bottom line: Almost nobody would come out of this completely unscathed.

What equipment categories are likely to see increases?

The short answer is all of them. Clubs, balls and accessories (everything from grips to rangefinders) would, theoretically, be subject to tariffs. The same is true for apparel. A quick survey of my closet found polos made in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Peru. That’s just scratching the surface. The same is true for shoes and gloves. When I say nearly everything, I mean nearly EVERYTHING.

When will we see price increases?

That’s largely TBD. To date, there’s been no consistency around the actual implementation of tariffs. What is consistent with the insiders I’ve spoken with is a wait-and-see approach. It’s a volatile situation (“day-to-day” might be understating it) as everyone waits to understand the line between posturing and reality.

While some small companies have notified retailers of price increases, nobody from the larger OEMs I’ve spoken with is convinced that what’s real today will be real in a few weeks (or even tomorrow or an hour from now). It’s fair to say the threat of tariffs is creating confusion and chaos and with that comes very little beyond uncertainty.

If there’s any kind of silver lining in all of this, it’s that while smaller companies may raise prices sooner than later, a good bit of what’s going to be sold in 2025 has already found its way into the country. As we move later into the season, prices for summer and fall releases may be a bit higher. It’s also possible that it will be business as usual until 2026 rolls around.

We’re expecting some big mid-summer launches. Those could prove to be the first test of how larger golf companies will navigate the tariff situation.

Consumables (mainly golf balls), which tend to turn over faster, could also provide some indication of the industry’s strategy. I expect bigger brands will delay increasing costs for as long as possible – wait and see until the full picture becomes clear (which in all likelihood will be never).

Smaller brands (the DTC crowd – especially those importing from China) may be forced to raise costs sooner rather than later.

What are retailers doing?

For retailers, the situation is particularly challenging. Bigger chains are likely trying to strike the right balance between bringing in as much inventory as they can (before the shit hits the fan … or doesn’t. Who knows?) while attempting to mitigate the risk of taking on too much.

There are leading indicators suggesting the COVID boom is over and that the equipment market is beginning to decline. Couple that with economic uncertainty – not the least of which is the threat of higher prices on absolutely everything we buy – and it’s unlikely you’ll find anyone who is particularly bullish on golf equipment sales for the remainder of 2025. The last thing anybody wants is shelves full of 2025 gear as the calendar flips toward 2026.

I suppose if you’re a golfer looking for an upside, it’s that if there is excessive inventory, we’ll likely see steep discounts heading into next season.

Which brands could get hurt the most?

Bigger brands are better positioned to absorb (or at least survive) whatever tariffs may come. Small brands with small margins are likely to struggle the most. Based on the current tariff structure, companies sourcing products from China are going to get absolutely reamed.

For these companies (particularly smaller DTC brands), the choice could be either operating on near-zero margins or raising costs and reducing their value proposition. Neither strikes me as a viable long-term strategy and, if the tariffs stick, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some smaller brands go under.

It’s also worth mentioning that as labor rates have increased, many companies have diversified their suppliers with Vietnam producing a significantly higher percentage of what I suppose qualifies as mainstream golf equipment than ever before.

While the now paused 46-percent tariff is less than ideal, it’s significantly less than what’s been imposed on Chinese-made goods. Similarly, products produced in Taiwan, Japan and Korea were subject to lower tariffs (again, before the pause).

Will price increases be the same across the board?

I can’t promise they won’t but tariffs shouldn’t amount to a flat tax on every piece of golf equipment we buy. Sensibly, any cost increases would depend on where a product is made. As I said, some companies rely almost exclusively on China while others have shifted the bulk of their manufacturing to Vietnam. Japan, Korea and Taiwan also produce a significant quantity of golf products.

Theoretically, brands less dependent on China (highest tariffs and higher labor rate than Vietnam) should come out ahead but the industry has a way of finding balance and given that most everyone sources from multiple countries, I wouldn’t be surprised if retail increases are tied to some kind of tariff average versus the actual cost to make (and import) a given product.

The key factors boil down to where products are made and how much of the tariff costs OEMs and retailers are willing to eat before passing the leftovers on to consumers.

So how much is this mess going to cost me?

Once again, the short answer is that nobody really knows right now and the instability in decision-making won’t help add clarity. I’ve seen estimates suggesting drivers could cost upwards of $900. I’m not ready to believe that but it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

The thing to remember is that tariffs apply to manufacturers’ costs – effectively, what they pay the factory to supply the product. That’s significantly lower than the retail cost so even with a 125-percent tariff (or whatever the next number happens to be), driver costs, for example, aren’t likely to climb quite that high (at least not all at once).

My best educated guess- and it’s just that because, again, the only certainty is uncertainty- is that golfers could have to pay 15 to 20 percent above current pricing.

That’s obviously less than ideal and when coupled with the reality that lots of other stuff we buy is going to be more expensive (or not – the strategy appears to be little more than moment-to-moment whimsy), golf participation in general will likely take a dip. The fundamental problem with money is that it only spends once and with tariffs potentially disrupting absolutely everything, it’s reasonable to assume there will be less to spend on hobbies.

At a minimum, it’s reasonable to expect that with none of us knowing what’s coming, we’re going to be more reticent to spend more on non-necessities.

What happens next

The golf industry has weathered storms before – economic downturns, participation dips, and even came out ahead during a pandemic – but the tariff situation presents a uniquely challenging scenario. Unlike previous challenges, this one could impact every segment of the market simultaneously while also squeezing consumers from all sides.

The most likely outcome is a period of cautious pricing strategies as brands attempt to gauge consumer tolerance, followed by gradual increases that test the market’s threshold. Expect the premium segment to absorb more of the cost, at least initially, with value propositions becoming increasingly challenging to maintain at the lower end.

For golfers, the advice is straightforward: If you’ve been eyeing new equipment, the next few months might be your best window before prices potentially climb. For manufacturers and retailers, flexibility and diversification of supply chains will separate the survivors from those caught in the rough.